With four trophies, Genesis Owusu was the big winner at the 2021 ARIA Awards, held Wednesday (Nov. 24) at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.
Owusu, the Ghana-born, Australia-raised funk exponent, won the coveted album of the year honor for his debut Smiling With No Teeth, and filled his boots with best hip-hop release, best independent release and best cover art, awarded to Kofi Ansah and Bailey Howard for their artwork.
Winning four #ARIAs tonight, check out @genesisowusu‘s epic show-opener. https://t.co/V2nxlK3ROZ
— ARIA (@ARIA_Official) November 24, 2021
“This is insane,” he said after claiming the top album award. “I used to get side-eyed a lot when I was younger, for like, the way I dressed and the things I did,” he recounted. “But all the people I loved and respected always stood firm, immovable, unshakeable, because we knew the power in who we were and what we created.”
He continued, “for all those people, Goon Club worldwide, eccentrics, Black people, know that it’s not up to us to change the people, but it’s up to people to catch up and see what they’ve been missing out on.”
Owusu’s ARIAs haul caps a seven-day bounty that dreams are made of.
Last week, his critically lauded LP won a brace of J Awards, including Australian album of the year.
Just hours after securing his first Grammy Award nomination, The Kid LAROI bagged a pair of ARIA Awards. The Kamilaroi rapper and singer won best artist and best pop release for his hit “Stay,” with Justin Bieber, a single that dominated the Billboard 100, Global 200 and the ARIA Charts.
“How good is Australian music,” enthused LAROI (real name Charlton Howard) after winning best artist. “It’s incredible that I’m getting this much love, especially from home. That means to world to me.”
He continued, “starting this, all I wanted to do was just bring up the culture, and show the world how Australian music was.”
In LAROI’s homeland, “Stay” is triple-platinum certified, and its 14-week run at the top is the third longest reign in ARIA Charts history.
The Kid is in golden form. Earlier this month, he snagged best artist at the Australia’s National Indigenous Music Awards 2021.
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Fresh from their third Grammy nomination, and a third ARIA No. 1 album, Sydney electronic trio Rüfüs Du Sol scooped best group and best dance release, for Surrender.
The 2021 ARIA Awards rung the changes. Due to the pandemic and the knock-on challenges with cross-border travel, the ceremony was presented as a virtual one, streaming live on YouTube and the Nine Network’s domestic digital channel NineNow.
Also on the night, the inaugural Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist award was presented, with Budjerah taking the honors.
That category was recently renamed as a tribute to the Mushroom Group founder and chairman, and for his tireless championing of new talent.
Lauded as one of the country’s finest new voices, Budjerah was actually identified by the late Gudinski as a star-in-waiting.
Indeed, Gudinski tapped the teen singer and songwriter to perform on the second edition of Music From the Home Front, which aired in April, on ANZAC Day eve.
Budjerah recently signed with Mushroom Music Publishing, the company Gudinski built.
In one of the special moments of the evening, Ed Sheeran presented the category in a special video tribute to the late Gudinski, who passed away suddenly March 2, at the age of 68.
Earlier this year, Sheeran made the trip to Melbourne to appear on stage a state memorial for his close friend, a giant of Australia’s music scene. Sheeran penned and performed a song for Gudinski, “Visiting Hours,” which appears on his latest album, = (equals).
Other winners at the ARIAs included Tkay Maidza (best soul/R&B release), Middle Kids (best rock album), Crowded House (best adult contemporary album), Troy Cassar-Daley (best country album), Tropical F**K Storm (best hard rock/heavy metal album), Archie Roach (best blues & roots album), Taylor Swift (for the fan-voted category most popular international) while “Dance Monkey” producer Konstantin Kersting won a pair of Artisan Awards.
This year’s ARIAs ceremony was split into two parts, separated with an intermission during which viewers were treated to a montage of classic ARIA Awards moments, and the 2021 In Memoriam segment.
Part two was spread across 11 main categories, including album of the year, song of the year, the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist, and artist of the year which, for the first time, was presented as a gender-neutral category.
Well, lost all my nominated categories 😂😂 Congratulations to the incredible winners tonight and thank u so much @aria_official & the industry for the recognition. Australian music is hot right now and I’m proud to be part of it. Btw how beautiful are these fucking flowers! 🌸🌼 pic.twitter.com/fnIXaQbwQ4
— Amy Shark (@amyshark) November 24, 2021
Performers in the second segment included Amy Shark, Genesis Owusu, Budjerah, Rüfüs Du Sol, Gretta Ray and The Kid Laroi.
The 2021 ARIA Awards streamed live from Sydney’s iconic Taronga on Cammeraigal Country on YouTube, through a partnership with YouTube Music.
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2021 ARIA Award Recipients
Album Of The Year
Amy Shark – Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL) (WINNER)
Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project (Sony Music)
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
Tones and I – Welcome to the Madhouse (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best Artist
Amy Shark – Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Budjerah – Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia)
Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL)
Keith Urban – The Speed Of Now Part 1 (CAPITOL – NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia)
Kylie Minogue – Disco (Liberator Music/Mushroom)
Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
Ngaiire – 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
The Kid LAROI – Stay (with Justin Bieber) (Columbia/Sony Music) (WINNER)
Tones and I – Welcome to the Madhouse (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Vance Joy – Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist
Budjerah – Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia) (WINNER)
Gretta Ray – Begin To Look Around (EMI Music Australia)
Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
MAY-A -Don’t Kiss Ur Friends (Arcadia Music / Sony Music)
Ngaiire – 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Best Pop Release
Amy Shark – Cry Forever (Wonderlick Recording Company)
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
The Kid LAROI – Stay (with Justin Bieber) (Columbia/Sony Music) (WINNER)
Tones and I – Fly Away (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Vance Joy – Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Best Hip-Hop Release Presented By Menulog
B Wise – jamie (Semi Pro Sound)
Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL) (WINNER)
Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
The Kid LAROI – WITHOUT YOU (Columbia/Sony Music)
Youngn Lipz – Area Baby (Biordi Music/Virgin Music)
Best Independent Release Presented by PPCA
Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane (Bloodlines/Mushroom)
Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music (Prawn Records/ Inertia Music)
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover (Hopestreet Recordings/The Planet Company)
Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL) (WINNER)
Vance Joy – Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group
Best Soul/R&B Release
Budjerah – Budjerah (EP) (Warner Music Australia)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
Ngaiire – 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Tash Sultana – Terra Firma (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music
Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia) (WINNER)
Best Dance Release
Cosmo’s Midnight – Yesteryear (Nite High/Sony Music)
Dom Dolla – Pump The Brakes (Sweat It Out/Warner)
Jolyon Petch – Dreams (TMRW Music)
KLP & Stace Cadet – People Happy (Medium Rare Recordings / Sony Music)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Alive (Rose Avenue Records/Reprise/Warner Music) (WINNER)
Best Group
AC/DC – Power Up (Leidseplein Presse / Sony Music)
Gang Of Youths – The Angel of 8th Ave. (Mosy Recordings / Sony Music)
Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project (Sony Music)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Alive (Rose Avenue Records/Reprise/Warner Music) (WINNER)
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
Best Rock Album
AC/DC – Power Up (Leidseplein Presse / Sony Music)
Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music (Prawn Records/ Inertia Music)
Holy Holy – Hello My Beautiful World (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest (EMI Music Australia) (WINNER)
Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project (Sony Music)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Big Scary – Daisy (Pieater/Inertia)
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting (EMI Music Australia) (WINNER)
Kylie Minogue – Disco (Liberator Music/Mushroom)
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage (Goliath / AWAL)
Odette – Herald (EMI Music Australia)
Best Country Album
Brad Cox – My Mind’s Projection (Sony Music)
Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham – The Song Club (ABC Music)
Shane Nicholson – Living In Colour (Lost Highway Australia/Universal Music Australia)
The Wolfe Brothers – Kids On Cassette (BMG/WMG)
Troy Cassar-Daley – The World Today (Tarampa Music / Sony Music) (WINNER)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place To Die (Greyscale Records / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound What Reality? (TFS Records/Virgin Music)
Tropical F**k Storm – Deep States (TFS Records/Virgin Music) (WINNER)
Yours Truly – Self Care (UNFD/The Orchard)
Swayze & the Ghosts – Paid Salvation (IVY LEAGUE/MUSHROOM)
Best Blues & Roots Album
Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane (Bloodlines/Mushroom) (WINNER)
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover (Hopestreet Recordings/The Planet Company)
Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald – Push The Blues Away(Ivy League/Mushroom)
Martha Marlow – Medicine Man (Independent/The Planet Company)
Ziggy Alberts Searching For Freedom (Commonfolk Records / The Orchard)
Best Children’s Album
Amber Lawrence – The Kid’s Gone Country 2 (Fun For All The Family ABC Music)
Bluey – Bluey The Album – (Ludo Studios / Demon Music Group / BBC Studios / Rocket) (WINNER)
Diver City – Dance Silly (ABC Music / Universal)
The Wiggles – Lullabies With Love (ABC Music)
Various Artists – The Moon, The Mouse & The Frog: Lullabies from Northern Australia (ABC Music)
Public Voted Awards
Best Video presented by YouTube Music
24k – Tkay Maidza, Nicholas Muecke (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Astronaut In The Ocean – Masked Wolf, Daniele Cernera (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
could cry just thinkin about you (Full Version) – Troye Sivan & Jesse Gohier-Fleet (EMI Music Australia)
Dance – Julia Stone, Jessie Hill (BMG/WMG)
First Nation – Midnight Oil (featuring Jessica Mauboy & Tasman Keith), Robert Hambling (Sony Music)
Higher – Budjerah, Mick Soiza (Warner Music Australia)
Love Songs Ain’t for Us – Amy Shark, James Chappell (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Missing Piece – Vance Joy, Annelise Hickey (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group) (WINNER)
The Divine Chord – The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
Won’t Sleep – Tones and I, Nick Kozakis, Liam Kelly (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best Australian Live Act presented by Heaps Normal
Amy Shark – Cry Forever Tour 2021 (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Ball Park Music – The Residency (Prawn Records/ Inertia Music)
Budjerah – Budjerah 2021 Aus Tour (Warner Music Australia)
Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth Album Tour (OURNESS / AWAL)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Micro Tour (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard/Virgin Music)
Lime Cordiale – Relapse Tour (Chugg Music Pty Ltd) (WINNER)
Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators – Makarrata Live (Sony Music)
The Avalanches – The Avalanches Live (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers – The Teskey Brothers (Headline Shows + Festivals) (IVY LEAGUE/MUSHROOM)
Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music
Amy Shark Feat. Keith Urban – Love Songs Ain’t For Us (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Dean Lewis – Falling Up (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Hooligan Hefs – Send It! (db Music / Warner Music Australia)
Keith Urban & P!nk – One Too Many (CAPITOL – NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia)
Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean (Teamwrk Records/ADA/Warner Music)
Sam Fischer & Demi Lovato – What Other People Say (Sony Music)
Spacey Jane – Booster Seat (AWAL Recordings) (WINNER)
The Kid LAROI with Miley Cyrus – Without You (Columbia/Sony Music)
Tones and I – Fly Away (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Vance Joy – Missing Piece (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Most Popular International
Ariana Grande – Positions (Universal Records USA / Universal Music Australia)
Doja Cat – Planet Her (RCA Records / Sony Music)
Justin Bieber – Justice (Def Jam / Universal Music Australia)
Kanye West – Donda (Def Jam / Universal Music Australia)
Luke Combs – What You See Ain’t Always What You Get (Columbia Nashville / Sony Music)
Machine Gun Kelly – Tickets To My Downfall (Interscope / Universal Music Australia)
Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts (RCA Records / Sony Music)
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour (Geffen / Universal Music Australia)
Pop Smoke – Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon (Universal Records USA / Universal Music Australia)
Taylor Swift – Evermore (Universal Music Australia) (WINNER)
Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award
Aaron Silver – Wodonga Primary School, Regional VIC
Ashley Baxter – Pimlico State High School, Townsville QLD
Daniel Wilson – Star Struck, Newcastle NSW
Zoë Barry – Sacred Heart School, Melbourne VIC (WINNER)
Artisan Awards
Best Cover Art
Ngaiire Joseph & Dan Segal for Ngaiire – 3 (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Eben Ejdne for Odette – Herald (EMI Music Australia)
Kofi Ansah & Bailey Howard for Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth (OURNESS / AWAL) (WINNER)
Jonathan Zawada for The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You (Modular / EMI Music Australia)
Giulia Giannini McGauran & Mitchell Eaton for Tones and I – Welcome to the Madhouse (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Engineer Of The Year
Chris Collins
Eric J Dubowsky
Konstantin Kersting (WINNER)
Matt Corby
Tony Espie
Producer Of The Year
Andrew Klippel, Dave Hammer
Konstantin Kersting & The Rubens (WINNER)
M-Phazes
Matt Corby
Robert Chater
Fine Arts Awards
Best Classical Album
Christian Li – Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Decca Records Australia/Universal Music Australia
Emily Sun & Andrea Lam – Nocturnes (ABC Classic)
Genevieve Lacey and Marshall McGuire – Bower (ABC Classic / Universal) (WINNER)
Grigoryan Brothers – This is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia (ABC Classic / Universal)
Nat Bartsch – Hope (ABC Classic / Universal)
Best Jazz Album
Australian Art Orchestra, Reuben Lewis, Tariro Mavondo & Peter Knight – Closed Beginnings (AAO Recordings/The Planet Company)
Kristen Beradi, Sean Foran & Rafael Karlen – Haven (Earshift Music / The Planet Company)
Mildlife – Automatic (Inertia Music / [PIAS]) (WINNER)
Petra Haden & The Nick Haywood Quintet – Songs from my Father (ABC Jazz / Universal)
Vazesh – The Sacred Key (Earshift Music / The Planet Company)
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
Angus & Julia Stone – Life Is Strange (BMG/WMG) (WINNER)
Antony Partos – Rams (Original Motion Picture Score) (ABC Music)
Caitlin Yeo, Maria Alfonsine, Damian de Boos-Smith – Wakefield Season One Official Soundtrack (MADBS Composing Palace)
Sia – Music Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture (Atlantic Records / Warner Music
Yve Blake – Fangirls (ADA/Warner Music)
Best World Music Album
Bob Weatherall & Halfway, with William Barton – Restless Dream (ABC Music)
Bukhu – Bukhchuluun Ganburged – The Journey (Bukhu/Distrokid)
Eishan Ensemble – Project Masnavi (Earshift Music / The Planet Company)
Joseph Tawadros – Hope In An Empty City (Independent / The Planet Company) (WINNER)
Kuya James – ISA (Settle Down Records / MGM Distribution)
