Sampa The Great was the queen at last night's 2020 Music Victoria Awards, winning four awards including Best Album and Best Solo Artist.
While pub rockers Amyl and The Sniffer scooped up three awards headlined by Best Band, with frontwoman Amy Taylor also crowned Best Musician.Staged at the Melbourne Recital Centre and MCd by community radio presenters and stalwarts of the Victorian music scene, Lyndelle Wilkinson and Chris Gil, the evening also featured live performances from Alice Skye, Elizabeth, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Simona Castricum.
The coveted Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent was presented to Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Badu Island indie pop, roots singer-songwriter Kee'ahn.
Post-punk outfit Pinch Points were awarded Best Breakthrough Act, Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife won Best Country Album, and Black Jesus Experience were awarded Best Intercultural Act. The Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act went to The Teskey Brothers, who are still based in Warrandyte.
There were also a number of first time winners, with Fiona Ross & Shane O'Mara (Best Folk Album), Sleep D (Best Electronic Act), Diploid (Best Heavy Album), Vanessa Perica Orchestra (Best Jazz Album), Dub FX (Best Reggae and Dancehall Act) and Cable Ties (Best Rock/Punk Album) added to the Music Victoria Awards honour list.
Three-time previous Awards nominee Lloyd Spiegel took home Best Blues Album, and previous two-time Award nominees Robin Fox and Birdz were named this year's Best Experimental or Avant-garde Act and Best Hip Hop Act respectively.
The evening also saw Paul Kelly induct the late, great Chris Wilson into the Music Victoria Hall Of Fame, presenting a touching speech and inviting Chris' wife Sarah Carroll and sons Fenn Wilson and George Carroll Wilson to the stage to accept the induction.
Kim Salmon and Jo Roberts presented fellow Hall of Fame Inductee Mary Mihelakos with her official induction to celebrate her extensive and prolific industry career.
Music Victoria's outgoing CEO Patrick Donovan was also acknowledged for his work growing the Awards over 16 years and for his achievements at the helm of the organisation.
2020 Music Victoria Awards Winners
Public-voted WinnersBest Album
Sampa The Great - 'The Return'
Best Band
Amyl And The Sniffers
Best Song
Sampa The Great - 'OMG'
Best Solo Artist
Sampa The Great
Best Musician
Amy Taylor (Amyl And The Sniffers)
Best Breakthrough Act
Pinch Points
Best Live Act
Amyl And The Sniffers
Industry-voted Winners
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act
The Teskey Brothers (Warrandyte)
Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent
Kee'ahn
Best Blues Album
Lloyd Spiegel – 'Cut And Run'*
Best Country Album
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife - 'You Be The Lightning'
Best Electronic Act
Sleep D
Best Experimental or Avant-garde Act
Robin Fox
Best Folk Album
Fiona Ross & Shane O'Mara - 'Sunwise Turn'
Best Heavy Album
Diploid - 'Glorify'
Best Hip Hop Act
Birdz
Best Intercultural Act
Black Jesus Experience
Best Jazz Album
Vanessa Perica Orchestra - 'Love Is A Temporary Madness'
Best Reggae and Dancehall Act
Dub FX
Best Rock/Punk Album
Cable Ties - 'Far Enough'
Best Soul, Funk, Gospel or R&B Album
Sampa The Great - 'The Return'
Industry Awards Winners
Best Small Venue (under 500 capacity)
The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood Best
Large Venue (over 500 capacity)
Forum Melbourne
Best Festival
Golden Plains
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Over 50 gigs per year)
Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Under 50 gigs per year)
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine*
Outstanding Woman In Music
Sarah Hamilton (One Of One)
Best Producer
Joelistics - Mo'Ju & Joelistics 'Ghost Town' EP
Hall Of Fame Inductees
Mary Mihelakos (industry)
Chris Wilson (musician)* posthumously awarded
* Music Victoria ex-Board Member Tim Heath is a co-owner of Regional Venue winner Theatre Royal.
* Best Blues Album winner Lloyd Spiegel is a member of the Music Victoria Artist Advisory Panel.
These Awards are industry-voted by independent panels, and nominees and winners are not involved in the voting process.
