Music

The 2019 AIR Awards returned to Adelaide, Australia’s UNESCO designated City of Music, last night for the third year to celebrate the success of the vibrant Australian independent music sector.

The ceremony took place at the iconic Freemasons Halls opening with an official welcome to country and a stunning performance from Mojo Juju. Mojo’s honest performance of her Native Tongue single offered a powerful insight into her musicality, spanning a variety of genres including R’n’B, hip-hop and soul and saw her take out this year’s AIR Award for Best Independent Single.

Laura Jean showed off the impressive calibre of talent up for this year’s Best Independent Artist with a spectacular performance of Girls on the TV. The coveted award went to Courtney Barnett for the second time in her career.

B Wise took home the Best Independent Hip Hop Album for Area Famous and also gave a stunning performance of The Key.

Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single went to What So Not for their track Beautiful (Feat Winona Oak). And Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album was awarded to Confidence Man for their aptly titled album Confident Music For Confident People.

Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk Album went to DZ Deathrays for their third album Bloody Lovely and Best Independent Blues and Roots Album went to Emily Wurramara for her tribute to family, culture and the land, Milyakburra.

Best independent Jazz Album was awarded to Jonathan Zwartz for his third solo album Animarum, while
Best Independent Classical Album went to the Grigoryan Brothers/Adelaide Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey for their Bach Concertos, newly arranged for two guitars and orchestra.

G Flip’s performance backed up the international hype around her debut single About You, following on from her acceptance of the AIR Award for Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year presented by the PPCA. The Best Independent Album came down to a tie between Courtney Barnett and Gurrumul, for two of this country’s most impressive offerings to date, each in their own right.

The hotly anticipated AIR Award for Best Independent Label recognised the efforts of Chapter Music. Thanks to moshtix, Chapter Music received a digital marketing package valued at $20,000 to help showcase their talent to the music public.

Finally, the newest addition to the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award supported by Merlin. This award recognises an individual or group who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the Australian independent music community. This year’s honour went to Gerarda McKenna, Australia’s most recognised royalty audit and accounting expert. Thanks to the global independent rights agency Merlin, Gerarda received a $5,000 cash prize to be used for further business and professional development.

The evening’s events closed with a fitting performance from Adelaide’s own seven-piece West Thebarton.

AIR GM Maria Amato commented, “It was great to celebrate the success of the Australian independent music sector in Adelaide last night. We congratulate all the award recipients and thank the South Australian Government for their continued support as well as our valued supporting partners.”

Congratulations to all the 2019 AIR Awards winners!

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL
CHAPTER MUSIC
Thanks to moshtix, Australia’s most trusted ticketing partner for independent music in Australia, and supporting partner of the 2019 AIR Awards, the recipient of this year’s Best Independent Label award will receive a digital marketing package valued at $20,000 to help showcase their talent to the music public

BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST
COURTNEY BARNETT

BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM OR EP
COURTNEY BARNETT – TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL
GURRUMUL – DJARIMIRRI

BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE
MOJO JUJU – NATIVE TONGUE

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCA
G FLIP

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM
B WISE – AREA FAMOUS

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM
BECCY COLE – LIONESS

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
EMILY WURRAMARA – MILYAKBURRA

BEST INDEPENDENT HARD ROCK, HEAVY OR PUNK ALBUM
DZ DEATHRAYS – BLOODY LOVELY

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM OR EP
CONFIDENCE MAN – CONFIDENT MUSIC FOR CONFIDENT PEOPLE

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE
WHAT SO NOT  – BEAUTIFUL (FEAT. WINONA OAK)

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM
JONATHAN ZWARTZ – ANIMARUM

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM
GRIGORYAN BROTHERS/ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/BENJAMIN NORTHEY – BACH CONCERTOS

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD SUPPORTED BY MERLIN
GERARDA MCKENNA
This award recognises an individual or group who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the Australian independent music community. Thanks to global independent rights agency Merlin, this year’s winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize to be used for business and professional development.

Image: Morgan Sette