From heavy metal to classical music, Melbourne artists bring home multiple ARIAs at this year’s awards.
Though the nights top honours may have gone to acts from other states and capitals, Melbourne’s musical diversity was highlighted by the awards local artists did win at the 2021 ARIAs last night.
Melbourne rockers Tropical Fuck Storm were the headline Melbourne act, taking home the gong for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album for their third and latest release Deep States.
The album debuted at number seven on the ARIA chart following its August release and has now led the band to their first ARIA win.
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Psychedelic jazz fusion group Mildlife took home the Best Jazz Album award for their September release, Automatic.
The local five-piece act took the honours over other well known jazz outfits including Vazesh and Petra Hayden and the Nick Haywood Quintet.
Melbourne harpist Marshall McGuire’s collaboration with local artist Genevieve Lacey, Bower, won the ARIA for Best Classical Album. Lacey’s masterful play of the recorder alongside McGuire’s harp resulting in the classical music highlight of the year.
The final Melbourne based winner for the night was hit machine Vance Joy who picked up the Best Video ARIA for his song ‘Missing Piece’. The fun and light-hearted video for his platinum smash was directed by Annelise Hickey.
It was Canberra’s Genesis Owusu’s night however, with the independent artist taking home four awards including the coveted Album of the Year, for his smash hit Smiling with No Teeth. Owusu also claimed awards for Best Independent Release, Best Hip Hop Release as well as taking out the Best Cover Art award.
Owusu who was discovered via Triple J’s unearthed high competition in 2015 also provided the performance of the night bouncing around stage singing a medley of his latest hits.
Owusu claimed the Album of the Year award over local acts The Avalanches and Tones and I. Tones and I was the unlucky Melbourne artist for the evening also losing out on awards for Song of the Year and Best Artist amongst others. Vance Joy was also nominated for the best artist gong but missed out.
This years awards were also the first without gendered categories in order to make the awards more inclusive. The individual Best Male Artist and Best Female Artist were replaced with the single Best Artist award which was won by The Kid LAROI.
The full list of ARIA award winners
Album of the Year: Genesis Owusu- Smiling with No Teeth
Song of the Year: Spacey Jane- ‘Booster Seat’
Best Artist: The Kid LAROI
Best Group: RUFUS DE SOL
Breakthrough Artist: Budjerah
Best Independent Release: Genesis Owusu- Smiling with No Teeth
Best Adult Contemporary Album: Crowded House- Dreamers are Waiting
Best Blues and Roots Album: Archie Roach- The Songs of Charcoal Lane
Best Country Album: Troy Cassar-Daley- The World Today
Best Rock Album: Middle Kids- Today We’re the Greatest
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album: Tropical F**k Storm- Deep States
Best Classical Album: Marshall McGuires and Genevieve Lacey- Bowers
Best Jazz Album: Mildlife- Automotive
Best World Music Album: Joseph Tawadros- Hope in an Empty City
Best Original Soundtrack: Angus and Julia Stone- Life is Strange
Best Hip-Hop Release: Genesis Owusu- Smiling with No Teeth
Best Dance Release: RUFUS DU SOL- ‘Alive’
Best Pop Release: The Kid LAROI- ‘Stay’ ft. Justin Bieber
Best Soul/R&B Release: Tkay Maidza– Last Year was Weird, Vol 3
Best Video: Vance Joy- ‘Missing Pieces’
Best Australian Live Act: Lime Cordiale
Head to the ARIA Awards homepage for more info.
