By Robert Moran and Thomas Mitchell
Troye Sivan’s year has already been globe-conquering as Australia’s inside man within Charli XCX’s viral Brat summer. But on Wednesday, pop’s reigning It boy capped it by dominating the ARIA Awards, winning three trophies including the night’s top honour, album of the year.
The 29-year-old also won best solo artist and best pop release for Something to Give Each Other, his lusty dance-pop album inspired by a post-breakup period spent partying and hooking up at Melbourne’s queer clubs.
Troye Sivan speaks at the ARIAs, where he won three awards.Credit: Getty Images
In an acceptance speech, he recalled his mum sending a video of him singing Aqua’s Barbie Girl when he was three. “It made me aware of the fact that since I was a little kid, I knew I was gay and I also knew I loved pop music... I’ve had the most insane experiences this year playing my music all around the world, and I’m so proud to be bringing it home,” he said.
The wins continue an eventful period for Sivan, who launched his national tour this week after finishing a US co-headlining tour with Charli XCX. Proving his international notoriety, he was even parodied on US sketch show Saturday Night Live this week by XCX herself.
Accepting the album of the year award, he offered fans hard-won advice from his Something to Give Each Other journey. “Music is just really cool. Go have a one-night stand with someone – you never know what might happen.”
Angie McMahon was among a slew of first-time winners at this year’s ARIAs.Credit: Getty Images
Sydney indie-pop duo Royel Otis, who had a field-leading eight nominations going into Wednesday’s ceremony, won four awards, including best group and best rock album for their debut Pratts & Pain. The album also won best engineered release and best produced release for producer Chris Collins.
In a show marked by big-name absences – Kylie Minogue and dance category winner Dom Dolla were among those who didn’t make the trip home – the duo, who earned global acclaim in 2024 with viral covers of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dance Floor and The Cranberries’ Linger, were not in attendance. They cancelled the remaining dates on their massive US tour this week, citing “devastating family matters”.
Instead, they sent in a string of bizarre taped videos from atop a Ferris wheel in Antwerp, Belgium. “We cannot believe we’re being nominated so many times, that is crazy. We hope we’re representing Australia well overseas,” said band member Royel Maddell, his face obscured throughout.
The publicly voted song of the year award was perhaps the show’s biggest surprise as G Flip’s The Worst Person Alive won over Sivan’s Got Me Started.
The night’s other major prize, the Michael Gudinksi breakthrough artist award, went to Canberra band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, after their rollicking debut I Love You, released last October.
They joined indie singer-songwriter Angie McMahon, Sydney hardcore band Speed, Indigenous artist Emily Wurramara and hip-hop supergroup 3% as first-time ARIA winners.
McMahon, wearing a pin in support of Palestine, won best independent release for her churning Light, Dark, Light Again. “I turned 30 this year. I used to be afraid of reaching this age ’cause I thought it meant you expired in the music industry. I don’t believe we expire when we reach a certain age,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Speed won best hard rock/heavy metal album for their acclaimed Only One Mode, Wurramara won best adult contemporary album for Nara, while 3% – featuring Indigenous artists Dallas Woods, Nooky and Angus Field, their name a reference to Australia’s Aboriginal population – won best hip-hop/rap release for debut Kill the Dead.
In the group’s speech, rapper Nooky praised fellow Indigenous artists Kobie Dee, Briggs and Troy Cassar-Daley, who had won earlier in the evening for best country album. “This is the year the most blackfellas have ever been nominated and we’re taking them all home,” he said to loud applause.
Dallas Woods, Nooky and Angus Field of 3%.Credit: Getty Images
In the night’s most pointed acceptance speech, Filipino-Aboriginal artist Dobby, who won the award for best world music, questioned the fact that three of the category’s nominees were Indigenous language artists. “If anything, we should be the most Australian acts on this roster. Hell, we should even be country music,” he said.
Missy Higgins, a generational touchstone to Australian music’s newest crop, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and also claimed the prize for best Australian live act for her Second Act Tour, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of her landmark The Sound of White.
“If you’ve just been through a divorce and turned 40 and having an existential crisis, I highly recommend going out on the road,” Higgins said.
In an unlikely wrinkle, two of Australia’s biggest musical exports – Minogue and The Kid Laroi, who performed his hit Girls on the night – walked away empty-handed despite multiple nominations.
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