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Genesis Owusu Wins Album Of The Year At The 2021 Aria Awards

Aria Awards
Aria Awards
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SYDNEY (CelebrityAccess) — Indie artist Genesis Owusu dominated the Aria Awards on Wednesday, taking home trophies in multiple top categories, including album of the year and best hip hop release.

The Ghanian-Australian, whose real name is Kofi Owusu-Ansah, is a relative newcomer to Australia’s music scene and was lauded for his debut studio album Smiling with No Teeth, which he released in March. He also picked up trophies for best cover art and best independent release.

Indie rock act Spacey Jane won Arias for song of the year for their hit Booster Seat, fending off challenges from the other nominees in the category, which included Tones & I, Dean Lewis, Masked Wolf, Keith Urban & Pink, and Hooligan Hefs, among others.

The Kid Laroi – real name Charlton Howard – also had a big night, taking home trophies for best artist and best pop release for his hit Stay (with Justin Bieber).

Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter Budjerah was recognized with the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist of the year award for his work on his self-titled EP which he released in March.

Troy Cassar-Daley won his first Aria in more than a decade, taking home the trophy for best country album for his thirteenth studio album The World Today.

The 2021 Arias, which took place at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, were a muted affair with most speeches and performances pre-recorded due to COVID-19 restrictions, which are still in place.

The show, which was streamed digitally on YouTube and 9Now for the very first time, surprised many fans for its brevity, and after an hour-long pre-show, the awards themselves took just an hour to complete.

“This year’s ARIA Awards, in partnership with YouTube Music, has been a truly special event to support and celebrate those in the Australian music community who have given so much through their strength and tenacity in 2021. On behalf of everyone at ARIA, I would love to honor all of the talented winners and nominees with the gratitude and appreciation they deserve. There is no denying that the past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging, particularly in the arts sector, though our artists have soldiered on to give Australian’s a token of hope. I’d especially like to thank our partners who allowed this event to go ahead, we couldn’t have done it without them,” said Natalie Waller, ARIA Chair.


The full list of Aria winners for 2021

Best Artist

WINNER: The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Keith Urban – The Speed Of Now Part 1

Kylie Minogue – Disco

Masked Wolf – ‘Astronaut In The Ocean’

Ngaiire – 3


Tones And I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Vance Joy – ‘Missing Piece’

Album Of The Year

WINNER: Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

Midnight Oil and First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Tones And I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Best Australian Live Act


WINNER: Lime Cordiale – Relapse Tour

Amy Shark – Cry Forever Tour 2021

Ball Park Music – The Residency

Budjerah – Budjerah 2021 Aus Tour

Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth Album Tour

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Micro Tour

Midnight Oil and First Nations Collaborators – Makarrata Live

The Avalanches – The Avalanches Live

The Teskey Brothers – The Teskey Brothers (Headline Shows + Festivals)

Thelma Plum – Homecoming Queen Tour

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist

WINNER: Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Gretta Ray – Begin To Look Around

Masked Wolf – ‘Astronaut In The Ocean’

MAY-A – Don’t Kiss Ur Friends

Ngaiire – 3

Song of the Year

WINNER: Spacey Jane – Booster Seat

Amy Shark Feat. Keith Urban – Love Songs Ain’t For Us

Dean Lewis – Falling Up

Hooligan Hefs – Send It!

Keith Urban & Pink – One Too Many

Masked Wolf – Astronaut In The Ocean

Sam Fischer & Demi Lovato – What Other People Say

The Kid LAROI with Miley Cyrus – Without You

Tones and I – Fly Away

Vance Joy – Missing Piece

Music Teacher Award

WINNER: Zoë Barry – Sacred Heart School, Melbourne VIC

Aaron Silver – Wodonga Primary School, Regional VIC

Ashley Baxter – Pimlico State High School, Townsville QLD

Daniel Wilson – Star Struck, Newcastle NSW

Best Video

WINNER: Missing Piece – Vance Joy, Annelise Hickey

24k – Tkay Maidza, Nicholas Muecke

Astronaut In The Ocean – Masked Wolf, Daniele Cernera

could cry just thinkin about you (Full Version) – Troye Sivan & Jesse Gohier-Fleet

Dance – Julia Stone, Jessie Hill

First Nation – Midnight Oil ft. Jessica Mauboy & Tasman Keith, Robert Hambling

Higher – Budjerah, Mick Soiza

Love Songs Ain’t for Us – Amy Shark, James Chappell

The Divine Chord – The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada

Won’t Sleep – Tones and I, Nick Kozakis, Liam Kelly

Best Hip Hop Release

WINNER: Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

B Wise – jamie

Masked Wolf – ‘Astronaut In The Ocean’

The Kid LAROI – ‘WITHOUT YOU’

Youngn Lipz – Area Baby

Best Pop Release

WINNER: The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’

Amy Shark – Cry Forever

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Tones And I – ‘Fly Away’

Vance Joy – ‘Missing Piece’

Best Independent Release

WINNER: Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth

Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane

Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover

Vance Joy – ‘Missing Piece’

Best Soul/R&B Release

WINNER: Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3

Budjerah – Budjerah (EP)

Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant

Ngaiire – 3

Tash Sultana – Terra Firma

Most Popular International Artist

WINNER: Taylor Swift – Evermore

Ariana Grande – Positions

Doja Cat – Planet Her

Justin Bieber – Justice

Kanye West – Donda

Luke Combs – What You See Ain’t Always What You Get

Machine Gun Kelly – Tickets To My Downfall

Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts

Olivia Rodrigo – Sour

Pop Smoke – Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon

Producer Of The Year

WINNER: Konstantin Kersting & The Rubens

Andrew Klippel, Dave Hammer

M-Phazes

Matt Corby

Robert Chater

Engineer Of The Year

WINNER: Konstantin Kersting

Chris Collins

Eric J Dubowsky

Matt Corby

Tony Espie

Best Cover Art

WINNER: Kofi Anash & Bailey Howard for Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth

Ngaiire Joseph & Dan Segal for Ngaiire – 3

Eben Ejdne for Odette – Herald

Jonathan Zawada for The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

Giulia Giannini McGauran & Mitchell Eaton for Tones and I – Welcome to the Madhouse

Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album

WINNER: Angus & Julia Stone – Life Is Strange

Antony Partos – Rams (Original Motion Picture Score)

Caitlin Yeo, Maria Alfonsine, Damian de Boos-Smith – Wakefield Season One Official Soundtrack

Sia – Music: Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture

Yve Blake – Fangirls

Best World Music Album

WINNER: Joseph Tawadros – Hope In An Empty City

Bob Weatherall & Halfway, with William Barton – Restless Dream

Bukhu – Bukhchuluun Ganburged – The Journey

Eishan Ensemble – Project Masnavi

Kuya James – ISA

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

WINNER: Tropical F**k Storm – Deep States

Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place To Die

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound

Yours Truly – Self Care

A. Swayze & the Ghosts – Paid Salvation

Best Adult Contemporary Album

WINNER: Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting

Big Scary – Daisy

Kylie Minogue – Disco

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage

Odette – Herald

Best Jazz Album

WINNER: Mildlife – Automatic

Australian Art Orchestra, Reuben Lewis, Tariro Mavondo & Peter Knight – Closed Beginnings

Kristen Beradi, Sean Foran & Rafael Karlen – Haven

Petra Haden & The Nick Haywood Quintet – Songs from my Father

Vazesh – The Sacred Key

Best Dance Release

WINNER: RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘Alive’

Cosmo’s Midnight – Yesteryear

Dom Dolla – ‘Pump The Brakes’

Jolyon Petch – ‘Dreams’

KLP & Stace Cadet – ‘People Happy’

Best Country Album

WINNER: Troy Cassar-Daley – The World Today

Brad Cox – My Mind’s Projection

Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham – The Song Club

Shane Nicholson – Living In Colour

The Wolfe Brothers – Kids On Cassette

Best Classical Album

WINNER: Genevieve Lacey and Marshall McGuire – Bower

Christian Li – Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Emily Sun & Andrea Lam – Nocturnes

Grigoryan Brothers – This is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia

Nat Bartsch – Hope

Best Children’s Album

WINNER: Bluey The Album – Bluey

Amber Lawrence – The Kid’s Gone Country 2

Diver City – Dance Silly

The Wiggles – Lullabies With Love

Various Artists – The Moon, The Mouse & The Frog: Lullabies from Northern Australia

Best Blues & Roots Album

WINNER: Archie Roach – The Songs Of Charcoal Lane

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover

Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald – Push The Blues Away

Martha Marlow – Medicine Man

Ziggy Alberts – Searching For Freedom

Best Rock Album

WINNER: Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest

AC/DC – Power Up

Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music

Holy Holy – Hello My Beautiful World

Midnight Oil and First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project

Best Group

WINNER: RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘Alive’

AC/DC – Power Up

Gang Of Youths – ‘The Angel of 8th Ave.’

Midnight Oil and First Nations Collaborators – The Makarrata Project

The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You

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