Higgins, Lee Win At ARIA Awards

Melbourne singer/songwriter Missy Higgins and Sydney-born Ben Lee were the major winners at the ARIA music awards.

The awards show was held October 23 at the Sydney SuperDome and telecast on the live-to-air 10 Network.

Higgins’ debut album, The Sound Of White, took five trophies from seven nominations. She won for album of the year, pop artist, pop release, breakthrough artist (album) and highest-selling album.

Asked how she felt being crowned the new pop princess, she quipped, “That fits fine … give me a crown and I’ll be a princess.”

Although nominated before, it was Lee’s first win, after his crossover success with the Awake Is The New Sleep album. He won male performer, independent release, and pop single for “Catch My Disease.”

Romance was in the air. Country queen Kasey Chambers announced she’d just got engaged to singer/songwriter Shane Nicholson. Former Savage Garden guitarist Daniel Jones had married Kathy from the children’s group Hi-5 a week earlier. Mahlia Barnes (daughter of Jimmy Barnes) and Elroy Finn (son of former Crowded House leader Neil) revealed themselves as an item on the red carpet.

Stu MacLeod of the band Eskimo Joe, while on the podium making the acceptance speech for winning the best band category, announced he was engaged to his girlfriend Genevieve. Using the fact the awards were being telecast, he added, “Mum and dad, I’m getting married!”

Other wins included End of Fashion (breakthrough artist, single), Keith Urban (country), Grinspoon (rock), the The Go-Betweens (adult contemporary), Jet (music DVD), Daniel Merriweather (urban), Mia Dyson (blues and roots), The Wiggles (children’s), and Infusion (dance).

A poignant moment came when Neil Finn performed the Crowded House hit “Better Be Home Soon” as a tribute to the band’s former drummer Paul Hester, who committed suicide in March.

Jimmy Barnes, who was inducted into the Hall Of Fame by powderfinger singer Bernard Fanning, stormed the stage with his band for a set that turned the SuperDome into a 4,000-strong dancing party.

— Bryan Jones