Oztix | News | "I'm Up Against My Ex-husband": Here's What This Year's ARIA Nominees Had To Say

It was a big morning for Australia music, with the nominees for the 2017 ARIA Awards announced in Sydney. We caught up with some beloved and up and coming Aussie acts to find out what this year’s ARIAs has in store for them.

PNAU

Sam and Nick Littlemore
Nominated for: Best Dance Release, Apple Music Song Of The Year (Chameleon)
Previous nominations: 4
Previous wins: 1

What they say of their nominations for mega-hit Chameleon:
“It’s a privilege to be amongst such esteemed artists. You know, we’ve been here a few times and it’s just always a pleasure. We’re very lucky,” says Nick.

Tips for first time ARIA nominees:
“Always assume you’re not going to win, because you know, you can be left very crestfallen on the night... As soon as the nominations come up, you start to realise all the mistakes you made and you don’t want that on your night. You want to have a great time. It’s an honour to be nominated, really, it is,” says Nick.

How they’ll be preparing for their potential winners speech:
“I think we write down the names," says Sam. "That’s the scary one, forgetting people who played the instrumental part because we’ve seen it many a times where our friends have forgotten to thank us for the help, so we don’t want to do that to them.”

Busby Marou

Thomas Busby, Jeremy Marou
Nominated for: Best Blues & Roots Album (Postcards From The Shell House)
Previous nominations: 0
Previous wins: 0

Thoughts on the nom:
“First ARIA nomination, so we’re pumped. It’s a bit weird having to come down and not know whether you’re nominated or not,” laughs Busby.

Strategy for the ARIA Awards evening?
“Just go around and break a few legs first,” Busby says jokingly. “No, we’re up against some great competition and some really awesome albums… It’s just good to be nominated so we can reflect on back in the day when we used to watch it on tv.”

Who they think will go home a winner?
“Tash Sultana is doing massive things across the world, but All Our Texes Live In Texas that’s a great album, they’re a cool bunch of girls,” picks Busby. “Archie Roach has always been someone we’ve looked up to,” adds Marou. “We wish [Paul Kelly] all the best with his nominations as well.”

Kasey Chambers

Nominated for: Best Country Album (Dragonfly)
Previous nominations: 30
Previous wins: 11

On being nominated:
“I’m just so happy to still be a part of this industry and be accepted like I am, because I’ve made 11 albums. This is my 11th, so I kind of always think, ‘oh well, I’ve had my run’ and I’m more than happy you know if that was it and I feel lucky to have had any ARIAs at all and then to still be getting nominations now is pretty cool.”

Why she thinks Dragonfly was nominated:
“You know, I actually feel like I think I connected to this record more than I have since maybe even The Captain album, my first solo record. There was just something extra in this record and I can’t really explain what it is, because I connect to every record obviously or I wouldn’t bring it out but, I don’t know, there was just something on a deeper level on this record and I wonder if maybe the more that I connect to a record, the more it then connects to people,” Chambers shares.

“And you know, we were lucky enough to have a number one album when it came out and I was certainly not expecting that but it just means that it does connect and at the end of the day, that’s the business I’m in. I’m in the business of connecting with people through songs, so when that does land it’s a really beautiful thing and then to get a nod from the industry to say… it’s a pat on the back to say ‘hey, we support what you’re doing and we appreciate it’ and that’s really nice.”

Her ARIA Awards strategy:
“I’ve lost a lot more ARIAs than I’ve won, I think people often think that because I’ve lucky enough to win a lot over the years, like more than I ever thought I would, I think people think ‘oh, you win them all the time!’ but you know, you go in and if you don’t get it, you know that you usually get to see your friend get up and get it.”

“I’m up against my ex-husband, so I think I’ll be okay if the father of children goes home with it this year,” she laughs.

Vera Blue

Celia Pavey
Nominated for: Best Pop Release (Perennial)
Previous nominations: 0
Previous wins: 0

Why she thinks Perennial got nominated:
“I think it’s a very honest record, I think it’s something I developed through working with my team, Andy, Jackson, Tom and Adam, I think it’s something they helped me develop,” explains Pavey. “The comfort of being honest and being vulnerable as well, I think that’s something that a lot of people when they listen to it, they feel what I’m feeling. Or they feel what I have felt and they connect to it.”

What she’s most looking forward to at this year’s ARIAs:
“I think I’m just really stoked to be there this year. This time, it’s really special to be nominated to be part of a group of people that are passionate and all love music. Just to be recognised as an artist with a bunch of other people. Just to be there, to enjoy it and kind of just relax and soak it all up.”