International pop princess Kylie Minogue was inducted into Music Victoria’s Hall of Fame at Thursday night’s 17th annual awards ceremony in Melbourne.

The homegrown star, who received an Order of Australia in 2019, accepted her induction via video message. She thanked Music Victoria “for this incredible recognition” and paid tribute to the evening’s award winners and nominees gathered at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

“This is extra special to me as this is my hometown, the place where my musical journey began back in 1987 when Mushroom released my first single, The Locomotion,” she said.

Kylie Minogue at Glastonbury in June 2021. Credit:Getty

“This led to opportunities I could never have imagined … my deep gratitude to the many, many, many people who have been part of my journey, especially the one and only Michael Gudinski.

“I am so honoured and thank you also [Music Victoria] for the amazing work you do on behalf of the artists and the music community in Victoria.

“Congratulations to everyone being celebrated tonight. I’m sorry I’m not with you in person, but I look forward to seeing you real soon.”

Amyl and the Sniffers, currently on tour overseas, won best live act at the 2021 Music Victoria awards.Credit:

Michael Gudinski, who died in March, championed Minogue throughout her career. It was his son, Mushroom Group chief executive Matt Gudinski, who formally inducted Minogue into the Hall of Fame.

Just days after a stunning return to the Melbourne Recital Centre stage as part of this year’s Melbourne International Jazz Festival, soul queen Emma Donovan and her band reigned over Thursday night’s awards with three awards.

In a year when live music has just resurfaced, it was Emma Donovan and the Putback’s critically acclaimed album Crossover that won album of the year. They also won best group and best soul, funk, R’n’B or gospel act on a night when those gathered at the Recital Centre came together to celebrate Victoria’s music scene, including a brilliant live performance by Donovan and her band.

The awards were hosted by Myf Warhurst and included a huge array of first-time nominees among more recognisable winners, including Sampa the Great (Sampo Tembo), who won best solo artist, Hiatus Kaiyote for best song with Red Room, and best live act winners Amyl and the Sniffers. Alice Skye, who released second album I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good in 2021 and was part of Midnight Oil’s recent Makarrata Project national tour, won best pop act.

Returning to Melbourne earlier this year after a period living in western Sydney, Emma Donovan, a singer and songwriter of Noongar and Gumbaynggirr ancestry, told The Age in October that she “made the right move” coming home.

“Melbourne is still it for me when it comes to my music,” she said. “Look at all these opportunities … I feel lucky – this is my home, this is a beautiful community for musos. I love being back here.”

Emma Donovan at the Melbourne Recital Centre a few days before picking up three Music Victoria awards.Credit:Will Hamilton-Coates

Rapper and producer Neil Morris, who performers and records as DRMNGNOW, won best hip hop act after multiple nominations in previous years, and Baker Boy (Danzal Baker), who dominated the 2018 awards ceremony with four wins in his breakout year, won this year’s best regional/outer suburban act. Andrea Keller repeated her 2019 win, taking home the 2021 award for best jazz act.

Yorta Yorta woman Allara Briggs Pattison records and performs as Allara and became the latest winner of the Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent. Maple Glider (Tori Zietsch) won breakthrough act, and Mindy Meng Wang won the best musician category.

The late radio broadcaster Pierre Baroni was a posthumous Hall of Fame inductee, with video tributes from Jimmy Barnes and Archie Roach.

Victoria’s Minister for Creative Industries, Danny Pearson, congratulated the winners, nominees and applauded the “vital work” of Music Victoria.

“From the artists on the mic to the off-stage army of producers, promoters, artist managers, technicians, venue operators and more, Victoria’s music industry is an absolute powerhouse of talent and has proved to be a pillar of strength over the past couple of years,” Mr Pearson said.

MUSIC VICTORIA AWARDS WINNERS 2021 (PUBLIC VOTED)
Album: Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover
Group: Emma Donovan and The Putbacks
Song: Hiatus Kaiyote – Red Room
Solo artist: Sampa the Great
Breakthrough act: Maple Glider
Musician: Mindy Meng Wang
Live act: Amyl and The Sniffers

MUSIC VICTORIA AWARDS WINNERS 2021 (INDUSTRY VOTED)

Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent (for First Nations acts): Allara
Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award (for deaf and disabled acts): Eliza Hull
Regional/outer suburban act: Baker Boy (Ocean Grove)
Blues act: Dan Dinnen & Shorty
Country act: The Weeping Willows
Electronic act: Female Wizard
Experimental or avant-garde act: Candlesnuffer
Folk act: Charm of Finches
Heavy act: Dr. Colossus
Hip hop act: DRMNGNOW
Intercultural act: Ajak Kwai
Jazz act: Andrea Kellar
Pop act: Alice Skye: (Warrandyte)
Reggae and dancehall act: JahWise Productions
Punk/rock act: Civic
Soul, funk, r’n’b or gospel act: Emma Donovan & The Putbacks

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Kylie Minogue
Pierre Baroni

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