The winners of the 2015 Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards were announced in Melbourne last night, with Courtney Barnett coming out the big winner, taking home three major awards, including Best Independent Artist, Best Independent Album, and Best Independent Single.
Having won Best Independent Artist and Best Independent Single last year, last night’s awards bookend an incredible 12 months for the singer-songwriter, who was unable to attend the ceremony as she’s currently on tour in the US, set to support Blur at Madison Square Garden tomorrow.
“Thank you for this award for Best Independent Artist. This one means a lot to me, it’s important as an artist to be able to create what you want, when you want to and I’m very grateful to be able to do that right now,” Barnett said in a video message.
Meanwhile, Seth Sentry received the award for Best Independent Hip Hop Album for Strange New Past. The award was presented to him by last year’s winners, Remi and Sensible J. Sentry likewise accepted the award via video as he’d just undergone leg surgery.
The highly coveted Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year Award went to #1 Dads, while Milk! Records, home to Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, and Fraser A. Gorman, amongst others, took out the award for Best Independent Label Award.
The evening saw numerous performances, including from the likes of previous winner John Butler, Airling, who kicked off the evening’s entertainment, as well as Bad//Dreems, Dead Letter Circus, and Harts all rocked the house.
“What a fantastic way to celebrate the 10th Awards and AIR’s 20th year. It’s so great to see the independent sector come together and pay tribute to the great work that is seeing our artists find local and international success,” said AIR CEO, Dan Nevin of the 2015 awards.
2015 Carlton Dry Independent Music Award Winners
Best Independent Artist
#1 Dads
Chet Faker
Courtney Barnett – WINNER
Hermitude
Vance Joy
Best Independent Album
#1 Dads – About Face
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit – WINNER
Flight Facilities – Down To Earth
Hermitude – Dark Night Sweet Light
Vance Joy – Dream Your Life Away
Best Independent Single Or EP
Bad//Dreems – Cuffed & Collared
Courtney Barnett – Depreston – WINNER
Courtney Barnett – Pedestrian At Best
Hermitude – The Buzz (Feat. Mataya & Young Tapz)
Vance Joy – Fire And The Flood
Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year
#1 Dads – WINNER
Briggs
Client Liaison
Japanese Wallpaper
Totally Mild
Best Independent Hip Hop Album
Baro – 17/18
Briggs – Sheplife
Citizen Kay – Demokracy
One Day – Mainline
Seth Sentry – Strange New Past – WINNER
Best Independent Country Album
Amber Lawrence – Superheroes
Frank Yamma – Uncle – WINNER
Jim Lawrie – Eons
Raised By Eagles – Diamonds In The Bloodstream
Troy Cassar-Daley – Freedom Ride
Best Independent Blues And Roots Album
C.W. Stoneking – Gon’ Boogaloo – WINNER
Fraser A. Gorman – Slow Gum
Gurrumul – The Gospel Album
Marlon Williams – Marlon Williams
Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions – Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions
Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy Or Punk Album
British India – Nothing Touches Me
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – I’m In Your Mind Fuzz – WINNER
Northlane – Node
The Peep Tempel – Tales
The Smith Street Band – Throw Me In The River
Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album
Collarbones – Return
Flight Facilities – Down To Earth – WINNER
Hermitude – Dark Night Sweet Light
Seekae – The Worry
Ta-Ku – Songs To Make Up To
Best Independent Dance, Electronica Or Club Single
Collarbones – Turning
Generik – The Weekend (Feat. Nicky Van She)
Hayden James – Something About You – WINNER
Nicky Night Time – Gonna Get Better (Feat. Nat Dunn)
Rüfüs – You Were Right
Best Independent Jazz Album
Allan Browne Quintet – Ithaca Bound
Barney Mcall – Mooroolbark – WINNER
Gian Slater – Still Still
Mike Nock Octet – Suite Sima
Sarah Mckenzie – We Could Be Lovers
Best Independent Classical Album
Alicia Crossley – Alchemy
Amir Farid – Amir Farid Plays Javad Maroufi: Golden Dreams And Other Works
Amy Dickson / Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Island Songs
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra – Brandenburg Celebrates – WINNER
Zubin Kanga – Piano Inside Out
Best Independent Label
Elefant Traks
Future Classic
Ivy League Records
Liberation Music
Milk! Records – WINNER
