The music behind the awards

From folk music to playback singing, the women nominated at the ‘Xtreme Energy Drink Presents National Music Awards’ reflect on balancing artistry and visibility in an era of algorithms.

Awards have a way of simplifying stories. Years of rehearsals, discarded drafts and quiet persistence are distilled into a shortlist of names and, eventually, a trophy. For audiences, ‘Xtreme Energy Drink Presents National Music Awards’ celebrates the country’s biggest musical achievements. For the many women artists behind the nominations, however, they represent something more complex.