Toowoomba father-daughter duo win big at Australian Songwriters Association Awards

A Toowoomba father-daughter duo have won big at Australia’s biggest songwriting event, taking home the major prize of the night.

Jasmine and Chris Richter onstage receiving the award for Songwriter of the Year from ASA chairman Denny Burgess and APRA representative Nikki Tuckwell.

A Toowoomba father-daughter duo have won top awards at this year’s Australian Songwriters Association Awards

The father-daughter duo Chris and Jasmine Aleisha Richter won two awards at the event held in Sydney, taking home the award for the Open category with a song called ‘2 Be Alice’.

The biggest shock of the evening came when the pair were awarded songwriters of the year – the major award of the night.

Chris and Jasmine said winning songwriters of the year award felt “surreal”.

Chris and Jasmine Aleisha Richter receiving the award for the Open category from David Rogerson (left) and Lonnie Lee (right).

“I was in complete shock,” Jasmine said.

“I just had an out of body experience walking up on stage.”

It is the first time the pair have won a major music award.

Chris said being recognised was a “great honour”.

“Having validation from a collection of people who you’ve never met before, who are then putting you above a whole collection of other very talented writers, is a great honour,” he said.

Jasmine said winning the awards was “personal confirmation that I’m actually doing the right thing and I’m good at what I’m doing”.

She said performing onstage with her dad was “really easy”.

Chris and Jasmine Aleisha Richter performing onstage at the Australian Songwriters Association Awards.

“We know each other’s cues. Every song just rolls along and when one makes a mistake we know it’s fine.

“It’s just very relaxing and I don’t really get stressed.”

The pair, who are working on writing and recording new music, said their family was “very excited” about their success.

“Everyone was really excited … they were just as excited as we were,” Chris said.