Tears shed as stars clean up at APRA Music Awards
Jimmy Barnes led an emotional tribute to the late great Michael Gudinski at the APRA Awards, as everyone from Rob Hirst to Tones and I took out gongs.
Entertainment
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From veteran Midnight Oil anthem writer Rob Hirst to the global stream-slaying rookie The Kid Laroi, the architects of the Australian soundtrack have starred at the annual APRA Music Awards.
The Oil’s first new song in 17 years, Gadigal Land, penned by Hirst with Indigenous poet Joel Davison and musician elder Bunna Lawrie was named Song of the Year at the awards in Sydney on Wednesday.
The Kid Laroi, who recently inked a $5 million global contract for his songwriting at just 17, was named the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year having amassed more than one billion streams for hits including Without You and Go.
“This is crazy,” the teen rapper said via video from his Los Angeles, before going through the ubiquitous list of thank yous to industry executives. “And last but not least, my fans from Australia. I love you very, very much and can’t wait to come back. I’ll see you soon.”
The first live Australian music awards ceremony since the pandemic shutdown the industry last year also saw Kevin Parker of Tame Impala recognised as Songwriter of The Year.
Parker made a dash from his Fremantle home to attend the APRA awards after the Perth three-day lockdown was lifted.
His good mate and collaborator, Uptown Funk superstar Mark Ronson, paid tribute to Parker’s songwriting brilliance.
“When you think of the music of Kevin Parker and Tame Impala it’s very easy to get caught up in the atmosphere and the sonics and the waviness of it all … but really what I love the most at the root of it is the songs,” Ronson said.
“The hooks, the melodies – and that can mean a great chorus or vocal line or the hookiest bass line you’ve ever heard. You think of The Less I Know the Better – it’s one of the most iconic basslines of the past 20 years. He really is such a fantastic songwriter. It’s great to see him getting the recognition he deserves tonight.”
Tones and I, who won Song of the Year last year for Dance Monkey added another two APRA awards to her burgeoning trophy cabinet, winning both Most Performed Pop Work and Most Performed Australian Work with her hit Never Seen the Rain.
There were standing ovations when the late Helen Reddy and the revered country music queen Joy McKean were honoured with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.
“My mother was very proud of being Australian and she was proud of using her voice, her success and her visibility to elevate others. In the final years of her life, she was incredibly optimistic and moved to see so many young women passionately carrying the torch. Thank you for honouring her legacy,” Reddy’s daughter Traci Donat said of Reddy’s honour.”
And tears were shed when Jimmy Barnes was joined by Josh Teskey to pay tribute to the late great Michael Gudinski in front of his family, wife Sue and children Matt and Kate.
Barnes and Teskey performed I Remember When I Was Young, written by Matt Taylor of Australian blues band Chain, a band Gudinski managed early in his luminous career.
Other category winners included Cold Chisel’s Don Walker for their song Getting The Band Back Together, The Teskey Brothers for Rain and The Rubens for Live in Life.
The APRAs are renowned for their innovative per
WINNERS OF THE 2021 APRA MUSIC AWARDS
SONG OF THE YEAR
Gadigal Land, Midnight Oil
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Parker, Tame Impala
BREAKTHROUGH SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Charlton Howard (professional known as) The Kid LAROI
2021 TED ALBERT AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC
Joy McKean
2020 TED ALBERT AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC
Helen Reddy
MOST PERFORMED AUSTRALIAN WORK
Never Seen The Rain, Tones And I
MOST PERFORMED ALTERNATIVE WORK
Live in Life, The Rubens
MOST PERFORMED BLUES & ROOTS WORK
Over Drinking Over You, Busby Marou
MOST PERFORMED COUNTRY WORK
Diamonds, Morgan Evans
MOST PERFORMED DANCE WORK
Rushing Back, Flume feat. Vera Blue
MOST PERFORMED HIP HOP / RAP WORK
Misunderstood, Youngn Lipz
MOST PERFORMED R & B / SOUL WORK
Rain, The Teskey Brothers
MOST PERFORMED POP WORK
Never Seen The Rain, Tones And I
MOST PERFORMED ROCK WORK
Getting The Band Back Together, Cold Chisel
MOST PERFORMED AUSTRALIAN WORK OVERSEAS
Be Alright, Dean Lewis
MOST PERFORMED INTERNATIONAL WORK
Don’t Start Now, Dua Lipa
Originally published as Tears shed as stars clean up at APRA Music Awards
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