Aleksiah Dominates the SA Music Awards 2024
This year’s ceremony also saw Guy Sebastian inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame.
Image by Lucinda Corin
The South Australian Music Awards are done and dusted for another year, with rising star aleksiah this year’s big winner.
The indie-pop singer-songwriter took out four awards at the 2024 event – Best New Artist, Best Solo Artist, Most Popular Pop Artist and the APRA AMCOS Emily Burrows Award which includes $5,000 in prize money to help with aleksiah’s budding career. The recognition of her talent comes after a huge year for the local creative who recently released her debut EP Who Are You When You’re Not Performing? and is gearing up to embark on a national tour.
Taking home two gongs apiece were Swapmeet and Teenage Joans. Swapmeet took out the Best Song award for their raging track ‘Ceiling Fan’ and Best Release for their album Oxalis, while duo Teenage Joans won Best Group and Most Popular Punk Artist.
Other notable award winners during the night included hip hop trio DEM MOB who won Best Regional Artist, Forest Range Studio taking out the award for Best Studio, Maisie B. being awarded Most Popular Folk Artist, Eurovision participants Electric Fields taking home the gong for Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist and Lucinda Machin receiving her flowers and taking out the Best Studio Engineer/Producer award.
Those in attendance were also delighted with Crown & Anchor receiving the award for Best Live Music Venue after a year that’s seen the pub saved by the community and the government after coming under threat from developers.
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The highlight of the night was Guy Sebastian’s induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame. Discussing his rise to fame and paying tribute to his early days in SA, Sebastian had the crowd in the palm of his hands before going on to perform several songs.
Speaking on his induction, Sebastian said: “Being inducted into the South Australian Music Hall Of Fame is a huge honour to say the least! Adelaide will always be home to me, it has given me so much in life. I love the people, the culture, the food, and of course my family and lifelong mates. All of these things combined have allowed me to dream but also remember what matters in life.
“The recognition from Music SA for the past twenty years of my achievements in music, and my early work in Music Education in Adelaide, is seriously humbling and something of which I am very proud. To join legends such as Cold Chisel, Paul Kelly, Masters Apprentices & Humphrey B Bear is beyond any aspirations for my life in music. This industry is tough at times but also so exciting because you never know where your art is going to take you next, but right now, in this moment to have this honour means more than you will ever know. Thank you!”
The 2024 SA Music Awards were hosted by triple j’s Home and Hosed’s Ash McGregor and Adelaide favourite Henry Doyle and saw performances from rockers West Thebarton, indie singer-songwriter My Chérie, experimental musical collective Sons Of Zöku and rising electronic producer DJ SVVLO.
MusicSA’s CEO Christine Schloithe said: “The South Australian Music Awards celebrate the exceptional music talent we have in this state and the businesses and individuals that support our incredible local artists. This year’s Award Nominees and Finalists truly showcase the diversity and creativity that make South Australia’s music scene so unique and the night will be rounded out by performances by DJ SVVLO, West Thebarton, My Chérie and Sons Of Zöku.”
Check out the full list of winners below.
2024 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARD WINNERS
Special Awards
International Collaboration Award – Dr. Oliver Fartach-Naini
Community Achievement Award – Sisters of Invention
Emily Burrows Award – aleksiah
Neville Clark Award – Matt Stasinowsky, Joshua Rocca
Major Awards
Best Song – Ceiling Fan by Swapmeet
Best New Artist – aleksiah
Best Regional Artist – DEM MOB
Best Group – Teenage Joans
Best Solo Artist – aleksiah
Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist – Electric Fields
Best Release – Oxalis by Swapmeet
Industry Awards
Best Studio – Forest Range Studio
Best Large Music Festival – Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival
Best Small Music Festival – Space Jams
Best Studio Engineer / Producer – Lucinda Machin
Best Live Technician – Luke Hancock
Best Manager – Rachel Whitford
Best Live Music Venue – Crown & Anchor
Best Regional Venue, Festival, or Music Event – South East Beer & BBQ Festival
Best Cover Art – Aysh Field for Coldwave, No Conflict
Best Music Video – Bryce Kraehenbuehl for LOLA, Game Over
Best Music Photograph – Deb Kloeden for The Empty Threats
Best Music Educator – Annie Siegmann
People’s Choice Awards
Most Popular Blues & Roots Artist – The Honey Badgers
Most Popular Country Artist – Brad Chicken & The Bootstraps
Most Popular Electronic Artist – Jane Doe
Most Popular Experimental or Art Music Artist – SONS OF ZÖKU
Most Popular Folk Artist – Maisie B.
Most Popular Heavy Artist – The Munch
Most Popular Hip Hop Artist – J-MILLA
Most Popular Jazz Artist – Adam Page
Most Popular Pop Artist – aleksiah
Most Popular Punk Artist – Teenage Joans
Most Popular Rock Artist – West Thebarton
Most Popular Soul, Funk, or R'n'B Artist – Ukulele Death Squad
