APRA honours Helen Reddy, announces new music director & category changes for 2021

APRA AMCOS is honouring the late Helen Reddy as the first of two 2021 recipients of the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.

It will be presented at the APRA Awards on Wednesday April 28 at the International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom Darling Harbour in Sydney.

Reddy died last year in Los Angeles after an illness, just as her ’70s anthem ‘I Am Woman’ was rediscovered as the #MeToo movement continued its march around the world.

The news of her award was announced today to coincide with International Women’s Day.

Reddy’s daughter Traci Donat said: “I am so honoured to be accepting The Ted Albert Award on behalf of my mother who devoted her life and career to equal rights for all people.

“In honouring her you honour not just her music but also what she stood for. We couldn’t be more deeply moved and grateful.”

Past recipients included former CEO of Albert Music Fifa Riccobono, Midnight Oil, Archie Roach, Slim Dusty, Michael Chugg, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Little, Cold Chisel, The Seekers and Lindy Morrison.

The APRA Awards today also unveiled more changes for the 2021 edition.

Chart-topping songwriter and producer PJ Harding makes his debut as music director.

He will curate the evening’s live music performances, the event’s centrepiece where hand-picked performers put their spin on the songs nominated for APRA Song of the Year.

Harding’s diverse credits include songs with Ruel, Cosmo’s Midnight, Jessica Mauboy and Bliss n Eso.

Last month, he released his debut single under his own name, ‘Dear August’, in collaboration with frequent collaborator and multi-platinum artist, Noah Cyrus.

Julia Zemiro returns to host once more, this year joined by hip hop artist, poet, and producer, Ziggy Ramo and songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Georgia Mooney (All Our Exes Live in Texas).

In another major change, the Most Performed Urban Work category has been scrapped and replaced with two new genre categories: Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work and Most Performed R&B / Soul Work.

The association made the decision after consultation with the music industry and said: “The new awards have been created to celebrate the songwriters experiencing incredible success in these diverse genres.”

It added: “As with all the genre categories, the nominees and winners are determined by royalties earned from Australian performances of the song across broadcast, digital downloads, streaming services, and live performance.”

The new categories slot in with Most Performed Alternative, Australian, Australian Work Overseas, Blues & Roots, Country, Dance, International, Pop and Rock.

The night also spotlights the peer-voted APRA Song of the Year, Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.