Pop star Amy Shark and globally acclaimed genre-bender Genesis Owusu lead 2021 ARIA nominations

The Australian music industry finally has something to celebrate after a brutal year with a strong field of nominees from hip hop, pop, rock and soul at this year’s ARIA Awards.

Amy Shark’s reckoning with her ghosts and Genesis Owusu’s explosive genre-bending commentary on racism and depression in Australia lead the nominations for the 2021 ARIA Awards.

While it was one of the toughest years on record for our pop industry, the great music kept coming and this year’s nominations roll call is an eclectic field of legends and rookies.

Shark’s indie pop record Cry Forever and Owusu’s globally acclaimed Smiling With No Teeth, each with six nominations, are the perfect bookends to illustrate the dizzying diversity of Australia’s sound of now.

Shark, who is in the US working on songs for her third record, said the nominations gave our artists a much-needed boost after two years of chaos because of the pandemic shutdown of live music.

Amy Shark co-leads the 2021 ARIAs nominations. Picture: Supplied

“It has been the ugliest couple of years for our industry, it just felt like you were putting music out into a vacuum and there was no way to gauge how it was connecting with fans at festivals or tours,” she said.

“So you best be damn happy with what you’re putting out there and I think this year, more than any other year, is an important time to celebrate our artists because we are on fire with talent and the songs coming out are so fierce and unapologetic.”

Owusu, who is likely to feature on best-of lists worldwide at the end of the year, said watching the global reaction to his dizzying, independently-produced blend of hip hop, soul, funk and punk from “my little bedroom in Canberra” made him fiercely proud.

Australian artist Genesis Owusu has taken the world by storm. Picture: Supplied

“It’s been crazy, surreal to watch the reception the album got and to be honest, I didn’t really care whether Australia was ready or whether anyone was ready for it,” he said.

“It was just the time in my life where I needed to put that out, I needed to say what was being said on that album.”

And then there’s the five nominations crew.

Midnight Oil’s collaboration with First Nations artists on The Makarrata Project, Tones and I’s long-awaited debut record Welcome To The Madhouse, global hip hop star Masked Wolf, stream king Vance Joy’s single Missing Pieces, electronic superstars The Avalanches and exciting soul newcomer Budjerah reflect the wild-ranging Australian soundtrack on fans’ playlists.

Budjerah can now proudly add ARIA nominated artist to his artist bio. Picture: Tim Hunter.

For the soulful 19-year-old First Nations artist Budjerah, who only released his debut single Missing You a year ago and self-titled EP in March, the ARIA nominations are the realisation of a schoolyard prophecy.

“My main dream was to do tours and I just finished my first headlining tour. And my next goal was to win an award and I used to tell the kids at school ‘I’m going to go to the ARIAs one day’,” he said.

“And they’d be like ‘Yeah, sure.’ And now I will have ARIA Awards nominated artist next to my name and that’s prestigious.”

Vance Joy hopes to make it home from Barcelona for the awards. Picture: Supplied.

Vance Joy hopes to return home from Barcelona, where he has been living with his partner, to celebrate the success of Missing Pieces, which was written about being separated from loved ones during the pandemic.

“I think the song could exist at any time because it’s about being separated from the ones you love and that is so relevant now,” he said.

“I remember playing it to my parents and my mum Gabrielle said ‘You better release it now!’”

Global pop star The Kid Laroi and indie soul artist Ngaiire both have four nominations while Brisbane Festival stage slayers Ball Park Music are up for three awards.

Ngaiire’s third record 3 scored four nominations. Picture: Daniel Segal

But ARIA’s move to dispense with the gender categories of Best Male and Female for the new Best Artist category has had a rocky launch with six male nominees and only four female artists.

“The removal of gendered categories puts all artists on an equal platform. Just as importantly it allows non-binary artists to be recognised and celebrated in the ‘Best’ category they were previously excluded from. ARIA is not the first to make this change, the GRAMMYs and the MTV Video Music Awards removed gendered categories many years ago,” ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said.

“ARIA nominees are determined by a democratic process where more than 1,000 ARIA judges cast their votes. This happens without any interference from ARIA.

“ARIA will continue to work toward, support, and speak out for equitable representation for all in the music industry through the ARIA Awards and everything else that we do.”

This year’s awards will also be in the spotlight as the industry wrestles with the its MeToo reckoning and addresses cultural issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality.

After controversy erupted earlier this year about Shark’s experience at a previous ARIAs after forgetting to thank former Sony label head Denis Handlin, the Cry Forever singer joked that should she win any awards, her speech would mirror Matt Corby’s approach which is a simple “Thanks!”.

The awards will be livestreamed to Australia and the world on November 24 from Sydney where organisers are still hoping to have a small scale live gathering of artists and industry.

World famous electronic pioneers The Avalanches scored five nominations. Picture: Grant Spanier

2021 ARIA NOMINATIONS

Album Of The Year

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Midnight Oil – The Makarrata Project

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Tones And I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Best Artist

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Keith Urban – The Speed Of Now Part 1

Kylie Minogue – Disco

Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean

Ngaiire – 3

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – Stay

Tones And I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Vance Joy – Missing Piece

Best Dance Release

Cosmo’s Midnight – Yesteryear

Dom Dolla – Pump The Brakes

Jolyon Petch – Dreams

KLP & Stace Cadet – People Happy

RÜFÜS DU SOL – Alive

Best Group

AC/DC – Power Up

Gang Of Youths – The Angel of 8th Ave.

Midnight Oil – The Makarrata Project

RÜFÜS DU SOL – Alive

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist

Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Gretta Ray – Begin To Look Around

Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean

MAY-A -Don’t Kiss Ur Friends

Ngaiire – 3

Best Pop Release

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – Stay

Tones And I – Fly Away

Vance Joy – Missing Piece

Best Hip Hop Release

B Wise – Jamie

Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean

The Kid LAROI – Without You

Youngn Lipz – Area Baby

Best Soul/R & B Release

Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant

Ngaiire – 3

Tash Sultana – Terra Firma

Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3

Best Independent Release

Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane

Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover

Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Vance Joy – Missing Piece

Best Rock Album

AC/DC – Power Up

Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music

Holy Holy – Hello My Beautiful World

Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest

Midnight Oil – The Makarrata Project

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Big Scary – Daisy

Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting

Kylie Minogue- Disco

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage

Odette – Herald

Best Country Album

Brad Cox – My Mind’s Projection

Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham – The Song Club

Shane Nicholson – Living In Colour

The Wolfe Brothers – Kids On Cassette

Troy Cassar-Daley – The World Today

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place To Die

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound What Reality?

Tropical F**k Storm – Deep States

Yours Truly – Self Care

A. Swayze & the Ghosts – Paid Salvation

Best Blues & Roots Album

Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover

Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald – Push The Blues Away

Martha Marlow – Medicine Man

Ziggy Alberts – Searching For Freedom

Best Children’s Album

Amber Lawrence – The Kid’s Gone Country 2

Bluey The Album – Bluey

Diver City – Dance Silly

The Wiggles – Lullabies With Love

Various Artists – The Moon, The Mouse & The Frog: Lullabies from Northern Australia

PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS

Best Video

24k – Tkay Maidza, Nicholas Muecke

Astronaut In The Ocean – Masked Wolf, Daniele Cernera

could cry just thinkin about you (Full Version) – Troye Sivan & Jesse Gohier-Fleet

Dance – Julia Stone, Jessie Hill

First Nation – Midnight Oil, Robert Hambling

Higher – Budjerah, Mick Soiza

Love Songs Ain’t for Us – Amy Shark, James Chappell

Missing Piece – Vance Joy, Annelise Hickey

The Divine Chord – The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada

Won’t Sleep – Tones and I, Nick Kozakis, Liam Kelly

Best Australian Live Act

Amy Shark – Cry Forever Tour 2021

Ball Park Music – The Residency

Budjerah – Budjerah 2021 Aus Tour

Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth Album Tour

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Micro Tour

Lime Cordiale – Relapse Tour

Midnight Oil – Makarrata Live

The Avalanches – The Avalanches Live

The Teskey Brothers – The Teskey Brothers (Headline Shows + Festivals)

Thelma Plum – Homecoming Queen Tour

Song of the Year

Amy Shark Feat. Keith Urban – Love Songs Ain’t For Us

Dean Lewis – Falling Up

Hooligan Hefs – Send It!

Keith Urban & Pink – One Too Many

Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean

Sam Fischer & Demi Lovato – What Other People Say

Spacey Jane – Booster Seat

The Kid LAROI with Miley Cyrus – Without You

Tones and I – Fly Away

Vance Joy – Missing Piece

Most Popular International

Ariana Grande – Positions

Doja Cat – Planet Her

Justin Bieber – Justice

Kanye West – Donda

Luke Combs – What You See Ain’t Always What You Get

Machine Gun Kelly – Tickets To My Downfall

Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts

Olivia Rodrigo – Sour

Pop Smoke – Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon

Taylor Swift – Evermore

Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award

Aaron Silver – Wodonga Primary School, Regional VIC

Ashley Baxter – Pimlico State High School, Townsville QLD

Daniel Wilson – Star Struck, Newcastle NSW

Zoë Barry – Sacred Heart School, Melbourne VIC

ARTISAN AWARDS

Best Cover Art

Ngaiire Joseph & Dan Segal for Ngaiire – 3

Eben Ejdne for Odette – Herald

Kofi Anash & Bailey Howard for Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Jonathan Zawada for The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Giulia Giannini McGauran & Mitchell Eaton for Tones and I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Engineer Of The Year

Chris Collins

Eric J Dubowsky

Konstantin Kersting

Matt Corby

Tony Espie

Producer Of The Year

Andrew Klippel, Dave Hammer

Konstantin Kersting

M-Phazes

Matt Corby

Robert Chater

FINE ARTS AWARDS

Best Classical Album

Christian Li – Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Emily Sun & Andrea Lam – Nocturnes

Genevieve Lacey and Marshall McGuire – Bower

Grigoryan Brothers – This is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia

Nat Bartsch – Hope

Best Jazz Album

Australian Art Orchestra, Reuben Lewis, Tariro Mavondo & Peter Knight – Closed Beginnings

Kristen Beradi, Sean Foran & Rafael Karlen – Haven

Mildlife – Automatic

Petra Haden & The Nick Haywood Quintet – Songs from my Father

Vazesh – The Sacred Key

Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album

Angus & Julia Stone – Life Is Strange

Antony Partos – Rams (Original Motion Picture Score)

Caitlin Yeo, Maria Alfonsine, Damian de Boos-Smith – Wakefield Season One Official Soundtrack

Sia – Music Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture

Yve Blake – Fangirls

Best World Music Album

Bob Weatherall & Halfway, with William Barton – Restless Dream

Bukhu – Bukhchuluun Ganburged – The Journey

Eishan Ensemble – Project Masnavi

Joseph Tawadros – Hope In An Empty City

Kuya James – ISA

Originally published as Pop star Amy Shark and globally acclaimed genre-bender Genesis Owusu lead 2021 ARIA nominations