While 2024 has undoubtedly been a tough year for the live music industry in Australia, the Australian Women In Music Awards (AWMA) took a night to celebrate some of the people who have kept the sector afloat yesterday (2 October).
A massive night of live music and appreciation of women working in all facets of the industry – artists, producers, humanitarians, heavy music representatives, leaders, songwriters, journalists, photographers, and more – the AWMAs showcased just how impactful the women in the industry really are.
Some of the highlights from the night included Chris Erskine taking home the Game Changer Award, while Kasey Chambers was crowned with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Mo’Ju won the Artistic Excellence Award, Linda Thompson won the Opera Australia Impact Award, Emma Watkins won the prestigious Tina Arena Special Impact Award, and Alice Ivy took home the APRA AMCOS Songwriter Award.
Names you might recognise from The Music also won at the AWMAs, with Ellie Robinson winning the Women’s Agenda Music Journalist Award, Tiana Speter winning the Women In Heavy Music Award, and Lucinda Goodwin taking home the Music Photographer Award.
21 awards were handed out throughout the night. In addition to the awards, Dame Joan Sutherland OM, AC, DBE and Patricia ‘Little Pattie’ Amphlett OAM were inducted into the AWMA Honour Roll.
Hosted by Yumi Stynes and Sarah McLeod, the night also featured live performances by Sarah Blasko, Kasey Chambers, Mo’Ju, Nina Korbe, Sarah McLeod, Katie Noonan & Karin Schaupp, Karen Lee Andrews, and Emily Wurramara.
Founding Executive Producer and Program Director Vicki Gordon said of the ceremony: “AWMA continues to build a lifelong legacy for future generations.
“Our work is changing the industry forever and is reflected in the vast contribution of First Nations and culturally diverse Australian female, non-binary, and GNC artists, musicians and music practitioners acknowledged across all areas of industry, from all genres of music and from all countries and cultures.”
Mentioning the collapse of many Australian music festivals, as well as challenges presented to the industry by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gordon added, “Australian Women in Music continues to place gender equality front and centre as we move into the future with the knowledge that the playing field for the majority of women, First Nations artists and gender diverse minorities remains vastly inequitable.
“Artist development and career pathways, the facilitation and promotion of events and festivals, grant and support programs and audience development, in particular, must be viewed through the lens of gender equality to address the complex barriers to industry growth.”
You can find the complete list of AWMA winners below.
2024 AWMA Recipients
ARIA Executive Leader Game Changer Award – Chris Erskine
Opera Australia Impact Award – Linda Thompson
Sony Music Australia Artistic Excellence Award – Mo’Ju
Brisbane City Council Studio Production Award – Charlotte Adelle
Universal Music Australia Lifetime Achievement Award – Kasey Chambers
Tina Arena Special Impact Award (Sponsored by Face to Face Touring) – Emma Watkins
Warner Music Australia Humanitarian Award – Gemma Farrell
SSI Diversity in Music Award – Toni Janke
QPAC Excellence in Classical Music Award – Sonya Lifschitz
Oztix Women in Heavy Music Award – Tiana Speter
Collarts Creative Leadership Award – Kat McGuffie
Scenestr Live Creative Production Award – Anusha Matthews
Frontier Touring Live Production Touring Award – Tana Douglas
ALH Hotels Music Leadership Award – Kerry Kennell
APRA AMCOS Songwriter Award – Alice Ivy
City of Gold Coast Emerging Artist Award – Ruby Archer
Hotel X Music Photographer Award – Lucinda Goodwin
Australian Women in Music Film Maker Award – Tori Styles
Women’s Agenda Music Journalist Award – Ellie Robinson
2024 Honour Roll Inductees
Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE (posthumous)
Patricia “Little Pattie” Amphlett OAM
