
Australia’s next breakout band might still be finishing their homework.
Newcastle three-piece Trophy Wyfe have officially been crowned triple j Unearthed High winners for 2026, taking out one of Australia’s most influential youth music competitions with their high-energy indie-meets-post-punk track ‘Spiders’.
Trophy Wyfe – ‘Spiders’
And if this feels like an early “remember where you heard them first” moment… history suggests that instinct might be bang-on.
This year’s Unearthed High attracted more than 1000 entries from high school-aged artists around the country, with the Unearthed team listening through every submission before narrowing down a stacked finalist pool featuring Alli Kate, Lithu, TwoSeventy and Zoevi.
Emerging victorious, Trophy Wyfe now join an alumni list that includes names like Genesis Owusu, The Kid LAROI, Ninajirachi, Gretta Ray, Hockey Dad and Mia Wray (not bad company for a band still navigating their final years of school).
Musically, Trophy Wyfe are carving out a lane that feels simultaneously familiar and fresh, blending sharp indie-rock instincts with post-punk urgency, sticky riffs and the kind of energy that feels tailor-made for sweaty rooms.
And they’re already thinking beyond the win. The band have just confirmed their debut album is set to arrive later this year, making this feel like the start of something potentially mega.
As part of the prize, Trophy Wyfe also scored a mentorship session with Genesis Owusu – a particularly full-circle pick given his own Unearthed High history – with the pair set to head into the studio together for a special songwriting session.
Elsewhere, TooLa, the project of 16-year-old Biripi student Tyler Saunders, took home this year’s Indigenous Initiative for his self-produced trap hybrid ‘Float’, earning the opportunity to have his next release mixed by acclaimed producer and engineer Eric J Dubowsky.
Meanwhile, rather than a polite phone call or low-key email, triple j Breakfast’s Concetta and Luka crashed the Trophy Wyfe’s school assembly, pulling off a full confetti cannon surprise seconds after they’d just performed their winning track on stage.
Watch how it all unfolded below.
Further Reading
WATCH: 13yo Inkabee Becomes The Youngest Artist In ‘Like A Version’ History
triple j’s 100 Best Unearthed Discoveries: The Complete List
16 YO Mariae Cassandra Has Taken Out Unearthed High 2024
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