The winners of the 2008 ARIA Awards, proudly presented by Motorola, have been announced and pop and electronic dance music have ruled the day in the form of multiple winners GABRIELLA CILMI and THE PRESETS. They join an eclectic group of ARIA Award recipients who include THE LIVING END, KASEY CHAMBERS and SHANE NICHOLSON, NICK CAVE and GEOFFREY GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU, THE PANICS and BLISS N’ ESO, among others.
In what is an extraordinary success story, vocal powerhouse GABRIELLA CILMI, a pop singer who had yet to emerge on the Australian music landscape this time last year, has taken out an incredible 6 ARIA Awards on the back of her debut album, Lessons To Be Learned, and her breakthrough smash hit single, Sweet About Me. The Melbourne-born, London-based Cilmi has received ARIA Awards in the categories of BEST FEMALE ARTIST, BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST – SINGLE (Sweet About Me), BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST – ALBUM (Lessons to be Learned), BEST POP RELEASE (Lessons to be Learned), HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE (Sweet About Me) and the coveted ARIA Award for SINGLE OF THE YEAR for Sweet About Me. With the world at her feet, GABRIELLA CILMI’s ARIA Awards triumph is nothing short of a phenomenal achievement for the Dandenong girl who has just celebrated her 17th birthday.
Electronic duo THE PRESETS has also had a cracking year with the release of their widely acclaimed second album Apocalypso. They fought off stiff competition in the prestigious categories of ALBUM OF THE YEAR and BEST GROUP to take out both for the hugely popular Apocalypso. The album has also seen THE PRESETS receive the pointy trophy in the category of BEST DANCE RELEASE taking their tally to 3 ARIA Awards (plus 2 ARIA Artisan Awards, including Producer of the Year for Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes). The self-produced Apocalypso, which spawned the gritty hit single My People, has sealed THE PRESETS as Australia’s premiere electronic act.
The extraordinary rise of the gifted GEOFFREY GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU continues with 2 ARIA Awards to his credit. Adding to the Award he received at the ARIA Fine Arts Awards for BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM, he has received the ARIA Award in the category of BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM for his breathtaking solo debut album Gurrumul.
Viva La Rock! THE LIVING END has walked away with the ARIA Award for BEST ROCK ALBUM for the scorching White Noise – their fifth full length album and arguably their most successful to date. Also storming home with an ARIA Award, on the back of last year’s rock epic Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!, an album recorded with his band THE BAD SEEDS, is NICK CAVE. The prophet of Australian rock n’ roll, and 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame recipient, has been named BEST MALE ARTIST, an Award he also received in 2001.
Energetic hip-hop three piece BLISS N’ ESO has scored the ARIA Award for BEST URBAN ALBUM for Flying Colours. Recorded at the famous Sing Sing studios in Melbourne, the album demonstrates Bliss N Eso’s artistic growth and evolving maturity, both through lyrics and production in what is widely regarded as their best and most dynamic work to date.
Receiving their first ever ARIA Award is THE PANICS, who have taken home the ARIA Award in the category of BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM for their infectious debut Cruel Guards. The album, which has received a heap of critical praise, also took out the coveted 2007 J Award.
Popular Melbourne outfit THE AUDREYS have won their second ARIA Award, again in the category of BEST BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM. Their second album When The Flood Comes has been described as ‘”Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant”(Daily Telegraph, Sydney) and “Gorgeous” by music bible, Rolling Stone.
The songwriting partnership of KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON has proved to be a winning combination with the duo receiving an ARIA Award in the category of BEST COUNTRY ALBUM for their outstanding release Rattlin’ Bones. And the divine DELTA GOODREM has added to her trophy cabinet by receiving the ARIA Award for HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM for her chart topping, smash hit, self-titled long player.
The DVD release from last year’s massive Across The Great Divide tour, featuring rock heavyweights POWDERFINGER and SILVERCHAIR, has received the ARIA Award in the category of BEST MUSIC DVD.
The wonderful WIGGLES have received the ARIA Award in the category of BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM for their delightful toe-tapping kid’s CD You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.
And last but certainly not least, the inimitable SHAUN MICALLEF has taken out the ARIA Award for BEST COMEDY RELEASE for his long player with the equally long title – The Expurgated Micallef Tonight: The Very Best of Shaun Micallef’s Short-Lived but Brilliant Tonight.
Again highlighting the depth and diversity of talent across all genres of the Australian music community, ARIA congratulates all winners in the 2008 ARIA Awards, proudly presented by Motorola. Please see attached for a complete list of winners.
The 2008 ARIA AWARDS, proudly presented by Motorola, featured live performances by SAM SPARRO, THE LIVING END, GABRIELLA CILMI, THE PRESETS, FAKER, THE VERONICAS, GEOFFREY GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU and PINK! HAMISH & ANDY hosted the Awards alongside ARIA veteran JAMES MATHISON. ROVE McMANUS, MYF WARHURST, CHRIS LILLEY, JOSH PYKE, RICKI-LEE, BRIAN McFADDEN, JOHN BUTLER, NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE, HUMAN NATURE, VANESSA AMOROSI, PETE MURRAY, KATIE NOONAN, RUBY ROSE, JAMES KERLEY, AXLE WHITEHEAD and JABBA were special guest presenters.
2008 ARIA AWARDS
Proudly brought to you by Motorola
Sunday, 19 October, 2008
Acer Arena, Sydney Olympic Park
Broadcast exclusively on Network Ten from 7.30pm
www.ariaawards.com.au