Sunset Rollercoaster and ena mori Lead Winners at Taiwan’s 17th Golden Indie Music Awards

Jazz musician Yuhan Su swept three awards, while Japan’s Tempalay delivered an electrifying finale and Balming Tiger’s Wonjin joined forces with Taiwan’s Elephant Gym for a cross-border performance.

The 17th Golden Indie Music Awards (GIMA) was held on October 31, 2026, at the Taipei Music Center, recognizing exceptional independent and original music from Taiwan and other parts of Asia.

Among this year’s standout winners was Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster, which received the Best Album award for 《QUIT QUIETLY》. Japanese-Filipino artist ena mori also took home the Best Asian Creative Artist award for her EP 《Ore》. Meanwhile, Taiwanese jazz musician Yuhan Su emerged as the evening’s biggest winner, earning three awards for her internationally recognized project 《Over The Moons>>. The ceremony also featured memorable performances from Japan’s Tempalay, alongside a special collaboration between Wonjin of South Korean alternative music collective Balming Tiger and Taiwanese math-rock band Elephant Gym, further highlighting the event’s celebration of musical diversity and cross-cultural collaborations across Asia.

Sunset Rollercoaster, known internationally for their dreamy blend of indie rock, soul and retro pop, received Best Album for《QUIT QUIETLY》.The band recently gained further global attention through 《AAA》, their collaborative album with South Korean indie group HYUKOH.

Born in Tokyo and raised in the Philippines, ena mori is a Japanese-Filipino singer-songwriter and producer whose music combines classical piano influences with experimental pop. Her 2022 album 《DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE!》 topped NME Asia‘s list of the best Asian albums of the year, and she has performed at international events including SXSW and Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival. Her latest EP,《Ore》, earned her this year’s Best Asian Creative Artist award, highlighting the growing visibility of cross-cultural voices in Asia’s independent music scene.

Yuhan Su received Best Jazz Album for 《Over The Moons》, Best Jazz Song for 〈Genius and Dumb〉(天才與笨蛋),and the Jury Award. Other winners included Outlet Drift, which won Best Band for 《Masonolay i Cepo’》; Panai, who received two folk music awards for her album《Minsumin》(來了) and the song〈A Bird Without Feathers〉(是誰); and Malpace, whose debut album《((No wool. No hump))》won Best R&B Album.

One of the ceremony’s live highlights was ODD WAVES, a special collaboration between Wonjin, a member of South Korean alternative music collective Balming Tiger, and Taiwanese math-rock band Elephant Gym. Their set featured Elephant Gym’s〈鏡子 Mirror〉and〈中途 Midway〉,Wonjin’s〈겨울왕자 Ice King〉, and a collaborative performance of〈女巫 Witches〉、〈캔디가 생각나Candy〉, bringing together intricate instrumental rhythms and distinctive vocal arrangements.

Japanese psychedelic rock band Tempalay closed the ceremony with performances of 〈Kaminchi かみんち〉 and 〈Sonatine そなちね〉. Featuring Ryoto Ohara, Natsuki Fujimoto, and AAAMYYY, the trio brought their signature blend of psychedelic rock, electronic textures, and experimental pop to the Taipei stage.

Additional performance highlights featured a special collaboration among Paiwan singer-songwriter Sauljaljui (戴曉君), Yuhan Su, and the Taiwu Ballads Troupe (TBT 泰武古謠傳唱), bringing together traditional Indigenous Taiwanese music and modern jazz influences. Meanwhile, Best Live Performance awardee That’s My Shhh energized the audience with “LIVE A LIFE,” showcasing the dynamic sounds of Taiwan’s hip-hop scene.

For the full list of award winners and the latest announcements, visit the Golden Indie Music Awards (GIMA)’s official social media channels.