2024 ARIAs: Missy Higgins and Queer Aussies Own The Night

2024 ARIAs: Missy Higgins and Queer Aussies Own The Night
Image: Missy Higgins/Instagram

Last night, the who’s who of the Australian music scene gathered at Sydney’s Horden Pavillion for the 2024 ARIAs, and us queers totally dominated on both the red carpet and at the awards ceremony. But of course, the night belonged to Australia’s sweetheart, Missy Higgins, who was finally being inducted into the ARIAs Hall of Fame.

After more than two decades in the music biz, starting out when she was only 16, Missy Higgins has rightly been given the 82nd spot in the Hall of Fame. She’s only the thirteen female inductee, the first woman in six years, since Kasey Chambers‘ induction back in 2018.

“All anyone wants from every side of the spectrum is to feel seen,” Higgins said in her speech. “And when good art and good music allows us to admit that, then suddenly, there’s not such a big spectrum between what you and I believe. It’s just us.”

She also spoke about the importance of keeping the Australian music scene alive, citing the number of international artists that dominate the radiowaves.

“The young singer-songwriter just starting out won’t be as fortunate as me… We can’t lose Australian stories: we lose that, we lose who we are.”

In celebration of her achievements, Missy performed a medley of her hits alongside Amy Shark, Angie McMahon, G Flip and Gretta Ray, with a surprisingly emotional audience singalong of her most iconic song, Scar.

Of course, Higgins’ night wasn’t over with just the Hall of Fame. She also took out Best Australian Live Act for the show based around her album The Second Act (which isn’t over if you want to grab a ticket!), which only dropped a few short months ago in September. The album became her fourth to chart in the top spot of the ARIA Chart, behind her 2004 debut The Sound of White, 2007’s On a Clear Night and her 2012 comeback, The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle. Missy Higgins is the seventh Australian artist in history to have Number 1 albums in at least three conservative decades.

She cried on stage with her band when she collected the award.

“The new album is the rawest most vulnerable thing I’ve put out there,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I was in tears at the beginning of this tour because I didn’t know how I was going to sing these songs every night. If you’ve just turned 40 and been through a divorce I highly recommend going out on the road.”

 

Queer Aussie Musos Swept The Floor

The nation’s favourite spectacled drummer, G Flip was up for six awards, but only took home Song of the Year for her hit Worst Person Alive, which was publicly voted on. In their speech, they thanked their wife, Selling Sunset’s Chrisshell, and made special mention of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“To the trans, nonbinary and queer community, keep being your beautiful selves because that is the best form of resistance.”

Troye Sivan bagged three awards, including Solo Artist of the Year, Best Pop Release and Album of the Year, the latter two both for his album Something To Give Each Other. Check out this speech he gave about the backstory of the origins of the album.

Incredibly, Troye won over Kylie Minogue in not one, but two categories, which is probably a bit of a “pinch me” situation for any Aussie musician, let alone a queer one.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers won Best Breakthrough for their debut album I Love You, which was so well deserved. The Canberran pop punk group formed when they were still in high school in 2015, and have already toured with the Foo Fighters and The Vaccines.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.