Gotye, SIA Win APRA Awards

Gotye, SIA and Tame Impala were among the winners at the songwriters APRA awards June 17 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Tame Impala’s “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” took out the major song of the year as voted for by the members of the Australasian Performing Right Association.

The APRA board of writers and publisher directors named SIA songwriter of the year. Born Sia Furler in Adelaide, she has had substantial global chart success with her collaborations with artists including Christina Aguilera, David Guetta, Australian multi-platinum trio Hilltop Hoods, Rihanna and Flo Rida.

The board also named multi-platinum rapper 360 and collaborator Kaelyn Behr of Styalz Fuego breakthrough songwriter of the year. 360 has toured the United States and Europe this year.

Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” was acknowledged as most performed Australian work overseas.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” was named international work of the year.

Other winners of the night were the Hilltop Hoods, urban singer Timomatic, country siblings The McClymonts, rock band The Ruebens who are currently touring the United States, and dance act Feenixpawl.

Veteran folk rock international act The Seekers was  presented with the Ted Albert award for outstanding services to Australian music. The late Ted Albert was a foremost publisher whose company Albert & Son (now Alberts) signed worldwide acts including AC/DC, The Easybeats and John Paul Young. Singer-songwriters Lior and Gian Slater with the Invenio choir paid homage to The Seekers with their take on “I’ll Never Find Another You.”

Late Divinyls singer Chrissy Amphlett was honoured on the night with a performance by Georgi Kay and Robert Conley of her “Boys In Town.”

Frontier Touring Company’s chief Michael Gudinski was among the list of presenters, as were Gotye, Jenny Morris and the Hilltop Hoods.