Winner of Toyota Star Maker Competition Revealed

The winner of the 46th Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival has been revealed.

Queensland's Jarrad Wrigley has taken the crown, after delivering a standout performance at the Grand Final concert on Sunday evening - a highlight of the festival. Blending traditional country roots with modern production, he crafts songs that celebrate rural Australian life with honesty, humour, and heart.

Wrigley arrived in Tamworth in 2022 as a complete unknown, performing more than 20 shows in six days across Peel Street, the Courthouse Hotel and the Toyota main stage, ultimately winning third place in the Busking Championships. That same year he released his first two singles while touring towns and cities nationwide.

A graduate of JMC Academy, he sharpened his craft by forming a band that played weekly throughout Queensland and New South Wales, also supporting mentor James Blundell.

Momentum surged again in 2024 as he appeared at major festivals including Boon Lane Country Music Festival, Emerald AgGrow, Gympie Muster, Night in Nashville, Toowoomba Farm Fest, Wild As Country, and Tamworth CMF. He also launched his JW merchandise brand, partnering with Thomas Cook Clothing to deliver premium products now worn by fans across the country.

National audiences came to know him as 'Farmer Jarrad, The Singing Cowboy' on Farmer Wants A Wife (2025), a moment that rapidly expanded his loyal fanbase. Crowned the 2025 Ekka Country Music Showdown Grand Champion, he is now recording his debut EP, set for release later this month. With authenticity and work ethic at his core, he’s fast becoming one of Australian country music’s rising forces.

 

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By taking home the Toyota Star Maker prize, Wrigley received a package worth more than $100,000, including the use of a RAV4 Hybrid AWD Cruiser for a year, the recording of a four-track EP, and a trip to Nashville, to attend the Country Music Association Festival, along with additional career-building opportunities.

Presenting the award at the 2026 Grand Final concert, Toyota Australia's Manager of Communications, Ellie Gibbs, congratulated the winner and acknowledged the strength of this year’s competition.

"This year’s Grand Final showcased an outstanding group of emerging artists, and I’d like to congratulate all of the finalists for the incredible talent, professionalism and passion they brought to the stage," she said. “Throughout the evening Jarrad stood out with both the judges and the audience with his performances on the night.

“The year ahead presents an incredible opportunity to build momentum, connect with new audiences and continue sharing his music. We’re proud to welcome Jarrad into the Toyota Star Maker family and look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

Jarrad now joins an illustrious group of past winners who have used Toyota Star Maker as a career springboard to national and international success, including global superstar Keith Urban, as well as household names like Lee Kernaghan, Gina Jeffreys, Sam McClymont, and Wade Forster.