This piece was originally published on the entertainment website Music Love - a platform for women, by women and about women in music.
Kasey Chambers can’t remember how many ARIA
Awards she has won. After receiving the
award (her twelfth) for best country album at last night’s 2017 ARIA Awards ceremony, she noted that the pointed statues are becoming a hazard with small children in
the house. The singer/songwriter’s children were clearly at the front of her
mind as she ran out onto the stage to accept her award, having been caught up
backstage getting ready to present the award for Best Male Artist to Paul Kelly
later in the evening.
“My life is so weird!” Kasey said as she
stepped up to the microphone. “I was literally getting nits out of my kids hair
this morning.” The mother of three was quick to thank the numerous artists who
contributed to her album Dragonfly,
including Paul Kelly, Foy Vance and Ed Sheeran, noting that collaborators “take
a song to a whole other level”.
Kasey has had a busy couple of years and
her experiences heavily influenced her award winning album, from relationship
changes to having surgery to remove the vocal nodes she has lived with for 20
years.
“[I’ve been] travelling more in the last 18
months than in the rest of my life. Tonight is my last commitment – less so the
ARIAs, more the after party! During this last record I went through a lot of
different things personally and vocally. I discovered a whole new part of
myself and getting to write in a whole new way. Going through a divorce – for a
country artist there’s nothing better than that. For country singers that’s why
we get married, so we can write about it.”
It’s clearly worked out for Kasey. She
finished her speech by shouting “there’s a lot of negativity around being a
woman in this industry over forty years old but I fucking love it!”
Kasey wasn’t the only one who seemed to be
having a blast. The general consensus from nominees and guests was that the
awards were just a great excuse for a catch-up with friends and a helluva
party. Old hands like The McClymonts
were enjoying a rare kid-free evening and, like many nominees, seemed far more
excited to see Daryl Braithwaite be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame than to
receive an award themselves.
The sisters said that they were just there
to have a good time as they weren’t expecting to win an award (they were also
nominated for Best Country Album).
“It’s a hard category ‘cause when you’re a
country musician you really only get nominated in one category. So if you do
win it’s really exciting.”
Having already taken home her award for
Best World Music Album at Artisan and Fine Arts Awards in November, Katie
Noonan was able to sit back and enjoy the success of others. Wearing large
earrings bearing the slogan ‘Woman Power’, she called the awards “a great time
for celebrating badass women”.
“I’m looking forward to applauding all my
fellow awesome musicians who are smashing it, as well as a rather loud
rendition of The Horses. I presume Dazza Braithwaite’s gonna rock that
out.”
ARIA newbies were also keen to just sit
back and take it all in. Julia Jacklin,
nominated for Best Female Artist for Don’t
Let The Kids Win, was just “trying to relax” and have no expectations about
the night. Enjoying some well deserved time off before working on a new record
in the new year, Julia, like most of the younger guests, was particularly keen
to see superstar Lorde perform.
Brisbane rapper Mallrat was excited to see
Lorde but was slightly preoccupied by hunger as she had forgotten to have
breakfast before making her way onto her first ARIA red carpet. The diminutive
teenager was having a night off before touring next month, with a sold out 18+
show in December and an all ages show in January.
All female band, the fabulously named All
Our Exes Live In Texas, were excited for another international guest performer
– for One Direction member Harry Styles. And free champagne. Although they went
on to win the ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album, the four young women
were so confident that they wouldn’t be able to pip heavyweights Archie Roach and
Paul Kelly that they had failed to write an acceptance speech.
“Our reactions were half like ‘wow that’s
so lovely’ and half like ‘oh god what are we gonna say?’ Super exciting but
also quite scary.”
One notable newcomer was ARIA Music Teacher
of the Year Renee Macarthy from Woodcroft College in Adelaide. Having taught
students for 7 years, she was delighted to accept a brand new award that
“recognised music teachers all across Australia and the value of music”.
“I’m blessed to have an amazing job. Music
brings people together across all year levels and you can get away from any
problems and just escape,” Renee explained. “It’s like a creative outlet for
the soul. Winning has changed my life because it’s just a job for me that I
love. So to be recognised in that way is just priceless, a big honour. My
students are so beautiful. I’m a lucky lady.”
Newcomer Amy Shark got off to a good start
by winning the first award, Best Pop Release, for her album Night Thinker. She later performed the
album’s hit single Adore before
returning to the stage to accept her second ARIA Award for Best Breakthrough
Artist. Amy noted in her second acceptance speech that the difficulty she had
attracting attention to her work meant that there were “a lot of years when I
was really frustrated by the industry because I’d been writing music for a
really long time and I just wanted everyone to hear it. I was wrong. I realise
now you are all amazing people.”
She later elaborated on her statements,
noting that her road to success “was no walk in the park”.
“There were many people who wouldn’t
respond. I would [write songs] for therapy, and I didn’t want to chase any more
people because it hurts too much. The last thing I wanted to do [before I gave
up] was work with a great producer. I had to apply for a government grant
‘cause I couldn’t afford it. It was such a slog but I got that, I got to work
with M-Phazes [on Adore]. And no one
knew it was going to be a door [to better things]. I don’t think it would have
worked if I’d been successful sooner. I wouldn’t have been able to write those
songs when I was sixteen. The songs are so personal.”
Her advice for other young songwriters?
“Everything happens for a reason. Just
concentrate on what you’re doing. Really love it. If you love song writing,
just write a good song. Don’t do it to be famous. Just do it for yourself. Be
honest with yourself. If you honestly love it then you’ll be successful.”
Taiwanese pop singer A-Lin was also
experiencing her first ARIAs on one of her first trips to Australia. Having
just released her self-titled album, featuring a song co-written by her friend
Sia, A-Lin was particularly keen to run into Guy Sebastian. They are currently
collaborating on a track which should be released within the next few months.
Alex The Astronaut, looking sharp in a pink
suit, was looking forward to having a good time at her first awards show and hopefully
sharing style tips with fellow snazzy suit wearer Harry Styles.
“I get to kind of just have a big party
which is fun.”
All Our Exes Live In Texas were sporting
some pretty distinctive nail art. The phrases “SAVE MANUS” and “#METOO” were
powerful topical statements for a group of women who are finding their feet
professionally.
Their advice for young women hoping to make
it big in music?
“Form a band with your girlfriends. Get in
a garage and do it like the boys do. You don’t need a boy drummer or whatever –
we didn’t and look where we ended up.”
