Courtney Barnett wins 11th Australian Music Prize
PRESS RELEASE:
The 11th AMP hasannouncedCourtney Barnett as the winner of the 11th Australian Music Prize for her album ‘Sometimes I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit’.
Melbourne based singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett released her first full-length album ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’ in March 2015. It follows the release of her EPs ‘I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris’, ‘How to Carve a Carrot into a Rose’ and ‘A Pair of Pears (With Shadows)’, which first showcased her conversational garage rock-infused folk-pop style.
Courtney Barnett said, “It’s an honour to be considered amongst such an amazing bunch of Australian artists.”
Awarded $30,000 in prize money courtesy of PPCA, Courtney Barnett was officially announced as the 11th AMP winner at the AMPed Up in Conversation event, presented by PPCA and held at an industry lunch at The Basement in Sydney.
Special guest speaker at this year’s AMPed Up In Conversation was outspoken American musician, journalist and radio host Henry Rollins who is a regular columnist for Australia’s Rolling Stone, and hosts a weekly radio show on LA’s KCRW as well as being a regular columnist for LA Weekly.
Chief Executive Officer of PPCA Dan Rosen, hosted AMPed Up In Conversation along with AMP judge and Double J’s Myf Warhurst.
Dan Rosen said, “Support for local artists has been the cornerstone of PPCA for over 40 years, therefore we are honoured to have been the major prize sponsor of the Australian Music Prize since day one. We hope PPCA’s $30,000 contribution will assist in developing Courtney Barnett’s career and help take her music to the world.”
AMP Founder and Prize Director Scott B. Murphy said, “Courtney Barnett has been a friend of the AMP for the past few years, having performed at one of our functions four years ago. We’re so pleased to see what Courtney has been able to achieve and hope that the $30,000 provided by PPCA will allow her to continue creating great music”
Courtney Barnett’s album was selected by the 16 member industry judging panel, consisting of artists, media and retailers from across Australia including Chairperson Dave Faulkner, Chris Berkley, Mikey Cahill, Bryget Chrisfield, Sosefina Fuamoli, Mike Glynn, Al Grigg, Kate Hennessey, Phil Jamieson, Shannon Logan, Caitlin Nienaber, Nate Nott, Christopher Powell, Sarah Smith, Myf Warhurst and Bernard Zuel.
The 11th AMP saw a Longlist of 56 albums, and a Shortlist of 10 albums all of which were released for the first time between January 1 and December 31 in 2015 to be eligible. Tradition has seen a Shortlist of 9 albums each year, except in 2007 and 2015 when there was a Shortlist of 10 albums each year.
The 11th AMP Shortlisted albums are Courtney Barnett’s ’Sometimes I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit’, Dan Kelly’s’Leisure Panic’, Dick Diver’s’Melbourne, Florida’, Gold Class’’It’s You’, Jess Ribeiro’s’Kill It Yourself’ (Jess was previously Shortlisted in 2012), Methyl Ethel’s’Oh Inhuman Spectacle’, My Disco’s’Severe’, Royal Headache’s’High’, Sarah Blasko’s ‘Eternal Return’ (Sarah was previously Shortlisted in 2009) and Tame Impala’s’Currents’ (Tame Impala were previously Shortlisted in 2010 and 2012).
Courtney Barnett’s win follows previous AMP winners:
2014 – ‘Raw X Infinity’ by REMI
2013 – ‘Not Art’ by Big Scary
2012 – ‘Hyperparadise’ by Hermitude
2011 – ‘Prisoner’ by The Jezabels
2010 – ‘Bliss Release’ by Cloud Control
2009 – ‘Wonder’ by Lisa Mitchell
2008 – ‘Primary Colours’ by Eddie Current Suppression Ring
2007 – ‘Devil’s Elbow’ by The Mess Hall
2006 – ‘Moo, You Bloody Choir’ by Augie March
2005 – ‘Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By’ by The Drones