Julia Zemiro returns to host APRA Awards, date, venue, musical director also confirmed

Julia Zemiro, host of SBS TV’s RocKwiz, will return to host the 36th APRA Music Awards.

They are held on Tuesday April 10 at the International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom in Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

Zemiro said this morning, “For 12 years as the host of Rockwiz, I have had the sweetest gig: working with six generations of Australian artists, watching them work at close range and learning about their trials and tribulations.

“Hosting the APRA Music Awards is a wonderful celebration of many of these artists, their songwriting skills and the publishers who get them out there.

“The night itself is a joy: listening to five Song of the Year finalists LIVE, not performed by the artists themselves, but by five different artists.

“Sometimes an homage. Sometimes a re-invention. Always fascinating. It’s a one-off awards event.”

Robert Conley returns for the fourth time as the awards’ musical director.

Before arriving in Australia from America over a decade ago, Conley had worked with artists such as Destiny’s Child, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin.

In Australia he has written and produced with a myriad of acts including Thelma Plum, A.B. Original, Busby Marou, Grinspoon, Lisa Mitchell, Morgan Evans and Tina Arena.

He has also launched his own boutique music publishing company, Specific Music, which has signed Dean Lewis amongst a number of other developing artists.

The awards will be the last to take place under outgoing CEO Brett Cottle.

With more than 40 years’ service to APRA AMCOS, and 28 of those years as its Chief Executive, Cottle has overseen the Awards since 1990.

He said, “It has been my great privilege to honour Australian songwriters and publishers at every APRA Music Awards since its inaugural event in 1982.

“Though much has changed over the decades, what has stayed the same since that first year when the likes of Harry Vanda, George Young, his brothers Malcolm and Angus, and Bon Scott all won, is that our songwriters continue to push the boundaries, passionately put in the work, and bravely create songs with meaning,”

The nominees of the 2018 APRA Music Awards will be announced on Thursday March 15.

‘Boys Will Be Boys’ performed by Stella Donnelly (writer: Stella Donnelly)

‘Cadillac’ by All Our Exes Live In Texas (Katherine Wighton, Hannah Crofts, Georgia Mooney, Elana Stone)

‘Every Day’s The Weekend’ by Alex Lahey (Alex Lahey)

‘Fallin’ by Jessica Mauboy (Ivy Adara, Louis Schoorl, Peter Harding)

‘Firewoord And Candles’ by Paul Kelly (Paul Kelly, William Miller)

‘Forgot Myself’ by Jen Cloher (Jen Cloher)

‘Hold It Together’ by Dan Sultan (Dan Sultan, Alexander Burnett)

‘Isn’t It A Pity’ by Bernard Fanning (Bernard Fanning)

‘Lay It On Me’ by Vance Joy (James Keogh, Dave Bassett)

‘Mended’ by Vera Blue (Andrew Macken, Thomas Macken, Samuel Telford, Celia Pavey pka Vera Blue, Adam Anders)

‘Murder to the Mind’ by Tash Sultana (Tash Sultana)

‘Running Second’ by Ainslie Wills (Ainslie Wills, Lawrence Folvig)

‘Sleep Drifter’ by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (Stu Mackenzie)

‘Snow’ by Angus Stone & Julia Stone (Angus Stone, Julia Stone)

‘Strangers Kiss’ by Alex Cameron (Alex Cameron)

‘That Far’ by 6lack (Trevor Slade, Daniel Cartisano, Ricardo Valentine, Lucian Blomkamp)

‘Weekends’ by Amy Shark (Amy Billings)

‘What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?’ by Gang of Youths (David Le’aupepe)

‘Yesterday’ by 360 feat Hein Cooper (Kaelyn Behr, Matthew Colwell, Nicholas Martin, Hein Cooper)

‘Youth’ by Tim Rogers (Tim Rogers)

Fire up the Top 20 playlist over on Spotify or Apple Music.

2018 APRA MUSIC AWARDS CATEGORIES

Song of the Year

Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music*

Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year*

Songwriter of the Year*

Overseas Recognition Award*

Most Played Australian Work

Most Played Australian Work Overseas

Country Work of the Year

Blues & Roots Work of the Year

Dance Work of the Year

Rock Work of the Year

Pop Work of the Year

Urban Work of the Year

International Work of the Year

Licensee of the Year*

*These awards are determined by the APRA Board of Publisher and Writer Directors.