HIP HOPPING jazz/rock sextet POWNegro has led a strong Freo contingent to a host of WAM nominations this week.

POWNegro, who formed less than a year ago and have a bassist who took up the instrument just a month before joining, are in the running for most popular live act and most popular new act. It follows their recent success in the Big Splash battle of the bands where they took out the $10,000 first prize.

Koi Child

Already POWNegro have played alongside break-out Freo band Koi Child, who scored an impressive five WAM nominations, and Kevin Parker from internationally renowned Tame Impala (up for two gongs).

“I always remember saying if I ever get to play in the same building as Kevin Parker that is my career done, so really I shouldn’t be playing anymore,” POWNegro vocalist Nelson Mondlane says.

• A typically energetic POWNegro live performance.

The group hope to use their growing success to help other up-and-coming musicians, inspired by Big Splash founder Maria Florides, who shunned first class on her regular business trips to save $10,000 a year which she donates to the arts.

“We would use the [Big Splash winnings] to put back into a good show for artists that we know would be in the same position … to give a show to Mung Dahl to give them the spotlight, because they are beginning and in the beginning we got helped out by Koi Child,” says drummer Rhys Hussey.

“We want to do a show that we are proud of, and in some way pay respects to some of the people that have helped us out,” Mondlane explains.

Local indi punk rockers Hideous Sun Demon picked up four WAM nominations, while rocking goddess Abbe May is up for a couple.

by KORO BROWN