Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 26: Tibetan-Australian artist Tenzin Choegyal has earned a nomination for Best World Music Album at the 2025 ARIA Music Awards for his collaborative project Snow Flower, the Grammy-nominated musician confirmed following Thursday’s announcement of this year’s nominees.
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 composer-vocalist himself expressed gratitude on social media, posting that he felt “incredibly honoured” by the ARIA nomination and communities connected to the Tibetan diaspora and supporters in Australia and Canberra have publicly congratulated him. The Tibet Office in Canberra issued a formal message of congratulations, calling the nomination a proud moment for the Tibetan artistic community in exile.
The ARIA Awards’ Best World Music Album category highlights recordings that bring global music traditions into the Australian industry spotlight. This year’s nominees include high-profile acts spanning Indigenous Australian orchestral work, Middle Eastern oud virtuosity and contemporary cross-cultural ensembles, placing Choegyal alongside Electric Fields & the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Tawadros, Gurrumul’s orchestral sessions and The Cat Empire.
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 reached an international audience through projects such as the Grammy-nominated Songs from the Bardo (which was recognized in the Best New Age Album category), and has collaborated with renowned artists and ensembles worldwide.
According to published album notes and press coverage, Snow Flower was the product of cross-country recording sessions and remote collaborations. Choegyal’s vocals are framed by atmospheric production, acoustic textures and the distinct touches of collaborators who helped shape the record’s tonal palette. Reviewers have highlighted the title track for its layered vocal lines and the album’s ability to create a sense of stillness that is at once personal and communal.
Australian media outlets and music trade publications noted Choegyal’s nomination as one of the year’s notable inclusions, often framed as part of a “global turn” in the nominations where cross-cultural projects and Indigenous orchestral work feature strongly. Trade coverage emphasized that the ARIA nominations reflect both commercial chart success and the industry’s attempt to be more inclusive of diverse musical expressions.
