The music industry celebrated the best of Australian music on Wednesday night with several women and women-led acts taking out major awards at the ARIAs.
Amyl and the Sniffers, led by frontwoman Amy Taylor, accepted four of the night’s major gongs, including Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Rock Album and Best Cover Art.
On stage to accept Album of the Year, Taylor said: “As the new prime minister of Australia, I’d like to say: all immigrants welcome.”
“I’d like to say: land back, the dole’s going up and every pub gets a million dollars.”
Taylor also said their album Cartoon Darkness had changed the band’s lives forever.
“Probably won’t have to work at IGA ever again!”
Accepting the Best Cover Art award, Taylor laughed and quipped: “I know you just like it because I was flashing my titties”.
Best Solo Artist went to electronic artist and producer Ninajirachi, who released her highly acclaimed album I Love My Computer this year. She self-produced the album and released it through NLV Records.
“I really didn’t think I would win this one,” she said, accpepting the award. “This is absurd. A lot of people here probably have never heard of me before tonight or this year but I put out my first album this year called I Love My Computer. Most of it was just written and produced and recorded by me.”
Ninajirachi also took home the coveted Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist Award and Best Independent Release.
Other notable wins for women at the ARIA Awards include Missy Higgins taking home Best Adult Contemporary Album for her album The Second Act.
BARKAA won Best Hip Hop/Rap Released for Big Tidda, and Emma Memma won Best Children’s Album for Dance Island Party.
Thelma Plum took out the Best Pop Release award for I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back, while Kasey Chambers won Best Country Album for Backbone.
UK artist Olivia Dean also attended the awards, performing her hit song Man I Need.