The 15th Golden Indie Music Awards (GIMA) were held on 2 November at the Taipei Music Center. 

Some of the most notable winners were dark horses Bremen Entertainment Inc., whose home-recorded album The Great Bremen Show clinched the Best Album award for this year. The psychedelic rock outfit also received the Best Rock Song for the single 'Peace and Quiet (Bremen announcement)'.

Rising hip-hop star handsome man (阿跨面) went home with the Best New Artist prize for his innovative contributions to Taiwan’s hip-hop community, while ØZI and Sunset Rollercoaster took Best R&B Song with 'SEX TAPE', a track that blends R&B with jazz and electronic influences. Meanwhile, Sorry Youth won the Best Rock Album for Noise Apartment.

Indie favorites Elephant Gym clinched Best Band for their album World, a work praised for its cohesive and global-minded approach. Their single 'Jhalleyaa' a collaboration with Indian singer Shashaa Tirupati, also won Best Alternative Pop Song. Meanwhile, Korean band Silica Gel received the Best Asian Creative Artist trophy for their album POWER ANDRE 99, which was selected from nearly 80 entries across Asia.

The Jury Award at this year's Golden Indie Music Awards honour Wayne Liu's Solo Album for capturing the essence of Taiwan's indie music scene in the early 2000s. As the final project of Wayne Liu — an influential artist within Taiwan's indie landscape — the album carries profound cultural significance, paying tribute to Liu’s impact and the spirit of the times. The Special Contribution Award was presented to THE NEXT BIG THING, a vital event that has fostered the ambitions of emerging artists for 15 years, and has played a pivotal role in shaping Taiwan’s modern music scene.

Aside from the awards, this year’s ceremony was elevated by special cross-cultural performances, which aimed to bridge Taiwanese music with international sounds. Taiwanese singer Enno Cheng and Korean folk artist Lang Lee captivated the audience with their rendition of '寬寬仔來到祢的面前', a bilingual blend of Taiwanese and Korean accompanied by a choir and string orchestra.

Other collaborations that night included SINCE, a Korean rapper from Show Me The Money, who took the stage with Taiwan’s NIGHTONLY duo (Gummy B & wannasleep) for their gripping cross-border track, 'DREAM'. Finally, Japanese sensation Tatsuya Kitani brought the house down for the grand finale with some of the biggest anime tracks today, like '青のすみかWhere Our Blue Is' and 'スカーSCAR'.

For more information on this year’s winners and highlights, visit GIMA’s official website or follow on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.