Emma Donovan and the Putbacks won multiple accolades at this year’s Music Victoria Awards, taking home the most gongs of any artist on the night.
The 17th iteration of the awards ceremony took place last night (December 9) at the Melbourne Recital Centre, hosted by presenter Myf Warhurst. Winners from 23 categories were announced during the event, with 16 of those voted by industry and seven voted by the public.
Emma Donovan and the Putbacks were the only act to take home multiple awards, winning three gongs in total. They cleaned up the industry category for Best Soul, Funk R&B or Gospel Act, as well as the publicly-voted Best Group and Best Album for ‘Crossover’.
They also performed at the ceremony, alongside Best Breakthrough Act winner Maple Glider and Best Musician recipient, Mindy Meng Wang.
Elsewhere, DRMNGNOW took home the award for Best Hip Hop Act, Alice Skye for Best Pop Act, Baker Boy for Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act, Charm Of Finches for Best Folk Act and Hiatus Kaiyote won Best Song for ‘Red Room’, lifted from their latest LP ‘Mood Valiant’.
Other winners included Amyl and The Sniffers for Best Live Act and Sampa The Great for Best Solo Artist, both of whom took home three and four gongs at last year’s awards, respectively. Eliza Hull won the inaugural Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award for Deaf and Disabled Acts, while Kylie Minogue and the late Pierre Baroni were inducted into the 2021 Hall of Fame.
“From the artists on the mic to the off-stage army of producers, promoters, artist managers, technicians, venue operators and more – Victoria’s music industry is an absolute powerhouse of talent and has proved to be a pillar of strength over the past couple of years,” Danny Pearson, Victoria’s Minister for Creative Industries, said in a statement.
“We’re proud to support Music Victoria and the vital work they do to support our local music scene.”
Find the full list of winners below, and rewatch the livestream here.
The 2021 Music Victoria Award Winners are:
Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award (for deaf and disabled acts)
Eliza Hull
Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent
Allara
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act
Baker Boy
Best Blues Act
Dan Dinnen and Shorty
Best Country Act
The Weeping Willows
Best Electronic Act
Female Wizard
Best Experimental/Avant-garde Act
Candlesnuffer
Best Folk Act
Charm Of Finches
Best Heavy Act
Dr. Colossus
Best Hip Hop Act
DRMNGNOW
Best Intercultural Act
Ajak Kwai
Best Jaz Act
Andrea Kellar
Best Pop Act
Alice Skye
Best Reggae and Dancehall Act
JahWise Productions
Best Punk/Rock Act
CIVIC
Best Soul, Funk, R&B or Gospel Act
Emma Donovan and the Putbacks
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best Album
Emma Donovan and the Putbacks – ‘Crossover’
Best Group
Emma Donovan and the Putbacks
Best Song
Hiatus Kaiyote – ‘Red Room’
Best Solo Artist
Sampa The Great
Best Breakthrough Act
Maple Glider
Best Musician
Mindy Meng Wang
Best Live Act
Amyl and The Sniffers
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Kylie Minogue
Pierre Baroni