Winners Revealed for Song of the Year 2020 presented by Act-Belong-Commit!
Following the anticipated live reveal to over five thousand viewers at the Virtual Awards Party, West Australian Music (WAM) are excited to celebrate the WA songwriters crowned winners of Song of the Year 2020 presented by Act-Belong-Commit!
Taking out the coveted overall Grand Prize win for the second year in a row was Albany born singer-songwriter Carla Geneve with her song, 2001. Named after the Stanley Kubrick film ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, 2001 showcases Geneve’s relatable lyricism and impressive guitar stylings as she explores escapism into the old films and books from her childhood. The Grand Prize win was one of three Geneve received on the night, with 2001 also winning the Rock category, and her song Things Change crowned winner of the Folk category.
Grand Prize Runner-Up was awarded to Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks, with their song Half Frozen Beer taking out a win in the Country category. Second Grand Prize Runner-Up was awarded to Adrian Dzvuke, following his incredible performance of Urban/Hip Hop category winning song Bad Like Ri Ri (feat. POW! Negro).
Joining the multi-award winners for 2020 was 14 year old singer-songwriter, Indigo Ellis, whose powerful song Home received category wins for Schools 14 & Under and the Act-Belong-Commit category presented by Healthway. With a voice that could “carry across oceans” [Declan Byrne, triple j], Home speaks of Ellis’s strong connection to her culture and finding lost connections through music.
Healthway Acting CEO Jeremy Hubble said it’s wonderful to celebrate emerging young artists like Indigo Ellis, who through her music, is helping to promote positive mental health to her peers and the wider community. “Act-Belong-Commit encourages us all to take action to maintain our mental wellbeing, and Healthway’s partnership with WAM enables young people to share this message in their own voice,” Mr Hubble said.
The full list of winners is a true testament to the rich songwriting talent West Australian music has to offer, with RATSALAD, MissGenius, The Gusset, Karin Page, Grace Barbé, Bolt Gun, Grievous Bodily Calm, The Hunting Birds, Vmarie, Desert Dogs and Harry Mitchell also taking out category wins (below).
The special edition Virtual Awards Party proved to be a huge success, with over five thousand music-lovers around the world tuning in live for the celebrations. Hosted by the incredible Odette Mercy, the free-to-watch event was streamed on the WAM, APRA AMCOS, Nannup Music Festival and WA artists’ Facebook pages with messages of support, excitement, and congratulations buzzing amongst viewers and nominees throughout the evening.
WA music icons and special guests came together to feature in the Awards Party, including an opening address from Premier of Western Australia, Hon. Mark McGowan MLA, and appearances from Dave Faulkner (The Hoodoo Gurus), Katy Steele, Joe Ryan (POND), Stella Donnelly, Anna Laverty, Slumberjack, Ziggy Ramo, Lucy Peach, Kučka, Hyclass and Stu MacLeod (Eskimo Joe). Viewers were treated to performances from Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, this year’s winners Adrian Dzvuke and The Hunting Birds, plus nominees Siobhan Cotchin, Fourth State Turiya and Latehorse.
WAM CEO, Mike Harris, said of this year’s competition and winners, “As ever, Song of the Year has demonstrated the high quality of songwriting here in WA. The 2020 competition has had the added layer of going on a journey through the impact of Covid-19 with this year’s Awards Party being delivered to your screen via digital means.
“I never envy the judges as this competition goes from strength to strength each year, and the depth of talent is astounding. Congratulations to Grand Prize Winner Carla Geneve who has remarkably won this for the second year running; a unique achievement. Also congratulations to all nominees and category winners and everyone who took time to enter”.
The Song of the Year 2020 presented by Act-Belong-Commit Virtual Awards Party can be re-streamed on the WAM Facebook page and Youtube.
SONG OF THE YEAR 2020 WINNERS
GRAND PRIZE
WINNER 2001 Carla Geneve
RUNNER-UP Half Frozen Beer Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks
SECOND RUNNER-UP Bad Like Ri Ri (feat. POW! Negro) Adrian Dzvuke
ACT-BELONG-COMMT
Presented by Healthway | Studio Sponsor Debaser Studio
WINNER Home Indigo Ellis
NOMINEES I Don’t Wanna Be MissGenius
Find My Way Through Brandon Poletti
Upward Now Helen Townsend
Gotta Get Out Tracey Barnett
Voice Treaty Truth St Mary’s College Choir Broome
BLUES/ROOTS
Presented by Fairbridge Festival | Studio Sponsor Shanghai Twang Studios
WINNER Take Me Down Karin Page
NOMINEES Mars Black River Ransom
Spot On (Rocking Chair – Verandah Mix) Dr Cuz and Friends
Freedom Road La La’s Python
I’m Broke Three Blind Knights
Eyes Forward Tracey Barnett
COUNTRY
Presented by Country Music Club of Boyup Brook | Studio SponsorHopping Mouse Studios
WINNER Half Frozen Beer Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks
NOMINEES Shadow Calling Camarano
I’m Bled Lincoln MacKinnon
As If You Were There Mike Goodwin
Tear Myself Apart Siobhan Cotchin
Frankie’s Back In Town The Little Lord Street Band
ELECTRONIC
Presented by Spotify | Studio Sponsor Fremantle Recording Studios
WINNER Alchemise Grievous Bodily Calm
NOMINEES Dance For None Felicity Groom
Flourish Fourth State Turiya
Alchemise Grievous Bodily Calm
Glued To The Floor Ruer
CallSomeone SINEKDOKI
Drowning Sydnee Carter
EXPERIMENTAL
Presented by Red Room Design | Studio Sponsor Blackbird Sound Studio
WINNER Existence is Exile & Nothingness, Home Bolt Gun
NOMINEES Hearing Loss Alon Shimon Shai-Kaspi
Intercurrent Lachlan Skipworth
My Piano Parnell March
Melt samarobryn
My Josephine XIII
HEAVY/METAL
Presented by Firestarter Music | Studio Sponsor Pavement Studios
WINNER Dead Rat RATSALAD
NOMINEES The Altar of Lies Will Not Be Destroyed Bolt Gun
Snowflake Filth Wizard
Black Thumb Giant Dwarf
Rust Ragdoll
Imperatore Zoran
POP
Presented by Pen Cap Chew Studios | Studio Sponsor Blondel Recording Studios
WINNER Catch Up The Hunting Birds
NOMINEES Morning Coffee Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks
Matthew McConaughey Noah Dillon
Follow PRISCILLA
Old Man Stella Donnelly
Plans Sydnee Carter
Catch Up The Hunting Birds
ROCK
Presented by Perfect Pitch Publishing | Studio Sponsor Tone City Recording Studio
WINNER 2001 Carla Geneve
NOMINEES Frankie’s Back In Town The Little Lord Street Band
Tear Myself Apart Siobhan Cotchin
Matthew McConaughy Noah Dillon
Prime Minister Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks
Home Run Ghost Care
GLOBAL
Presented by The Poster Girls | Studio Sponsor Artisan Music
WINNER Mardilo Grace Barbé
NOMINEES Carolan’s Ghost Adam B Harris
The Recipe Daniel Susnjar
Jamasutra Stylin Dilip n the Davs
Pucker Up Steve Hensby Band
Edge of Reason Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble
JAZZ
Presented by Alex Hotel | Studio Sponsor Crank Recording
WINNER Sketches Harry Mitchell
NOMINEES It Ain’t You Fiona Rea
DUST Holli Scott
Edge of Reason Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble
The Pentagon MELVE
The Constant Nick Abbey
OUTSTANDING REGIONAL
Presented by APRA AMCOS | Studio Sponsor Real2Reel / James Newhouse
WINNER Never Let Me Know The Gusset
NOMINEES Over You Bianca Gasbarri
This Blue World Is Full Of Joy Darcy Hay
Release Me Flood the Moon
Satellites Latehorse
Like the Pain Maddie Mian
PUNK/HARDCORE
Presented by Vinyl Café / XVinylX | Studio Sponsor Sumo Sound Studios
WINNER The Australian Dream Desert Dogs
NOMINEES Gatorade HUSSY
Fade Away Shangrila
Do Not Help Me The Limbs
Body Scan The Reductors
I Smell The Blood Of An Englishman XIII
FOLK
Presented by Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle | Studio Sponsor Tunafish Recording Company
WINNER Things Change Carla Geneve
NOMINEES Sitting By Myself Brandon Poletti
Dear Sir Madam Kelea
Do Yourself a Favour Man Sandal
Batavia Sam Carmody
I Won’t Be Around The Money War
URBAN/HIP HOP
Presented by RTRFM 92.1 | Studio Sponsor Templeman Audio
WINNER Bad Like Ri Ri (feat. POW! Negro) Adrian Dzvuke
NOMINEES Elevation Jamahl Ryder
Proud Jaycee
Juice (feat. Paloma) Knoe
Selfish (produced by His-Story) Michael Kay
Daytona Rolling Otiuh
Moxie Scott Mackenzie AKA Dead Tooth
SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER
Presented by Mega Music | Studio Sponsor Forest Studios
WINNER Home Indigo Ellis
NOMINEES Reflections Angelina Curtis
Lighthouse Isabella Mowday
What We’ve Become Leah Ballantyne
Like the Pain Maddie Mian
Falling Mitch Santiago (Ballardin)
SCHOOLS 15 – 17
Presented by @placeorpoint | Studio Sponsor Lolly Box Music
WINNER In memory of Vmarie
NOMINEES Embers Electrocity Ensemble
Crossfire Farraday’s Cage
Take Two Gracie B
Fighting the Blaze Jordan Anthony
The Hideaway Tom Caughey
OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS
Presented by Nannup Festival | Studio Sponsor Poons Head Studios
WINNER I Don’t Wanna Be MissGenius
NOMINEES Home Indigo Ellis
Elevation Jamahl Ryder
Ballad Of Uncle Thomas JoKeria
Nganyang Koordamart: My Sweetheart Phil Bartlett and John Mitchell
Designated Driver Phoneline Valentine
We’d like to acknowledge and extend our thanks to the incredible supporters, sponsors and partners for Song of the Year 2020.
PRESENTING PARTNER | Healthway, Act-Belong-Commit
ASSOCIATE PARTNER | APRA AMCOS
CATEGORY SPONSORS | Nannup Music Festival, Country Music Club of Boyup Brook, Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle, Fairbridge Festival.
PRIZE SPONSORS | Alex Hotel, Sennheiser, Perfect Pitch Publishing, Firestarter Music, Audiofly, RTRFM 92.1, Debaser Studio, Pen Cap Chew Studios, Red Room Design, Spotify, Mega Music, The Poster Girls, @placeorpoint, Vinyl Café/XVinylX, Space Cassette.
STUDIO SPONSORS | Artisan Music, Blackbird Sound Studio, Blondel Recording Studios, Crank Recording, Debaser Studio, Forest Studio, Fremantle Recording Studios, Hopping Mouse Studios, Lolly Box Music, Pavement Studios, Poons Head Studios, Real2Reel/James Newhouse, Shanghai Twang Studios, Sumo Sound Studios, Templeman Audio, Tone City Recording Studio, Tunafish Recording Company.
AWARDS SPONSORS | Johnny Ma Studios, Made In The Pile, Rosemount Hotel, Wildergrim.
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