APRA AMCOS is excited to announce the nominees and event details for the inaugural Global APRA Music Awards. Ceremonies will take place in Los Angeles (26 February, at the GRAMMY Museum, Clive Davis Theater, hosted by Maya Jupiter), Nashville (1 March, at Clementine Hall, hosted by O’Shea) and London (6 March, at Ham Yard Hotel Soho, hosted by Georgia Mooney).
Awards will be presented to Australasian songwriters, composers and music publishers achieving artistic excellence and commercial success in international markets.
The Global APRA Music Awards join the suite of Awards presented annually recognising success and achievements within Australia (APRA Music Awards, APRA Screen Music Awards and APRA Art Music Awards), and within New Zealand (Silver Scroll Awards and Song Awards).
Global APRA Music Awards will be handed out in each city for the following categories:
“The launch of the Global APRA Music Awards is a reflection of the incredible success that Australian and New Zealand songwriters and composers are achieving internationally. APRA AMCOS strives to be there for our members in their creative and professional endeavours every step of the way, wherever they are, and I so look forward to celebrating their talent, ambition and all that they have accomplished at these special events,” said APRA Chair Jenny Morris.
At all events, Songwriter of the Year and Distinguished Services Award honourees will be named on the night. APRA AMCOS is proud to unveil the nominees for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year and Overseas Recognition Award.
Los Angeles
The list of Global APRA Music Awards Los Angeles nominees spans under-the-radar to superstar talent. In Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Los Angeles category, renowned wordsmith Mallrat (Grace Shaw), who released the EP Driving Music, performed on US late night TV, and supported Maggie Rogers in an extensive touring schedule is nominated alongside expert collaborator Kito (Maaike Lebbing) who has written with Ruel and Jorja Smith and released her solo EP HAANI. The producer collective known as Twice as Nice (Nicholas Audino, Lewis Hughes, Khaled Rohaim and Te Whiti Warbrick) are Breakthrough nominees for a range of work in the last year including songwriting credits for Post Malone, Zayn and Lil Dicky; and, also in the running is Ruel, who has had a massive year with the release of the Free Time EP, worldwide touring and an MTV Europe Music Award.
Nominees for Overseas Recognition Award Los Angeles are veritable songwriting heavy-hitters. Alex Hope is known for her range, working extensively with Troye Sivan, and crafting songs with Ingrid Michaelson, David Guetta, and Ben Platt and producing the new Tegan and Sarah album. Flume (Harley Streten), a previous APRA Songwriter of the Year, released his Grammy-nominated mixtape Hi This Is Flume to critical acclaim and headlined music festivals worldwide in 2019. New Zealand’s Joel Little is one of the world’s top songwriters and producers, and this year was a key collaborator on Taylor Swift’s #1 Lover album, as well as on songs by Jarryd James, Jonas Brothers and Tove Lo. Having won APRA Songwriter of the Year at the 2019 APRA Music Awards, Sarah Aarons continued her songwriting blitz with collabs on tracks for John Legend, Hilltop Hoods, Khalid, Jonas Brothers and Ingrid Michaelson (to name a few).
Nashville
In the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Nashville category are nominees Mitchell Thompson and Thomas Jordan, the Northern Beaches childhood friends who perform as country-pop duo Seaforth. They released their debut EP Love That on Sony Nashville in 2019 and have been touring it in the States. Also in the running is songwriter/musician Paul Mabury, who won a Grammy this year for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance as a co-writer on Lauren Daigle’s ‘You Say,’ which spent a record 65 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Rebecca Chilcott – you know her as Americana singer-songwriter Ruby Boots – made a big move to Nashville a few years back, signed a record deal with Bloodshot Records and released her acclaimed album Don’t Talk About It, for which she toured relentlessly this year. Nashville-via-Sydney singer-songwriter Sinead Burgess is a rising star on the back of her album Damaged Goods and her latest single ‘Reno.’
Nominees for Overseas Recognition Award Nashville include the aforementioned Seaforth and Paul Mabury, respectively. Songwriter Mia Fieldes got her musical start in Sydney with Hillsong and has gone on to write for Nashville and Christian music stars including Michael W. Smith and For King & Country. A lot has happened since Rick Price won the 1992 APRA Song of the Year for ‘Heaven Knows’, with the songwriter-producer-performer relocating to Nashville in the last decade to draw upon the gospel, soul and country influences in the city.
London
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year London is packed with intriguing talent. Songwriter Cloves (Kaity Dunstan) brought her debut One Big Nothing to live audiences and new fans this year. Chiara Hunter has been busy crafting stunning songs with others this year, including Jessica Mauboy’s hit ‘Little.’ Noah Hill, Anatole Serret, Louie Swain, Patrick Hetherington and Jules Crommelin are Berlin-based electropop band Parcels. The quartet toured on the back of their self-titled album with appearances at Glastonbury, Way Out West, Latitude and more. Steven Manovski relocated from Sydney to London and established his in-demand Tileyard studio. He is a co-writer on the Cheat Codes song ‘Highway,’ among many, many others.
Overseas Recognition Award London nominees’ pursuits are varied. Both Cloves and Parcels are nominated as is acclaimed film composer Jed Kurzel, formerly of Sydney blues-rock band The Mess Hall. Kurzel has scored music for Snowtown, Assasin’s Creed, Alien: Covenant, and collaborates again with his filmmaker brother Justin Kurzel on the upcoming True History of the Kelly Gang. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei blazed a trail in 2019 on the back of his indie-soul LP Origin, worldwide touring, and co-writing with UK hip-hop artist Loyle Carner.
Criteria for Global APRA Music Awards
In line with APRA Music Awards Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, nominations are based on key achievements during the calendar year, including album and single releases, charts, awards and tours/supports. Recipients can also be considered within the Australian and New Zealand suite of awards.
In the Overseas Recognition Award, the nominations are reflective of achievements in the calendar year based predominantly on international single and album releases, international charts, awards and tours/supports. This award identifies members predominantly achieving international success and residing overseas. This award replaces the current award presented at the APRA Music Awards.
Each of the four categories are based on key criteria, reviewed by an independent Advisory Group, with final determinations made by the APRA Board of Directors.
In all cases of nominations, the APRA members must be residents in the territory for a minimum of consecutive six months.
In addition to Awards being handed out, there will be live performances. A host has been confirmed for each city: artist and rapper Maya Jupiter will host in Los Angeles; Mark and Jay O’Shea, the country-duo O’Shea will co-host in Nashville, and singer-songwriter Georgia Mooney, of All Our Exes Live in Texas, will lead the festivities in London.
Full list of nominees:
LOS ANGELES 26 FEBRUARY | GRAMMY MUSEUM, CLIVE DAVIS THEATER | HOST: MAYA JUPITER
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Writer: Grace Shaw pka Mallrat
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process
Writer: Maaike Lebbing pka Kito
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writers: Nicholas Audino*, Lewis Hughes*, Khaled Rohaim+ and Te Whiti Warbrick^ (Twice As Nice)
Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing* / BMG Rights Management obo Orange Factory Repertoire + / Universal/MCA Music Publishing obo Electric Feel Music^
Writer: Ruel Van Dijk pka Ruel
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing
Overseas Recognition Award
Writer: Alex Hope
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Harley Streten pka Flume
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic
Writer: Joel Little
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Sarah Aarons
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Songwriter of the Year
Winner announced at Awards event
Distinguished Services
Winner announced at Awards event
NASHVILLE 1 MARCH | CLEMENTINE HALL | HOSTS: O’SHEA
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Writers: Mitchell Thompson^ and Thomas Jordan* (Seaforth)
Publisher: Warner Chapell Music^ / ABC Music Publishing*
Writer: Paul Mabury
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Rebecca Chilcott pka Ruby Boots
Publisher: ABC Music Publishing
Writer: Sinead Burgess
Overseas Recognition Award
Writer: Mia Fieldes
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writers: Mitchell Thompson^ and Thomas Jordan* (Seaforth)
Publisher: Warner Chapell Music^ / ABC Music Publishing*
Writer: Paul Mabury
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Rick Price
Songwriter of the Year
Winner announced at Awards event
Distinguished Services
Winner announced at Awards event
LONDON 6 MARCH | HAM YARD HOTEL SOHO| HOST: GEORGIA MOONEY
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Writer: Chiara Hunter
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Kaity Dunstan pka Cloves
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing obo Canal Music Publishing
Writers: Noah Hill, Anatole Serret, Louie Swain, Patrick Hetherington and Jules Crommelin (Parcels)
Publishers: Warner Chappell Music obo Kitsune
Writer: Steven Manovski
Overseas Recognition Award
Writer: Jed Kurzel
Publishers: G Schirmer Australia obo Chester Music
Writer: Jordan Rakei
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Writer: Kaity Dunstan pka Cloves
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing obo Canal Music Publishing
Writers: Noah Hill, Anatole Serret, Louie Swain, Patrick Hetherington and Jules Crommelin (Parcels)
Publishers: Warner Chappell Music obo Kitsune
Songwriter of the Year
Winner announced at Awards event
Distinguished Services
Winner announced at Awards event