Geraldton songwriter Darcy Hay makes top five in WAM song of the year awards with late mother’s favourite song

Two Mid West artists have been nominated in a prestigious songwriting competition, including Geraldton’s Darcy Hay, whose song lives on as a tribute to his mother, who recently died. Hay and Kalbarri’s Brenton Meynell are finalists in this year’s WAM song of the year award, after making the top five in the outstanding regional songs category. It is the second time as a finalist for Hay, after he came close to winning the 2020 song of the year category, but this year is even more bittersweet. Sleeping Dogs started as a simple, melodic tribute to his pet dog Treakle, but it evolved into something more significant after his mother’s death in 2023. It was her favourite song among his compositions, and to honour her he released it on her birthday the month after she died. “With mum’s death, those considerations showed themselves for how misguided they were, and it was a very easy decision to throw that pursuit of perfection out the window and release it, quietly and without fanfare, exactly as it was,” Hay said. Lines like “We both drift like ghosts, through this house, through this town that we used to own” now resonate with sorrow as he grieves, he said. But Hay finds a sense of fulfilment knowing his mother had faith in the song, even when he doubted it. “I’m very much aware that it was others who truly brought it to life, and am immensely grateful to give my shout outs to guest musicians Noah Shilkin on piano, and Phoebe Corke for her beautiful three-piece strings arrangement,” he said. “Their musicianship staggered me at the time — particularly, how fast they were able to come up with and lay down their parts — and it’s a blessing to have those skills make the song, in many ways, what it is.” Hay also thanked the guys at Hopping Mouse Studios, who helped him produce the tune, and Phaedra Watts, who believed in him and gave him the courage to enter and win the festival director’s award at Nannup Music Festival. He said the win afforded studio time. Meynell’s band, BMP, who recently played at the successful Kalbarri Open Air Festival, are finalists for their song Floating on Clouds. WAM song of the year features 17 song categories, and winners receive a share of up to $45,000 worth of prizes, including recording time, industry and cash prizes. The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 19 in Fremantle.