Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, April 22: Tibetan-Australian musician and Grammy-nominated artist Tenzin Choegyal has won the 2026 Queensland Music Awards(QMA) in the World Music category for his album “Snow Flower.”
Expressing great joy over the nomination, Choegyal said, “I wasn’t able to attend due to some family elder’s health, but just got informed that my album won the Best World Music.”
The album, “Snow Flower,” released April 4, 2025, on Rainbow Valley Records / Warner Music Australasia, is a seven-track, 57-minute project that pairs Choegyal’s meditative Tibetan singing with contributions from Australian and international collaborators, notably singer-songwriter Matt Corby and multi-instrumentalist Rohin Jones. The record has been presented by reviewers as a contemplative fusion that foregrounds voice, sparse arrangements, and a filmic ambience where traditional Tibetan motifs meet modern production textures.
The album has also earned a nomination for Best World Music Album at the 2025 ARIA Awards, one of the country’s most prestigious music honours. At the time of the nomination, Karma Singey, representative of the Office of Tibet in Canberra, congratulated the artist, noting that Snow Flower offers “a poignant exploration of life’s impermanence.” He highlighted its grounding in Tibetan Buddhist values of compassion and love, and its use of the dranyen, a traditional Tibetan lute, to create a reflective and meditative soundscape.
“Snow Flower” is also celebrated for its connection to the “Year of Compassion,” marking the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Choegyal, who originally hails from Tibet and is now based in Brisbane, has over the last decade built a profile as a bridge between Tibetan musical heritage and contemporary international collaboration.He previously gained international recognition through “Songs from the Bardo,” a Grammy-nominated project in the Best New Age Album category, and has collaborated extensively with artists and ensembles worldwide.
According to album notes and critical reviews, Snow Flower emerged from cross-country recording sessions and remote collaborations. The project is characterized by atmospheric production, acoustic textures, and layered vocal arrangements. Reviewers have particularly praised the title track for its depth and resonance, as well as the album’s ability to evoke a sense of stillness that feels both intimate and universal.
