ARIA Awards 2019: All the winners, nominees from Aussie music’s big night
There was no shortage of glitz and glamour onstage at the star-studded 2019 ARIA Awards. SEE THE FULL WINNERS LIST
ARIA Music Awards
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It was once the ARIA’s biggest award of the night but Album of the Year has been relegated second fiddle to the fan-voted Song of the Year.
But it’s still the gong all artists rate above all and Dean Lewis was understandably chuffed to take it out with his debut album A Place We Knew.
“This is a very special moment for me. Four years ago I quit my job and moved in with my nan who had a spare room...I had about $1000 and I knew it was now or never to have a crack at this music thing,” Lewis said.
“I think the most important thing we can do is treat people in our lives and online with kindness...you never know what anyone is going through...and this is the light at the end of the tunnel for me.”
The final award of the night Song of the Year was won by Guy Sebastian who closed the night with his hit Choir, wearing his 23rd costume change of the night, according to Richard Wilkins.
Choir was written in tribute to his bandmate Luke Liang who died after a battle with depression and Sebastian made an emotional speech in tribute to his friend.
“Don’t even. You are all as shocked as me...I have been nominated a lot and this year it’s (against) the biggest song...I’m sorry Tones and I and everyone else.
“I cry probably 80 per cent of the time singing this song because it is a special song about a special guy.
“He’s such a rad dude, a great friend of all of ours...and there’s so many people who need love.”
TONES AND I BLITZES ARIAS
Tones and I won her fourth ARIA for Breakthrough Artist - the one award she thought she might be a shoo-in for.
“I am the epitome of a breakthrough artist in 2019,” Tones correctly noted.
She also thanked “All those people who came past and supported me while I was busking and bought my demos and kept food in my belly.”
Host Guy Sebastian also made a ribald joke about Flume’s catering being “eaten out the back” before US singer Khalid performed Talk.
Rapper Sampa the Great won best hip hop release for her globally acclaimed album Final Form. “I’m the first woman of colour to win best hip hop,” Sampa said. “I hope the Australian music community starts to reflect the change.”
COMIC’S DIG AT LOCK-OUT LAWS
Arj Barker won Best Comedy Release - the American comedian has relocated to Australia which the ARIAs must seem him eligible for the award, his comedy special was recorded in Australia.
“We went out in Sydney last night, we closed the bars down,” Barker said. “We were out til 9:15pm.”
Melbourne singer Kaiit won best soul/R&B release for Miss Shiney. “To anyone who looks like me nurture your dreams”.
Human Nature celebrated their induction to the ARIA Hall of Fame on the 30th anniversary of their formation in a schoolyard in western Sydney.
“It was actually 30 years tonight that I asked these three guys in the school yard to sing with me,” Andrew Tierney said.
His brother Michael added: “When we started together in high school they were 15 and 16 and I was a 12-year-old boy soprano and nothing says popular like boy soprano.”
Toby Allen noted “We are witnessing history because for the first time ARIA is inducting a boy band into the Hall of Fame...and we are totally at peace with being called a boy band.”
Phil Burton joked they have only cancelled one show due to a hangover over their three decades and as to endure one gig where projectiles were thrown at them at the Shellharbour Workers Club.
RED FACES AFTER ‘MOONLIGHT’ MOMENT
Triple J’s Veronica and Lewis pulled a Moonlight when they read out the wrong winner from the wrong envelope.
They announced Paul Kelly as winner of Best Independent Release, rather than Tones and I. Kelly won Best Adult Contemporary Album for Nature. The incident was re-shot for TV broadcast.
Tones and I thanked Triple J Unearthed when accepting her award.
“My two goals this year were to get played on Triple J one time and sell out a 200 capacity venue. I never thought I would have the number one song in the world.”
Guy Sebastian pulled off one of the night’s shocks when his video for Choir beat out Tones and I’s Dance Monkey for Best Video. It was one of the night’s public voted categories.
“It’s been the biggest radio song of my career and the most emotionally impacting song of my life,” Sebastian said.
Awkwardly, Sebastian was played off by the wind-up music while paying tribute to Luke Liang, the late musician who he wrote Choir for, noting the immense feedback about mental health issues the song had provoked.
Melbourne band The Teskey Brothers had their unofficial publicist Chris Hemsworth introduce them via video. “I’m the biggest Teskey Brothers fan in the world officially,” Hemsworth said. The band won Best Group and have just finished a sold out Australian tour
U2 CAN’T STAND THE HEAT
With the awards running late as usual, the organisers had to scramble to record U2’s presentation of the Best Group award ahead of their final show in Perth where the Irish band confessed to suffering from the heat.
“It’s very very very hot; we’re Irish people you understand but we feel totally spoilt and just thanks for spoiling us once again,” Bono said about their triumphant Joshua Tree tour of Australia.
The Edge apologised to Andrew of Melbourne, the poor man woken by a late night of partying by the guitarist, Noel Gallagher and Australian pop duo Confidence Man.
The band then announced the Teskey Brothers as the award winner with their label boss, Michael Gudinski celebrating by spraying those near him with a shower of beer.
Earlier, Tones and I scored her second ARIA win - Best Pop Release for Dance Monkey.
However after her impassioned speech for Best Female, Tones admitted “I only wrote one speech.”
MADISON AVENUE’S ‘GLASS OF WATER’
Madison Avenue’s Andy Van referenced his band’s iconic incident involving singer Cheyne Coates asking for a glass of water when presenting at the ARIAs.
Van presented Rufus Du Sol with best dance release for their album Solace, the band accepting via video link.
Coates was not present, having skipped off the radar in the last decade. Van is handling promotion single-handedly for the 20th anniversary remix of the duo’s global hit Don’t Call Me Baby.
VERONICAS TAKE SWIPE AT QANTAS
The Veronicas’ Jess Origliasso called themselves “Australia’s favorite controversial siblings” before sister Lisa corrected that Schapelle and Mercedes Corby hold that mantle.
The twins presented Tones and I with her first ever ARIA - for Best Female Artist.
“Sometimes I don’t think I’m the most relatable female artist,” Tones said.
“I’m not into make up or girlie things but those things don’t definite what being a female artist Is anymore. It’s being brave and courageous.”
Tones and I, aka Toni Watson, said her “overnight success” had made her realise the importance of being a “Good person” despite the fame.
“Thank you to Australia for letting me know I’m ok just the way I am.”
SULTAN BOUNCES BACK IN STYLE
A year after Dan Sultan walked the ARIAs red carpet with his pregnant partner Bronnie, the blues rocker is celebrating winning Best Children’s Record with his debut album of the genre, Nali & Friends.
The album was released before the birth of their daughter Lena this year and won the coveted children’s music gong from the king of the kids, The Wiggles.
Sultan battled addiction issues over the past couple of years but has made a spectacular comeback to health and his music career.
“I went through a lot over the last couple of years and I was really ill and I have come out on the other side with my beautiful partner Bronnie and our beautiful daughter Lena,” Sultan said.
TONES AND I STUNS ARIAS CROWD
Aussie sensation Tones and I has opened the 2019 ARIA Awards with a bang.
“Last year I was watching the ARIAs and I was living in my van and I was watching Amy Shark at the ARIAS and I thought no way,” the former busker said before launching into her global hit Dance Monkey, dressed as her “grandpa” alter ego from the song’s video.
The artist, whose real name is Toni Watson, who scored a standing ovation after the performance, a rarity for the first performance of the night.
The awards kicked off with fans lining the red carpet to catch a glimpse of international guests Dua Lipa, Halsey, Khalid and Why Don’t We alongside homegrown chart heroes including Tones and I, the Teskey Brothers, Jessica Mauboy, Hilltop Hoods, Dean Lewis, The Veronicas, The Wiggles and host Guy Sebastian.
TOP HONOUR FOR MICHAEL CHUGG
Ahead of the awards kick-off at the Star Event Centre in Sydney, promoter Michael Chugg was awarded the ARIA Icon award with Robbie Williams, who he has always toured in Australia, cheekily congratulating him via video.
Williams said there was only one thing to say to the legendary Australian promoter and manager of local acts after commanding “that much respect and longevity”.
“And that is f...off you bastard and pay me my f...ing money!”
Chugg, whose company manages pop act Shepard, festival faves Lime Cordiale and country artist Casey Barnes, said he was on a mission to get homegrown talent more support on Australian commercial radio stations.
“We’re about to start World War 3 on radio to get (local quotas) up to 25 or 30 per cent; we are probably getting more airplay overseas,” he said during his speech.
Originally published as ARIA Awards 2019: All the winners, nominees from Aussie music’s big night