Amy Shark is up for six awards at the ARIAs

SHE’S up for a whopping six ARIA Awards, but singing powerhouse Amy Shark admits it took her a long time to uncover the secret of writing hit songs.

AMY Shark says Australia pop music is sick.

The Adore chart-topper, whose hit single I Said Hi and debut record Love Monster will contest six ARIA awards on Wednesday, contrarily means it is in fine form indeed.

It took Shark a decade to convince the music industry gatekeepers her particular brand of electronic, indie pop music would strike a chord with not only Australian fans but the global music community.

Like every other bona fide Australian music sensation up for ARIAs this year, from 5 Seconds of Summer and their incendiary chartbuster hit Youngblood to that bloke breakup anthem Be Alright from Dean Lewis, Shark and her pop peers have put in countless frustrating and ultimately rewarding hours writing to figure out the secret of the perfect pop song.

MORE: Amy Shark on the Falls Festival line-up

MORE: Amy Shark responds to news she’s an ARIA frontrunner

Amy Shark is leading the charge in the ARIA nominations. Picture: David Caird

“I think it’s been a couple of years since pop has been a dirty word in Australia. It’s quite a hard thing to get right, to be proficient in pop music and not be thought a sellout by people who don’t get it,” Shark said.

“I am happy to be called a pop music artist, I’m proud of my music and pop is sick.”

Australians have always loved pop artists from John Farnham and Kylie to Savage Garden and Sia.

And the 2018 ARIA Award nominations underscore that we have entered a golden age for

homegrown pop of every sonic flavour.

From the rock-anchored, lyrical brilliance of Courtney Barnett, who is also up for several awards, to the party anthems of fellow multi-nominees PNAU and Peking Duk, Australian artists are finding fans here and overseas because the music they create isn’t a pale imitation of prevailing hip hop or R&B trends.

The Aussie star peforming at a festival in Chicago. Picture: Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Amy is all loved up to be where she is today.

Shark said ultimately Australian artists succeed because of our legendary work ethic.

“The only people who think I am on holidays when I’m touring are my parents,” Shark said laughing.

“We work hard and even when it looks like you’re not working hard, you’re thinking about the next song, how you can make the show better.

“Everyone I know has paid their dues to get where we are now and finally I think it’s a healthy time for the Australian music industry after a lot of years when it wasn’t.”

The 2018 ARIA Awards, Wednesday, 7.30pm, Nine.

Originally published as Amy Shark is up for six awards at the ARIAs