The Class of 2016 at the ARIA Awards sounds more pop than rock. And the world is listening
JESSICA Mauboy, Montaigne and Olympia are the face of the fresh pop sound that will ring out at this year’s ARIA Awards.
JESSICA Mauboy, Montaigne and Olympia are the face of the fresh pop sound that will ring out at this year’s ARIA Awards.
On its 30th anniversary, the ARIA nominees sound very different from the melodic pub rock or power anthems of the awards’ inaugural winners in 1987 including John Farnham, INXS and Crowded House.
In 2016, the sound of now is led by electronic wunderkind Flume, who scored 11 nominations, breakthrough pop prince Troye Sivan (seven nominations) and music puzzle-makers The Avalanches, global game-changer Sia and rapper-turned-pop player Illy, all in contention for six awards.
ARIA AWARDS: See the full list of nominees
Mauboy is up for Best Female Artist for the fifth time, and the soul-R&B singer became teary as she reflected on “how crazy this is”.
“I haven’t been out there singing for ages but people still have me in their hearts, they are still listening,” she said.
“All of us here, telling our stories through our music, it is a very big deal to us.”
Montaigne, who is up for three awards including Best Female Artist, as well as sharing in another two nominations with Hilltop Hoods for their smash hit 1955, wonders if she tempted fate by calling her record Glorious Heights.
She said what was most remarkable about the class of 2016 was the fact the world was listening to Australian music more closely than ever before.
“I think what is really special about this list of artists is a lot of them are having international success and a strong international impact,” she said.
“I am not quite there yet but thanks to the internet, I already have fans overseas asking when they can get their hands on my record.”
Synth pop singer and guitarist Olympia was recognised for her genre-bending music on debut album Self Talk with a Breakthrough Artist nomination alongside Montaigne, Safia, DMA’s and L D R U.
“I think is validation for those same five people who would always come to my early shows,” she said.
“But I would like to be taller, a faster songwriter and better guitarist.”
The 2016 ARIA Awards will be held at the Star, Sydney on November 23
Originally published as The Class of 2016 at the ARIA Awards sounds more pop than rock. And the world is listening