After two years of disruptions, the status quo disruptor that is the Australian Women In Music Awards (AWMAs) returned with a gentle, yet fierce tenacity last week (17-18 May) in Brisbane, themed 'Love For My Sisters' to guide the collaboratory, colleagueship sentiment being celebrated over two days.
Tuesday's programne at Hotel X in Fortitude Valley saw forums on 'Diversity & Inclusivity' and 'Collective Change & Well-Being', delving into challenges, achievements and hopes for the future of women in hip hop, workplace safety, sexual harrassement, and mental health.Closing out Tuesday in conversation with Yumi Stynes, Tina Arena AM distilled plenty of nourishing advice from her fruitful career into meaningful endorsement notes for the sisters, mothers (cheers to you bringing your baby along with you, Fanny Lumsden!) colleagues and future leaders in the room to tuck in their pocket while they forge their own narrative.
"Please do not, not, listen to yourself. Stay true to yourself."
Tina drew attention to the importance of women working alongside each other in the music industry as colleagues, rather than competition, and how she witnessed the notion of women supporting each other being somewhat prohibited.
"Why can't we all have some fun together?" she asked – a nod to her 2015 ARIA Hall of Fame induction performance, when she asked The Veronicas and Jessica Mauboy to perform her hit song 'Chains' along with her.
We heard the preamble to Tina's tribute performance to Dame Olivia Newton-John, which would happen the following evening, describing Olivia as "a woman who has been so incredibly generous with everything she's done" and recalled her great gratitude for the nurturing she received from ONJ, undisputedly one of Australia's golden girls of music.
After dark on Tuesday, the inaugural First Nations Women's Hip Hop Showcase took over What's Golden, The Tivoli's smaller-version space. Performances were serious and sassy, powerful and funny (here's looking at you Hot Brown Honey) and came from DJs, MCs and beatboxers Dizzy Doolan, DJ RedBelly, Kayla Truth, Hope One, Kween G, Lady Lash, and Naomi Wenitong, from north Queensland's own urban pop group, Shakaya (formed 20 years ago this year).
Indeed, Wednesday night's black-and-gold themed awards were a suave and glamorous affair, held this time at The Tivoli (18 May) – a premier, two-tiered event that even the Queensland Premier Palaszczuk herself attended, as well as, importantly, the Shadow Minister for The Arts Tony Burke, during what he described as the longest job interview ever.
The AWMAs really do what they say on the packet. When the spruik includes words like 'diversity' and 'inclusion' they literally materialise what it means into the fabric of the event, honouring categories of skill often not even considered by everyday punters, or industry members, and having performances by a wide collection of genres and performers.
These included acknowledging filmmakers, image and style makers, visual and audio production craftspeople, classical music makers, journalists, leaders, humanitarians and the inaugural Tina Arena Special Impact Award, which went to Dina Bassile – a lady on a mission to make festivals and events more accessible to all people, regardless of their ability.
Tania Doko (Bachelor Girl) when accepting the APRA-AMCOS Songwriter Award spoke to the nature of the ceremony and success in an atmosphere of female encouragement. "It's about acknowledging and growing. I also want to acknowledge the blokes who lift us up, help us be better," and the importance of mutual teamwork between men and women.
Sahara Herald
Sahara Herald, taking home the Industry Observer Music Leadership Award detailed leadership as "not only being strong, but also vulnerable. Not only asking for help, but also accepting it."
Sahara also demonstrated in her speech what her point was, talking about some of her public trials and having come through them, now sharing them openly and honestly.
The Settlement Services International Diversity in Music Award went to Eliza Hull, author, speaker, musician and disability advocate explained: "People are talking about diversity, people are talking about accessibility, and it is happening in the music industry.
"So I am truly hopeful for what that means for future disabled musical artists. . . having awards like this and having a more accessible music industry makes me like I can be myself."
Eliza Hull
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you probably know there have been a few key faces drawing attention to the gender-based harassment and discrimination that accompanies the remunerative mistakes of a trickle-down economy such as the music industry.
Two of those are the recipients of the AWMA Change Maker Award: Tamara Georgopoulos and Jaguar Jonze for their sacrificial activism in that space.
"We need to be the moral compass for those leading this industry," Tamara urged, guaranteeing that without that, the vicious cycle of systemic abuse will continue. "Consider how you can be a change maker."
Jagaur Jonze (left) and Tamara Georgopoulos
Jaguar Jonze continued the joint award acceptance speech. "Who is protecting us? Who is contributing to create meaningful change?
"We always stop at awareness, because it takes so much to push through to make people see that there is a problem. But that's all it is – a first step. We still have so much work ahead of us. This work won't be achieved by giving me an award.
"If you ask me for what I really want. . . it is opportunity, ongoing safety, freedom, equality and justice. I want our leaders and influencers and gatekeepers to have integrity, fulfil their responsibilities, and take accountability. I want to be an artist. That's what I came into this industry to be."
That's a sentiment endorsed by the room, and further summed up by members of the jazz trio who played for the black carpet, Paula and Cassie.
Paula described the evening as a "wonderful experience inspiring us to keep performing as women musicians."
While Cassie (who has often been the singular female musician on two day festival line-ups in the reggae circuit) was more direct. "[It's] empowering, seeing representation. Also, more tambourine sisters to the front. And sides, and backline, and sound desk, and set design, and so forth. You got this."
2022 Australian Women In Music Awards Winners
Hotel X ~ Film Maker Award
Lucy Knox
Excellence In Image Making Award
Cindy Vogels
Music Photographer Award
Cybele Malinowski
Fender Music Australia ~ Emerging Artist Award
Martha Marlow
APRA AMCOS ~ Songwriter Award
Tania Doko
Justice Elizabeth Fullerton ~ Excellence In Classical Music Award
Genevieve Lacey
Live Production Touring Award
Casey O'Shaunessy
School Of Audio Engineering ~ Studio Production Award
Alice Ivy
Live Creative Production Award
Kait Hall
Settlement Services International ~ Diversity In Music Award
Eliza Hull
Twitter Australia ~ Music Journalist Award
Poppy Reid
Brisbane City Council ~ Artistic Excellence Award
Elena Kats-Chernin
AWMA Honour Roll
Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE
The Industry Observer ~ Music Leadership Award
Sahara Herald
Nova Entertainment ~ Creative Leadership Award
Emily Ulman
Lemon Tree Music ~ Humanitarian Award
Leigh Carriage
AWMA ~ Change Maker Award
Jaguar Jonze & Tamara Georgopoulos
Inaugural Tina Arena ~ Special Impact Award
Dina Bassile
Queensland Government ~ Lifetime Achievement Award
Deborah Cheetham AO
