News October 3, 2024

Kasey Chambers, Mo’Ju, Patricia Amphlett Reign at 2024 AWMAs

Head of Content

Mo’Ju collected the Artistic Excellence Award, Kasey Chambers added the Lifetime Achievement Award to her heaving collection of trophies, and Patricia “Little Pattie” Amphlett was on hand for her surprise induction into the Roll of Honour at the fifth annual AWMAs, presented Wednesday night (Oct. 2) at Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane.

Chambers etched her name into Australia music folklore once again with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and a stunning performance of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” with a full band.

The country star rearranged the motivational masterpiece, the result almost unrecognisable from the Rap God’s original cut. The room loved it, and Chambers, an ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, was clearly overwhelmed from the experience as she openly wept at its conclusion.

Chambers has, across her career, snagged 14 ARIAs, 24s CMAA Golden Guitars, 10 APRA, and 5 ARIA No. 1 albums. The AWMAs, however, was special.

“This is just so beautiful to be in this room and be a part of this night, with all these women in the music industry coming together and supporting each other,” she said on receiving the lifetime achievement prize. “I’ve been so lucky to work with so many incredible strong, independent amazing women in my career. I’ve been lucky to work with a lot of amazing men who are not intimidated by strong independent women. We love that.”

Recounting her early days in the music industry, feeling like an outsider and lonely, she remarked, “I can honestly say I have never felt more supported than I do right now in the music industry in this room.”

Another ARIA Hall of Famer, Little Pattie was in the room for her induction into the Roll of Honour, a salute to her contribution to musical entertainment and her long and continued advocacy on behalf of artists having served as the National President of Australia’s Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Federal Executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and the vice-president of Actors’ Equity.

Amphlett, who had no idea the accolade was coming until her name was read out, was one of two inductees. The other, as previously reported, was the legendary late opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland, inducted by her granddaughter Natasha Bonynge.

Other notable winners included Mo’Ju, recipient of the Sony Music Australia Artistic Excellence Award. Mo’Ju delivered an otherworldly performance of “Native Tongue,” and gave the night its political moment by dropping a Palestinian flag from their pocket.

Frontier Touring presented the Live Production Touring Award to Tana Douglas, the world’s first female roadie, who travelling to Brisbane from Los Angeles to accept her AWMA.

Meanwhile, Alice Ivy snagged the APRA AMCOS Songwriter Award, adding to her 2022 AWMA for Studio Production, and the Tina Arena Special Impact Award, sponsored by Face to Face Touring, went to Emma Watkins, the first female Wiggle in the main lineup.

And in another first, the inaugural Opera Australia Impact Award went to Linda Thompson, through a new partnership with Opera Australia.

All told, 21 awards were handed out at the 2024 AWMA Ceremony & Concert, highlights of which are available to watch on SBS On Demand and NITV. Yumi Stynes and Sarah McLeod were co-hosts, and former Governor General Quentin Bryce was among the 450 guests.

Australian Women in Music Awards is supported by the Queensland Government.

2024 AWMA Recipients

ARIA Executive Leader Game Changer Award
Chris Erskine

Opera Australia Impact Award
Linda Thompson

Universal Music Australia Lifetime Achievement Award
Kasey Chambers

Tina Arena Special Impact Award Sponsored by Face to Face Touring
Emma Watkins

Warner Music Australia Humanitarian Award
Gemma Farrell

SSI Diversity in Music Award
Toni Janke

QPAC Excellence in Classical Music Award
Sonya Lifschitz

Oztix Women in Heavy Music Award
Tiana Speter

Collarts Creative Leadership Award
Kat McGuffie

Sony Music Australia Artistic Excellence Award
Mo’Ju