ARIA Awards 2021 nominees announced
The nominees for the 2021 ARIA Awards, Australia’s premiere music awards, has been announced. Amy Shark is the most nominated artist of the year (tied with Genesis Owusu) and the nominations prove the enormous depth and talent in Australian female artists at the moment.
The ARIA Awards will be held virtually this year on Wednesday November 24. We have collated all the top female talent to receive a nomination this year so you know exactly who to support come the big night. Best Video, Best Australian Live Act, Song of the Year and Most Popular International Act will all be decided by a public vote you can cast your vote now here.
Amy Shark
Album of the Year - Cry Forever
Best Artist
Best Pop Release - Cry Forever
Best Video - ‘Love Songs Ain’t For Us’
Best Australian Live Act
Song of the Year - ‘Love Songs Ain’t For Us’
Already the owner of 8 ARIA Awards, Amy Shark is one of Australia’s most popular and critically acclaimed artists since her breakthrough in 2016 with the hit single ‘Adore’. This year has seen her score her second number 1 album with Cry Forever and achieve a Gold single with ‘Love Songs Ain’t For Us’ which features Keith Urban. This is the second time Shark has topped the nominations list, also achieving the feat in 2018 with a mammoth nine nominations.
Tones And I
Image: Giulia McGauran
Album of the Year - Welcome to the Madhouse
Best Artist
Best Pop Release - ‘Fly Away’
Best Video - ‘Won’t Sleep’
Song of the Year - ‘Fly Away’
One of the biggest stars to emerge from Australia in the past few years, her 2019 hit ‘Dance Monkey’ was a number 1 smash across the globe. This year she released her debut album Welcome to the Madhouse which soared to number one in Australia. This year’s ARIA Award nominations take her total tally to 16, impressively achieved in just 3 years.
Ngaiire
Image: Dan Segal
Best Artist
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist
Best Soul/R&B Release
Best Cover Art - 3
Sydney based, Papua New Guinean artist Ngaaire has been releasing much for close to two decades now and scores her first ever ARIA Award nominations after the release of her stunning third album 3. Crafted over four years, the album was conceptualised in her home country, beginning as an art-based anthropological project and in the end becoming her own hero’s journey.
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks
Best Independent Release - Crossover
Best Blues & Roots Album - Crossover
Emma Donovan has been singing since she was seven, and over the years has received multiple nominations for her music, including Deadly Awards, J Awards and Music Victoria awards. This year marks her first ARIA Award nominations for the second album she released with her band The Putbacks.
Kylie Minogue
Best Artist
Best Adult Contemporary Album - Disco
The princess of pop was inducted to the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2011 and has won 16 ARIA Awards over the years however these nominations are her first at the ARIA Awards since 2010. Her 2020 album Disco extends her huge success into a fifth decade and peaked at number 1 in Australia and the UK.
Tkay Maidza
Best Soul/R&B Release - Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3
Best Video - ‘24k’
One of Australia’s most exciting and talented young artists, Maidza has already received four ARIA Award nominations in the past since 2017. This year she completed her aptly titled Last Year Was Weird EP trilogy with the amazing volume 3 and is now creating major waves overseas since moving to LA. Expect a lot more nominations for this star in the coming years.
Ariana Grande
Most Popular International
The global superstar scored her sixth US number 1 hit this year with her duet with The Weeknd ‘Save Your Tears’. She is also currently appearing as a coach on the 21st season of The Voice in the USA. This is her second ARIA Award nomination, being nominated in the same category in 2019.
Big Scary
Best Adult Contemporary Album - Daisy
Big Scary comprises of Joanna Syme and Tom Iansek. Their quirky, unconventional indie pop has already seen them rack up a top 5 album and two ARIA Award nominations. Their nominated album Daisy saw their sound rely less on guitars and more on synth and featured Syme more prominently as a lead vocalist.
Doja Cat
Most Popular International
The American rapper and singer has had two top 10 hit singles in 2021 including ‘Kiss Me More’ which peaked at number 2 and stayed in the top 10 for literally months. This is her first ARIA Award nomination.
Felicity Urquhart
Best Country Album - The Song Club
Felicity Urquhart is a country music superstar with 10 Golden Guitar awards to her name. Her 2021 collaboration with Josh Cunningham The Song Club became her biggest album to date on the mainstream Australian album chart (peaking at number 77) and earns her her third ARIA Award nomination
Gretta Ray
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist - Begin To Look Around
Gretta Ray switched up her sound from folk-indie into glistening electro-tinged pop this year and released her debut album Begin To Look Around. It was her greatest success to date, peaking at number 13 on the Australian album charts and earns her her first ever ARIA Award nomination.
Read our six page interview with Gretta Ray in issue 10 of Women In Pop magazine
Hiatus Kaiyote
Best Soul/R&B Release - Mood Valiant
Fronted by singer and guitarist Nai Palm (Naomi Saalfield), Hiatus Kaiyote formed in 2011 and exactly ten years later achieved their biggest hit ever when Mood Valiant soared to number 4 on the Australian album charts. This is their second ARIA Award nomination and their first since 2015.
KLP
Best Dance Release - ‘People Happy’
Singer, songwriter, producer, DJ and radio host KLP is an artist of many talents. Her collaboration with Space Cadet ‘People Happy’ followed up their 2020 hit ‘Energy’ which also earned the pair an ARIA nomination. As part of the duo Diver City, KLP also receives a nomination in the Best Children’s Album category for Dance Silly.
Martha Marlow
Best Blues & Roots Album - Medicine Man
You may not know it, but you have probably heard Martha Marlow sing multiple times, with her voice gracing the Qantas ‘Feels Like Home’. She has since gone on to perform with artists including Katie Noonan, Clare Bowditch, Matt Corby and Meg Mac and her debut album Medicine Man has earned her her first ARIA Award nomination.
MAY-A
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist
MAY-A released her debut EP Don’t Kiss Ur Friends this year and scored her first ever chart hit. Just 20 years old, her mix of indie, guitar and pop has garnered her critical acclaim and next year she will embark on a month long tour of the USA. This is her first ARIA Award nomination.
Miley Cyrus
Most Popular International
An artist whose growth is unparalleled since she first released music in 2007, Miley Cyrus is one of her generation’s enduring superstar. This year she collaborated with The Kid Laroi on their 5 times platinum hit ‘Without You (Remix)’. This is her first ARIA Award nomination.
Olivia Rodrigo
Most Popular International
In 2021 Olivia Rodrigo practically took over the music world with her world domineering number 1 single ‘Drivers License’. Her debut album Sour hit number 1 in Australia and has also earned her her first ARIA Award nomination
Odette
Best Adult Contemporary Album - Herald
Odette first burst onto music fans consciousness when her debut album To a Stranger scored two ARIA Award nominations in 2018. She is now back in the nominee circle with her beautiful second album Herald, which explored mental illness and coming-of-age.
Tash Sultana
Best Soul/R&B Release - Terra Firma
Tash Sultana has been one of the most successful artists at the ARIA Awards in recent years, with 12 nominations to their name in just four years. Second album Terra Firma gave Sultana their first number one album earlier this year and their lucky 13th ARIA Award nomination
Taylor Swift
Most Popular International
What more can be said about Taylor Swift? Increasingly one of the most important artists of our time, in there past year she has had no fewer than three number 1 albums in Australia. This is her 8th ARIA nomination, winning Best International Artist in 2019.
Thelma Plum
Best Australian Live Act
Thelma Plum owned the 2019 ARIA Awards when her debut album Better In Blak earned six nominations. Although no new music appeared in 2021, her Homecoming Queen tour was one of the most impressive tours in a landscape mostly starved of live music, earning her a 7th ARIA nomination.
Yours Truly
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album - Self Care
Fronted by lead singer Mikaila Delgado, Yours Truly receive their first ever ARIA nomination this year after their debut album Self Care reached the top 20 on the Australian albums chart. In July this year they launched their next era with new single ‘Walk Over My Grave’.
