“This album has been thousands of years in the making”: 80-year-old blues guitarist and singer-songwriter wins Australia's top music prize – beating Nick Cave and Amyl and the Sniffers

Kankawa Nagarra playing guitar next to a child and a dog.

80-year-old Walmatjarri elder and blues musician Kankawa Nagarra has just won Australia's most prestigious music award – the $50,000 Australian Music Prize (AMP) – for her debut album Wirlmarni, beating established music acts such as Amyl and the Sniffers, Nick Cave, and the Dirty Three.

The AMP, now in its 20th year, aims to focus “entirely on artistic merit” and “financially reward and increase exposure” for Australian musicians who have released what they consider to be the best album of the year. It often goes to new acts, with previous winners including some of Australia's best exports, like Courtney Barnett, King Stingray, and the Avalanches.