Check out the full list of winners below!
Image: BCS Imaging.
Tonight we were treated to the ultimate celebration of Australian music, as the ARIA Awards took over Sydney’s iconic Taronga on Cammeraigal country. Streamed around the world on YouTube, and broadcast on 9Now, the event truly captured the incredible achievements of our local artists over the past year and the diversity within our industry.
Independent artist Genesis Owusu made the 2021 ARIA Awards his, taking home four out of his eight nominations and offering up one of the nights most captivating performances. Taking out the coveted Album Of The Year for Smiling With No Teeth, Best Hip Hop Release Presented By Menulog, and Best Independent Release Presented by PPCA, . Best Cover Art was also awarded to Kofi Ansah and Bailey Howard for their work on the albums imagery.
Rising singer-songwriter Budjerah continued capped off his breakout year in a massive way, taking home the ARIA Award for Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist for his debut self-titled EP. The award was presented by megastar Ed Sheeran and homegrown legend Vance Joy. The musician also made his ARIA performance debut, taking to the stage to deliver a superb performance of Missing You. RÜFÜS DU SOL walked away with two wins, scoring Best Dance Release and Best Group for their single Alive, also offering a shimmering performance of the song from L.A.
Images: BCS Imaging. Middle Kids photographed by Sam MacDonald.
Global hitmaker The Kid LAROI won BestArtist and BestPopRelease for his 3x platinum single Stay, which he performed during the ceremony, hours after receiving a nomination for Best New Artist at the 64th Grammy Awards. Zimbabwean-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper Tkay Maidza picked up the award for Best Soul/R&B Release for Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3, whilst Lime Cordiale took home their second ARIA Award for Best Australian Live Act presented by Heaps Normal for their 2021 Relapse Tour.
WA indie-rockers Spacey Jane were the recipients of the fan voted Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music, with Vance Joy awarded the award for Best Video presented by YouTube Music for Missing Piece. Swifties came out in full-force for a second time, ensuring global superstar Taylor Swift was named the Most Popular International artist. Zoë Barry of Sacred Heart School, Melbourne Vic was commended for her inspiring work, taking out the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award.
Images: BCS Imaging.
More winners include Middle Kids, who won their first ARIA for BestRockAlbum for their second studio album Today We're The Greatest, Crowded House recieved Best Adult Contemporary Album for Dreamers Are Waiting, and Tropical F**k Storm won their first ARIAAward for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album. Troy Cassar-Daley, won Best Country Album with The World Today, marking his fifth time winning the award, whilst Archie Roach was awarded Best Blues & Roots Album for his album The Songs Of Charcoal Lane. Angus & Julia Stone, Konstantin Kersting, The Rubens, Joseph Tawadros, Genevieve Lacey and Marshall McGuire all took home awards in their respective catagories.
The night was made complete with stellar performances from Amy Shark, RÜFÜS DU SOL and Gretta Ray, and appearances from Baker Boy, Brooke Boney, Charli XCX, Ebony & Bryce, Peach PRC, Ruel, Troye Sivan and Vera Blue.
Watch the full ceremony and view the full list of winners below!
Images: Sam MacDonald.
Album Of The Year
WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU
Amy Shark - Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL)
Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators - The Makarrata Project (Sony Music)
The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best Artist
WINNER: THE KID LAROI
Amy Shark - Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Budjerah - Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia)
Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL)
Keith Urban - The Speed Of Now Part 1 (CAPITOL – NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia)
Kylie Minogue - Disco (Liberator Music/Mushroom)
Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
Ngaiire - 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
The Kid LAROI - Stay (with Justin Bieber) (Columbia/Sony Music)
Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Vance Joy - Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist
WINNER: BUDJERAH
Budjerah - Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia)
Gretta Ray - Begin To Look Around (EMI Music Australia)
Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
MAY-A -Don't Kiss Ur Friends (Arcadia Music / Sony Music)
Ngaiire - 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Best Pop Release
WINNER: THE KID LAROI
Amy Shark - Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
The Kid LAROI - Stay (with Justin Bieber) (Columbia/Sony Music)
Tones and I - Fly Away (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Vance Joy - Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Best Hip Hop Release Presented By Menulog
WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU
B Wise - jamie (Semi Pro Sound)
Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL)
Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
The Kid LAROI - WITHOUT YOU (Columbia/Sony Music)
Youngn Lipz - Area Baby (Biordi Music/Virgin Music)
Best Independent Release Presented by PPCA
WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU
Archie Roach - The Songs Of Charcoal Lane (Bloodlines/Mushroom)
Ball Park Music - Ball Park Music (Prawn Records/ Inertia Music)
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover (Hopestreet Recordings/The Planet Company)
Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL)
Vance Joy - Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group
Best Soul/R&B Release
WINNER: TKAY MAIDZA
Budjerah - Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia)
Hiatus Kaiyote - Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
Ngaiire - 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
TashSultana - Terra Firma (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music
TkayMaidza - Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Best Dance Release
WINNER: RÜFÜS DU SOL
Cosmo's Midnight - Yesteryear (Nite High/Sony Music)
Dom Dolla - Pump The Brakes (Sweat It Out/Warner)
Jolyon Petch - Dreams (TMRW Music)
KLP & Stace Cadet - People Happy (Medium Rare Recordings / Sony Music)