Breakout star’s ARIA blitz

IT is officially the year of breakout pop artist Tones and I, with her smash hit Dance Monkey topping the 2019 ARIA Awards leaderboard with an impressive eight nominations.

In just over a year, the infectiously unique 19-year-old artist has gone from quitting her retail job to busk in Byron Bay to holding No.1 on the ARIA singles chart for a historymaking 10 weeks and also claiming top spot on the UK charts.

“Th is time last year I was watching the ARIAs with Amy Shark (winning), living in my van, and I would never, ever, ever think this would be me right now. No f---ing way, it’s the craziest thing,” she said.

“Some people think when it happens, all your problems must be over but they’re not. You still want to focus on fixing the exact same things you were focused on a year ago which is being happy and healthy. Your career and your passion is only 50 per cent of it, which is a good chunk.”

While Tones represents the future of Australian pop, soul blues band Teskey Brothers prove there is still a heartland for rock here, winning seven nominations for their second album Run Home Slow. Equally prolific with seven nominations are hip-hop heroes Hilltop Hoods, on tour in Europe, whose Great Expanse album and tour cemented their place as the country’s biggest band this year.

Both are up for the coveted album of the year award.

More breakthrough female artists were recognised for their contributions to the Australian soundtrack in 2019, with the sweet-singing, toughtalking Thelma Plum and Julia Jacklin each nominations.

If you needed evidence that Paul Kelly is the GOAT, he has made ARIA history this year with three different records nominated across three different genres in his clutch of five nominations.

And Guy Sebastian, host of the 2019 ARIA Awards, and the artist most likely robbed of a No.1 for his brilliant song Choir, has received four nominations, including Best Pop Release. receiving six

Breaking down the major awards, Tones And I is up against Jessica Mauboy, Amy Shark, Julia Jacklin and Thelma Plum for female artist of the year while Sebastian is up for male artist against Dean Lewis, Hayden James, Matt Corby and Paul Kelly.

Album of the year nominees are Dean Lewis, the Hilltop Hoods, Rufus Du Sol, The Teskey Brothers and Thelma Plum.

The 2019 ARIA Awards will be held on November 27.