Alice Ivy, Ninajirachi Win Big

upnext2blowFebruary 26, 20263 Mins read1

Alice Ivy collected producer of the year and Ninajirachi snagged a brace at the 2026 MPEG Awards, presented Wednesday night (Feb. 25) in Sydney, ensuring female studio professionals dominated the annual ceremony.

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Ivy (real name: Annika Schmarsel) has been on a year-long hot streak, collecting multiple trophies at the 2025 MPEG Awards and cleaning up at last year’s AIR Awards in Adelaide. When her name was called out for producer of the year, MPEG’s top honor, the German-born, Melbourne-based creative noted a shift for the good in the studio landscape.

“You know, PinkPantheress has just won producer of the year at the BRIT Awards,” she remarked. “That award has existed for 47 years and it’s the first time a female has won it. So I feel like the universe is colliding. Which is really, really cool.” She added, “It’s so amazing seeing the girls get up this year.”

Ninajirachi, too, is coming off a brilliant year on the awards circuit, all of it reward for her debut studio album I Love My Computer. The producer, DJ and artist, who is currently abroad on tour, added self-producing artist of the year and breakthrough producer to her heaving trophy cabinet.

“I have been producing music since I was a young girl,” she remarked on a pre-recorded video accepting the breakthrough award. “I taught myself a bunch of software when I was a little girl and I think it’s something I’m going to be doing until I die. Basically I love producing music so much. I really feel like more of a producer than any other role of being an artist, truly.”

As previously reported, veteran hitmaker Mike Chapman was recognized with the lifetime achievement award. Baby Animals bandmates Suze DeMarchi and Dave Leslie were on hand to induct Chapman, a studio legend who turned their debut album into the musical equivalent of precious metal. Or in his own words, “one of the best rock albums ever.”

In a pre-taped thank-you, Chapman offered “one little warning. AI is here. AI is a challenge. And it’ll be more so going forward. So, if you use it, use it with respect and care. And remember, we are in the business of trying to make rock stars, not robots.”

The topic of artificial intelligence and the threat of taking voices away from the creative community was a common thread to the evening’s acceptance speeches.

Now in its third year, the MPEG Awards is the only national awards event dedicated to celebrating outstanding achievement across music production, engineering and studio practice in Australia.

All nominees were selected following an open submission process, with entries assessed by a panel of carefully selected judges based on work released during the eligibility period.

An initiative of the Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild of Australia (MPEG), the ceremony was presented at The Darling Rooms Dockside at Cockle Bay Wharf.

Sponsors this time were Shure/Jands, Neumann.Berlin, AVP Imports, Avid, PPCA, Music Australia, Considered Commercial and Entertainment Law, Yamaha, Marsh, and APRA AMCOS.

MPEG was established in 2022 to advocate for, recognize and elevate Australia’s producers and engineers, representing their commercial interests and strengthening the professional community through engagement and visibility.

2026 MPEG Awards winners:

Producer of the Year — Alice Ivy

(Nominees: Alex Burnett, Anna Lunoe, Aidan Hogg, Robby De Sa)

Breakthrough Producer of the Year — Ninajirachi

(Nominees: Xavier Dunn, Fletcher Matthews, Jonathon Tooke, Moss, Sophie Edwards)

Writer-Producer of the Year — Lucy Blomkamp

(Nominees: Anna Lunoe, Robby De Sa, Rob Amaruso, Aidan Hogg)

Recording Engineer of the Year — Simon Cohen

(Nominees: George Carpenter, Lewis Mitchell, Rohan Sforcina, Wayne Connolly)

Mix Engineer of the Year — Thomas Purcell p.k.a. Wave Racer

(Nominees: Simon Cohen, Eric J Dubowsky, Nao Anzai, Nick Herrera)

Mastering Engineer of the Year — Joe Carra