WA Music is not singing a happy tune after the full list of this year’s ARIA nominees was unveiled yesterday.
Not a single Perth artist made the cut for any of this year’s gongs and WAM chief executive Mike Harris reckons the snub “defies logic”.
Speaking with Seven West Media, Harris seemed flabbergasted that the 1,200+ potential voters from the Aussie music industry had turned a blind eye to some of the region’s most talented artists, including indie pop outfit Methyl Ethel, who’ve spent most of the year touring overseas off the back of their acclaimed second album, Everything is Forgotten.
Four-time ARIA-winners The Waifs were also overlooked in the Best Blues and Roots Album category with their chart-topping latest release Ironbark, while psych legends Pond, pop crew San Cisco, rapper Drapht and electro duo Slumberjack were also ignored despite their recent successes.
According to SWM, Harris reckons the lack of WA reps in this year’s ARIA talent pool is symptomatic of a “short-sighted national arts scene that is based in the east and does not look beyond the Nullarbor”.
However, ARIA chief executive Dan Rosen reckonsthere’s no conspiracy against WA, pointing out that recent years have been dominated by westie artists like Tame Impala, Troye Sivan, John Butler and The Waifs.
ICYMI: This years nominations were dominated by rock outfit Gang Of Youths and legendary singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, who scored eight and seven noms, respectively.
Other multi-nominees this year include the likes of Amy Shark, Illy, Jessica Mauboy, Dean Lewis, Sia, D.D Dumbo, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Peking Duk and Tash Sultana.
“It’s an incredible cross-section of what’s good,” Rosen says.
