WAM’s 2026 Song of the Year winners revealed
West Australian Music (WAM) have announced the winners of the 2026 WAM Song of the Year competition.
Presented by Healthway, the winners were awarded at The Rechabite on Wednesday, May 27.
Taking out the overall Grand Prize in 2026 was Coco Elise with their song Colour The Stencil, which also won the Folk category.
Local First Nations artist Phil Walleystack took home the Grand Prize Runner-Up with Lore of the Land, which also won the Country category.
Second Runner-Up was awarded to 15-year-old Alyssa for Walk With The Elders and was the category-winning song for Outstanding Indigenous.
X-Press Magazine was a proud supporter of the event, with all three Grand Prize winners taking home a copy of Rewind, a commemorative coffee table book written by former editor Bob Gordon telling the story of Western Australia’s music and arts scene from 1985 to 2025.
The winner of the Healthway Feel It Write It category was local country artist Codee-Lee with her song Bird in a Cage. Codee featured in the top five of three different categories this year, also taking home the Outstanding Regional category.
“Song of the Year connects musicians, opening doors for emerging voices while celebrating artists like Codee-Lee and the strength of WA songwriting,” said Healthway CEO Colin Smith, congratulating Codee-Lee for the two well-deserved awards. “It highlights the power of creativity to support mental well-being and community connection.”
“With over 800 submissions across 17 categories from all corners of WA, these awards have shown the depth and breadth of songwriting talent in our state,” said Western Australian Music CEO Owen Whittle. “This year we see several first-time winners from emerging artists, including Misticia, Georgia Raath, and 15-year-old Alyssa, who share the stage with stalwarts of the local music scene such as Phil Walleystack and Codee-Lee.”
“We are pleased to announce our collaboration with Healthway for our Song of the Year Awards with the ‘Healthway Feel It, Write It’ category, which is well-complemented by the second year of presenting the ‘Song for Sophie’ Award in memory of young artist Sophie Smith.”
“Song of the Year also shines a light on the producers, writers, and recording studios who play a vital role in creating music. This year, local songwriter and producer Calvin Bennett was credited for contributions towards three winning songs and the Grand Prize.”
Check out the full list of winners below:
GRAND PRIZE
WINNER Colour The Stencil – Coco Elise
RUNNER-UP Lore of the Land – Phil Walleystack
SECOND RUNNER-UP Walk With The Elders – Alyssa
Feel It, Write It
Presented by Healthway
WINNER Bird in a Cage – Codee-Lee
OTHER NOMINEES
Girl in the Mirror – Amberley Maryellen
Reality Check – Leah McFetridge
Somedays – Danella
Traffic Lights – Tanya Ransom
A SONG FOR SOPHIE
Presented by The Sophie Smith Fund held with the Fremantle Foundation
WINNER Little Affliction – Riyana Samrai
OTHER NOMINEES
Call Me – Misticia
dust mites – Georgia Raath
Pearl – Anika Lousie
Radio National – Streetlights
BLUES/ROOTS
WINNER Call Me – Misticia
OTHER NOMINEES
mister – Navy June
Redemption Arc – Siobhan Cotchin
The River – South 76
Wonderful Wonderful – Unicorn
COUNTRY
WINNER Lore of the Land – Phil Walleystack
OTHER NOMINEES
Back Roads – Ray Jones
Show on the Road – Codee-Lee
Time and Time – Harry Foxton
Two Feet – Sally Jane
ELECTRONIC
WINNER DO YOU EVER – Georga Raath
OTHER NOMINEES
Desires – Binary Sunsets
Garden of Edie – EDIE
Reality Check – Leah McFetridge
SUPANOVA Remix featuring KAYPS – Ricky Neil Jr.
EXPERIMENTAL
WINNER fragments II – samarobryn
OTHER NOMINEES
Black Water – yumyab
Clairvoyant, the Owl – Jack Maher
RETURN TO THE ROOFTOP – Sleepthink
Run – Dan Sutherland
FOLK
WINNER Colour The Stencil – Coco Elise
OTHER NOMINEES
ARMOUR – Georgina Dacheff
Like A River – Riley Pearce
Lore of the Land – Phil Walleystack
Soles – Charlie Daniel
GLOBAL
WINNER Pehli Sawan – Avra Banerjee
OTHER NOMINEES
Lantredé – Salama
Romance de vacances – Queency
Sambatra – Tchéga
Someday soon – Marion Beugels
HEAVY/METAL
WINNER D1 – Indigo Blaze
OTHER NOMINEES
Cruel is the wheel – Secular
Evergreen – Viperchain
Ivy – Late 90s
Zealot – The Gremlins
HIP-HOP/RNB
WINNER Sanctuary Stay – PERSIA
OTHER NOMINEES
apathetic – Elianie
Living Without You – SHARIN
Mama Said – And Beyond
New Friends – Kurt Carrera
JAZZ
WINNER Saffron Mastadon – Huey Brazadich
OTHER NOMINEES
Jammin’ With Nate – James Colton
Morning Star – David Rastrick
Never Too Late – Chrissie Pavlovic
Sending All My Love – The Matt Cahill Combo
OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS
WINNER Walk With The Elders – Alyssa
OTHER NOMINEES
Flames – Bobby Bennell
Lore of the Land – Phil Walleystack
Ngany Kaartdijin (On my mind) – Boox Kid
The Fire – Kenzo
OUTSTANDING REGIONAL
WINNER Bird in a Cage – Codee-Lee
OTHER NOMINEES
Already Gone – Amberley Maryellen
Bike Beach Pub – RATSALAD.
Don’t Give Me No Work – South 76
Rain Check – Pete Byfield
OUTSTANDING UNDER-18
WINNER you know – Zoevi
OTHER NOMINEES
Bittersweet Love Ending – Hiru Kodippili
Handbrake On My Life – Leroy Harvey
OBSESSED – Lily Rawson
What Am I Missing? – Violet T
POP
WINNER Greenhouse – Hollie Isabella
OTHER NOMINEES
Another Hit – Joel Tane
apathetic – Elianie
Fallen Angel – Alexandria
I never changed – STOW
PUNK/HARDCORE
WINNER Pump It – Indigo Blaze
OTHER NOMINEES
Art School Drop Out (Jaz Origin Story) – RATSALAD.
Autophobia – Ten Cent Tiger
Bacon Pig Man – BeefWood Ballet
EMBARRASSED 4 U – Blush
ROCK
WINNER Angels – The Forever Party
OTHER NOMINEES
Public Humiliation – ALEIA
Radio National – Streetlights
Spirals – Unicorn
Standing On The Edge Of The World – Simon London + the Spirits
WAM announced the winners of the 2026 Song of the Year at The Rechabite on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.