ARIA awards 2020: Delta Goodrem shares story of first red carpet gown

In the lead up to this year’s ARIA awards, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Amy Shark, Ruel, The McClymonts and Lime Cordiale reflect on the year that was in music.

Even in a year when many of the world’s most famous and enduring award ceremonies have been but a shadow of their former selves, the ARIA Awards refuse to go anywhere, albeit minus a red carpet and those infamous afterparties.

The audience will be thin on the ground when the 2020 event broadcasts from The Star in Sydney this week, with the majority of nominated artists all frocked up in the comfort of their own home as they watch on the Nine Network along with the rest of Australia.

“It’s one of the industries that’s been hit the hardest and it’s been really difficult to see how the absence of the live music scene has affected the people and families who depend on it for their income,” says singer-songwriter Amy Shark of the way COVID has left concert venues vacant and live music in real danger of becoming a distant memory.

“It’s one of the industries that’s been hit the hardest.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

“I was 14 and I wore the dress I’d worn to my school formal that year.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

“It feels crucial that everyone get behind the ARIAs this year to talk about what we’ve been through, and then regroup and celebrate the future.”

Taking over hosting duties for 2020 is Delta Goodrem, who tells Stellar she’s honoured to host an event that’s delivered countless special memories throughout her 20-year career.

“I was 14 and I wore the dress I’d worn to my school formal that year – it was bright pink,” she recalls of her first ARIAs red-carpet appearance in 1999.

She wore pink again in 2003, the year she was diagnosed at just 18 with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and took home seven awards.

It was also the year she famously wept as she watched Darren Hayes sing one of her biggest hits – a memory that, 17 years later, Goodrem says still moves her to tears.

“There was so much fear attached to that day for me.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

“I don’t know if we’ll ever be up there.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

“I’m instantly transported back to when I was standing there with my family, watching him sing ‘Lost Without You’,” she says. “It’s such a visceral memory, I can still feel the room when I talk about it.”

Hosting duty last year fell to Guy Sebastian. “There was so much fear attached to that day for me,” he tells Stellar. “But as soon as I got my first laugh, I breathed a sigh of relief.”

If breakout pop-rock duo Lime Cordiale (aka brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach) win every category they’re nominated for, they’ll need to make space for eight gongs on their shelf.

“We sat up the back a few years ago watching 5 Seconds Of Summer win all these awards and said to each other, ‘This is probably a bit out of our level, I don’t know if we’ll ever be up there,’” Oliver tells Stellar.

“I’m going to be at schoolies.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

“If someone broke into my house, I’d grab an ARIA.” (Picture: Steven Chee)

It’s a sentiment to which British-Australian singer Ruel can relate. Despite his legions of teenage fans, he remains gobsmacked that he was named Breakthrough Artist of The Year in 2018.

Just 16 at the time, he was too young to mark the occasion with a beer at the afterparties, but having turned 18 last month, he’s better positioned to celebrate should he win the Song of The Year or Best Male Artist categories this year. “I’m going to be at schoolies,” he says.

“I’ll be dropping into the awards via Zoom from the house I’m staying in with 10 mates in Byron Bay.”

And should country trio The McClymonts win another award for Best Country Album this year, the siblings – who are currently separated while sister Samantha is stuck in Brisbane – will have an unexpected use for the trophy:

Our ARIA Awards house party features in this Sunday’s Stellar.

“You know what? They’re really heavy. They would make a great weapon,” says Brooke with a laugh. “If someone broke into my house,” adds Mollie, “I wouldn’t grab a knife. I’d grab an ARIA.”

The ARIA Awards Pre-Show presented by Swarovski will be held live backstage at The Star this Wednesday and stream exclusively on YouTube.com/aria from 4.30pm. The Nine Network will air the ARIA Awards at 7.30pm.

Originally published as ARIA awards 2020: Delta Goodrem shares story of first red carpet gown