The likes of Amy Shark, Ngaiire and Jen Cloher have taken home awards during the inaugural Australian Women In Music Awards (AWMA), which took place at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Wednesday night.
The new awards program aims to celebrate the contributions of women in Australia’s music industry, across various areas of the music business.
A total of 14 AWMAs were presented last night, after a Jury Council of industry professionals and practitioners decided which of this year’s AWMA finalists were the most worthy.
Jen Cloher claimed the Music Leadership Award for her “significant impact” on the industry, Amy Shark and Camp Cope tied for the Breakthrough Artist Award, while Ngaiire picked up the Artistic Excellence Award and singer-songwriter Gordi (Sophie Payten) won the Songwriter Award.
Music icon and ‘I Am Woman’ singer Helen Reddy also became the very first inductee into the AWMA honour roll for “her indelible contribution to the women’s movement”.
View the full list of this year’s winners, below.
“Women make up almost half of Australians with a music qualification and half of those studying music – yet only one-fifth of songwriters are women,” said Queensland Minister for Women, Di Farmer.
“Women hold only 28 per cent of senior and strategic roles in key industry associations, and female artists earn less in general than their male counterparts.
“I congratulate the Australian Women in Music Awards committee for their work towards encouraging more girls and women in to the music industry.”
2018 Australian Women In Music Awards Finalists & Winners
Songwriter Award
Recognises a female songwriter or composer who has made extraordinary impact nationally and/or internationally in the past 12 months.
Sarah Blasko
Gordi (Sophie Payten) — WINNER
Ngaiire
Music Leadership Award
Recognises a female CEO, Managing Director, Label Manager, A&R Director, Artist Manager or Publisher making significant impact in music industry leadership.
Linda Bosidis
Jen Cloher — WINNER
Susan Heymann
Diversity in Music Award
Recognises individual artists or female-driven musical collaborations for their contribution to advancing a culturally diverse and inclusive music industry.
Mission Songs Project — WINNER
Rachel Maria Cox
3 Signal Creative
Studio Production Award
Recognises a female sound engineer or producer who has made contributions of outstanding significance in the studio recording environment.
Anna Laverty — WINNER
Kath Naunton
Becki Whitton
Music Photographer Award
Recognises a female music photographer currently working in the field and to acknowledge her body of work.
Lisa Businovski
Tashi Hall
Wendy McDougall — WINNER
Creative Leadership Award
A curatorial award recognising excellence in creative programming and/or content creation from a woman working in a music festival, live performance/venue or media setting to champion female artists.
Zoe Hauptmann — WINNER
Katie Noonan
Roz Pappalardo
Breakthrough Artist Award
Recognises a female artist who has had a significant breakthrough impact nationally in the past 12 months.
Camp Cope — TIED WINNER
Stella Donnelly
Amy Shark — TIED WINNER
Artistic Excellence Award
Recognises exceptional creative achievement from a female artist/musician across any genre.
Dalla Frasca
Gordi (Sophie Payten)
Ngaiire — WINNER
Film-maker Award
Recognises a female music videographer, clip-maker or film-maker currently working in the field and to acknowledge her body of work.
Gemma Lee
Ruth Morris
Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore — WINNER
Live Production Award
Recognises a female working in a live production or touring environment making significant impact in her field: Includes Tour Management, Live Sound, Lighting, Backstage and Roadcrew.
Lynette Britten
Kait Hall
Robyn Jelleff — WINNER
Musical Excellence
Recognises exceptional musicianship from a female musician across any genre.
Fem Belling
Lydia Davies — WINNER
Nerida Tyson-Chew — WINNER
Educator Award
Recognises an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and/or to empowering Indigenous female artists in remote and regional communities.
Dr Anita Collins — WINNER
Louise Denson
Elizabeth Sellars
Auriel Andrew Memorial Award
Recognises a true pioneer of Aboriginal women in music.
Deborah Cheetham AOM — WINNER
Jessie Lloyd
Shellie Morris
TIDDAS
Gina Williams
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to a female artist or musician who has made outstanding artistic contribution to the field of recording and/or live performance during her lifetime.
WINNERS: Renée Geyer, Patricia ‘Little Patty’ Amphlett, Margret RoadKnight
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