The Kid Laroi Dominates 2022 APRA Awards

With three circular trophies, The Kid Laroi was the big winner Tuesday night (May 3) at the 2022 APRA Music Awards in Melbourne.

The Kid (real name Charlton Howard) had a breakthrough for the books in 2021, earning No. 1 singles and albums in the U.S. and in his homeland, Australia. The plaudits flowed through the year with ARIA Awards and NIMAs, and the breakthrough songwriter win at the 2021 APRAs, where he was the youngest winner on the night.

The Los Angeles-based Sydneysider stayed on a roll at the 2022 APRAs for “Stay,” his record-busting Billboard Hot 100 and ARIA Singles Chart leader, which won the night’s top prize for song of the year.

“Stay,” which he co-wrote with and performed with Justin Bieber, has logged more weeks in the top two spots on the U.S. chart than any single in history, with seven weeks at No. 1 and 13 at No. 2.

Laroi also scooped APRAs for most performed hip-hop / rap work for “Without You” and the coveted songwriter of the year.

The superstar-on-the-rise will get to share the love when he kicks off his national tour later this month at Qudos Bank Arena.

“Thank you for awarding me with Songwriter of the Year,” he said in a pre-taped speech.

“I really appreciate the support and I want to give a quick shout out to fans back home. I’m stoked to be on my way back and I can’t wait to perform the End Of The World Tour with you guys. I miss you all and I’ll see you soon.”

Tones And I wins a brace of APRAs for the second consecutive year, this time for most performed pop work (“Fly Award”) and most performed Australian work overseas (“Dance Monkey”).

“I’m most proud of that song,” Tones said after “Fly Away” collected the most performed pop work trophy.

Genesis Owusu, Tones And I at the 2022 APRA Music Awards

Another creator making a mark at the APRAs is John Courtidis, who collected his first awards at this event, which celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Courtidis earned the most performed Australian work and most performed dance / electronic work for Head & Heart, the British pandemic-era club hit performed by Joel Corry feat. MNEK.

Genesis Owusu has dominated the awards circuit in the past 12 months like no other in recent memory.

He keeps the streak alive, winning breakthrough songwriter of the year at the APRAs, a trophy that can sit with his collection which already includes the J Award for Australian Album of the year, the Australian Music Prize, several ARIA Awards and, most recently, top honours in the 2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, all for his unbeatable debut album Smiling with No Teeth.

Other key winners included Amy Shark, Vance Joy, Joel Little, AC/DC’s Angus & Malcolm Young, Budjerah, Matt Corby and Ziggy Alberts.

“I’m shook,” Shark said. “Never in my life did  think I’d win an award under the country category. I guess I’m moving to Nashville, like, tonight.”

She went on to dedicate the award to the late Michael Gudinski who helped make the project happen.

Genesis Owusu

Some of the biggest cheers at the APRAs were reserved for The Wiggles, who, as previously reported, were the recipients of the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music, a prize that’s bestowed by the APRA board of directors each year to acknowledge an act who has “contributed immensely” to Australian music.

Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock frontman Ross Wilson was on hand to present the award.

“It was an absolute joy to celebrate the success and artistry of the Australian songwriters who have persevered and kept us entertained and connected over the last couple of challenging years,” comments APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston.

“Congratulations to the winners, nominees and performers, who helped to create such a memorable night in honouring 40 years of the APRA Music Awards.”

All told, 15 awards categories were presented during the ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall, celebrating the songwriters and music publishers that have achieved outstanding success in the past year.

Sponsors this year were YouTube, Marsh, Songtradr, The Industry Observer, and Studios 301, and hosts were Julia Zemiro, Eddie Perfect and Jerome Farah.

The evening ended on a rocking note, as Tim Rogers and the Hard Ons played tribute to the late Chris Bailey with a performance of the Saints’ “Know Your Product.”

See the full list of winners below:

Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year
Title: STAY
Artist: The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Writers: The Kid LAROI / Justin Bieber* / Isaac De Boni# / Omer Fedi* / Magnus Hoiberg^ /
Michael Mule# / Charlie Puth+ / Subhaan Rahman / Blake Slatkin*
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell
Music^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Native Tongue Music Publishing#

Songwriter of the Year
The Kid LAROI
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Writer: Genesis Owusu
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs

Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
The Wiggles

Most Performed Australian Work
Title: Head & Heart
Artist: Joel Corry feat. MNEK
Writers: Jonathan Courtidis# / Joel Corry / Uzoechi Emenike* / Neve Applebaum# / Daniel
Dare# / Robert Harvey^ / Kashif Siddiqui# / Lewis Thompson+
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Mushroom Music^ / Kobalt
Music Publishing+ / Sony Music Publishing#

Most Performed Alternative Work
Title: Missing Piece
Artist: Vance Joy
Writers: Vance Joy / Joel Little*
Publishers: Mushroom Music obo WAU Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Most Performed Blues & Roots Work
Title: Letting Go
Artist: Ziggy Alberts
Writer: Ziggy Alberts
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Most Performed Country Work
Title: Love Songs Ain’t For Us
Artist: Amy Shark feat. Keith Urban
Writers: Amy Shark / Ed Sheeran*
Publishers: Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing*

Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work
Title: Head & Heart
Artist: Joel Corry feat. MNEK
Writers: Jonathan Courtidis# / Joel Corry / Uzoechi Emenike* / Neve Applebaum# / Daniel
Dare# / Robert Harvey^ / Kashif Siddiqui# / Lewis Thompson+
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Mushroom Music^ / Kobalt
Music Publishing+ / Sony Music Publishing#

Most Performed Hip-Hop / Rap Work
Title: Without You
Artist: The Kid LAROI
Writers: The Kid LAROI / Omer Fedi* / Blake Slatkin* / Billy Walsh*
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing*

Most Performed Pop Work
Title: Fly Away
Artist: Tones And I
Writer: Toni Watson
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Most Performed R&B / Soul Work
Title: Higher
Artist: Budjerah
Writers: Matt Corby / Budjerah*
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Mushroom Music*

Most Performed Rock Work
Title: Shot in the Dark
Artist: AC/DC
Writers: Angus Young / Malcolm Young
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing obo Australian Music Corporation

Most Performed Australian Work Overseas
Title: Dance Monkey
Artist: Tones And I
Writer: Toni Watson
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music

Most Performed International Work
Title: Lasting Lover
Artist: Sigala & James Arthur
Writers: James Arthur^ / Bruce Fielder* / Lewis Capaldi+ / Luke Fitton^ / Benjamin
Goldwasser* / Jarl Hasselquist / Corey Sanders# / Andrew Vanwyngarden*
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / BMG+ / Kobalt Music
Publishing#

Licensee of the Year
TAFE Queensland
Great Big Events

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.