Paul Kelly has won the award for Song of the Year at the 2018 APRA Music Awards.
Kelly wrote the song Firewood and Candles from his first-ever number one album Life is Fine with his friend Billy Miller of 1970s pop band The Ferrets.
The song was inspired by a mate’s tale of a bad first date.
“We were with a friend of ours who was talking to us about his love life. He had organised a date with a woman, a first date and she was coming to his place. He cooked a meal, he bought firewood and got candles,” Kelly explained.
“Anyway, it didn’t work out, nothing ever happened. He told the story and he said ‘All that firewood and candles, all for nothing.”
His other good friends, Adam Briggs and Daniel Rankine of A.B. Original, made history as the first hip hop artists to be named Songwriter of the Year, courtesy of their debut album Reclaim Australia.
An overwhelmed Amy Shark celebrated her global debut smash Adore, winning the Pop Work of the Year with her producer and co-writer M-Phazes, just three days after coming home from a successful American tour.
Chart-toppers Peking Duk won two awards for their song Stranger featuring Swedish rapper Elliphant.
Musicians and industry types wore purple on the red carpet at the annual awards in support of the NOW Australia anti-harassment campaign.
Here are the full list of winners:
Song of the Year
Firewood and Candles – Paul Kelly
Songwriter of the Year
A.B Original (Briggs & Trials)
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Writer: Sarah Aarons
Overseas Recognition Award
Ben Abraham (and) Kylie Sackley
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Austrlian Music
Midnight Oil
Most Played Australian Work
Stranger – Peking Duk feat. Elliphant
Country Work of the Year
Kiss Somebody – Morgan Evans
Blues & Roots Work of the Year
Best Part of Me – Busby Marou
Dance Work of the Year
Stranger – Peking Duk feat. Elliphant
Rock Work of the Year
Brace – Birds of Tokyo
Pop Work of the Year
Adore – Amy Shark
Urban Work of the Year
Catch 22 – llly feat. Anne-Marie
International Work of the Year
Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
Most Played Australian Work Overseas
Cheap Thrills – Sia
Licensee of the Year
Settlers Tavern (Rob and Karen Gough)
Are you happy with these winners? Let us know by commenting below.
– Written by Rekha Kulen
