Albany-raised singer-songwriter Rachel Lincoln wins back-to-back international music awards

Albany-raised musician Rachel Lincoln has been named female vocalist of the year at the International Singer-Songwriters Association awards. Her pop song Married in Vegas has also won an award at the Intercontinental Music Awards Best of America category. Lincoln said she was both “grateful and surprised” at winning the two awards back-to-back. “I hadn’t prepared an acceptance speech or anything so when they announced my name as the winner of the gold international female vocalist of the year at the ISSA Awards I didn’t know what to say,” she said. “I now wish in hindsight that I’d prepared some words, I just didn’t expect to win.” Days after winning the ISSA and ICMA awards, Lincoln received an email from the Australian Recording Industry Association board inviting her to be a judge in the upcoming ARIA Awards. “I was shocked and honoured that the most prestigious music association in the country deemed my opinion worthy,” she said. She said the email, which said she had been invited because of her experience, passion and knowledge of Australian music, was confirmation that she must be doing something right. Lincoln said she never expected to win awards or participate in the 2024 ARIA Awards as a judge. “No way, not at all, I feel like a lot has happened in a fairly short time,” she said. “I never thought I’d be a member of ARIA let alone be able to have a say in who wins the ARIAs. “It’s crazy that my opinion counts!”