ARIA has revealed the lineup of talent coming to the 2021 ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music. The awards will be broadcast live from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo on Cammeraigal land, starting 7.30pm AEDT Wednesday, 24 November.
Streamed across the world thanks to YouTube, and broadcast on 9Now, the awards will feature an exclusive performance from home-grown global superstar The Kid LAROI, as well as performances from 2021’s two most nominated artists, Amy Shark and Genesis Owusu, alongside Budjerah, RÜFÜS DU SOL, and Gretta Ray.
Ed Sheeran will also appear in a special video tribute to the late Michael Gudinski, where he will present the inaugural Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award.
The renamed award will honour the work and legacy of Michael Gudinski, chairman of the Mushroom Group of Companies, and recognises his immense and irreplaceable contribution to signing, developing and championing Australian artists and music locally and internationally.
Artists signed to the Mushroom Group of labels who have won the former Best Breakthrough Artist Award include TheBadloves, Frente, George, Deni Hines, Ian Moss, and Youth Group.
Joining the lineup is a stacked bill of award presenters, including ARIA Award winners Troye Sivan, Ruel, and Lime Cordiale, as well as Australian icons The Wiggles.
Annabelle Herd, ARIA chief executive officer, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to celebrate this incredible year of creativity, dedication and perseverance from our music industry with such an outstanding lineup of stars from home and abroad.
“It is, of course, another different year for the Awards and Australian music at large, but we’re very proud that it hasn’t stopped us from delivering the world-class event our industry deserves, and at the absolutely stunning Taronga Zoo no less. Thank you to everyone who has helped us to this point, we can’t wait to see you live from YouTube!”
The 2021 ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music are proudly supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW. Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming weeks.