SYDNEY, AUS (CelebrityAccess) – The 2023 Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Music Awards were held at ICC Sydney, Gadigal land, on Thursday (April 27) – hosted by Celia Pacquola, Fred Leone, and Henry Wagons. The 2023 edition featured nine first-time winners with a few returning favorites. The Australian music community was back to recognize the achievements of songwriters across the music industry and to celebrate their publishers at the APRA Music Awards.
APRA Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Limited (AMCOS) members have submitted their votes, and the winners have been announced. Flume and co-writer Sarah Aarons have taken out the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year with “Say Nothing” (feat MAY-A), the lead single from Flume’s third studio album Palaces. Both songwriters are multiple APRA Award winners.
Songwriter of the Year is Jonathon George, James Hunt and Tyrone Lindqvist, professionally known as Grammy-Award winning EDM kings RÜFÜS DU SOL. Currently on tour in Mexico, the trio have taken their Australian alternative dance songs to the world. RÜFÜS DU SOL also took home the Most Performed Dance / Electronic Work for “On My Knees”. In a statement about the song Hunt said “For this song we had a lot of fun writing something that was darker, driving and a little more edgy. It’s definitely one of the most banging tracks on the record.”
Sampa the Great has been named Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors. The Zambian-born artist has become one of Australia’s most formidable songwriters.
The Kid LAROI, 2022 APRA Songwriter of the Year, won two APRA Music Awards. “Stay” is the Most Performed Australian Work for 2023, and the song (co-written with Justin Bieber), which continues to dominate the nation’s airwaves, is also the Most Performed Pop Work.
Winning her first ever APRA Music Award is soulful songwriter Miiesha who, with co-writers Lucy Blomkamp and Stephen Collins created the beautiful and sparse “Still Dream”, which is the Most Performed R&B / Soul Work.
The Most Performed Rock Work and their very first APRA Music Award is Sunshine Coast rockers The Chats with their electrifying “Struck By Lightning”. Also with their maiden win is Brothers, who with producer, and co-writer Joel Fletcher, have taken out the Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work for party anthem “LET’S TROT!”
Two more first-time APRA Music Award winners are Casey Barnes and Xavier Rudd, who win the Most Performed Country Work and Most Performed Blues & Roots Work respectively. Casey lands the award for his masterful country ballad “God Took His Time On You”, while Xavier delivers a winning tribute to the natural world in “While We Deserve To Dream.”
The song writing collaboration of Dean Lewis and Jon Hume has again seen them score an APRA Award for the breakup ballad “Hurtless” which is the Most Performed Alternative Work. Tones And I and her enduring worldwide hit “Dance Monkey” is the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for the second year in a row.
Beloved comedian, film, television, and stage actor Kim Gyngell was on hand to present Colin Hay with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. There were heavyweight tributes from legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr (Colin plays in the Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band) and actor Zach Braff, who featured the Colin Hay song “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You” in his feature film Garden State. The Ted Albert award is shared in 2023 with the late promoter Colleen Ironside, who was honoured posthumously by friend, concert promoter Michael Chugg.
As previously announced, the Licensee of the Year was awarded to the Triple M network for their excellent music citizenship, while smash hit “As It Was” by Harry Styles (with co-writers Thomas Hull and Tyler Johnson) is the Most Performed International Work.
