Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu Wins Best World Music Album ARIA Award

The 2011 ARIA Awards (Australia’s leading music awards) were presented last night in a star studded ceremony held at Allphones Arena in Sydney Olympic Park before a capacity audience comprised of members of industry heavy weights and music fans. The sensational Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu won the Best World Music Album for his album Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution).

Gurrumul is a member of the Gumatj clan on Elcho Island, off the coast of tropical North East Arnhem Land. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was born blind. He never learned Braille and speaks little English. Gurrumul accompanies himself on guitar on his intimate and enchanting songs.

2011 ARIA Award Winners

Album of the Year

Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Single of the Year

Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

Best Male Artist

Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

Best Female Artist

Kimbra – Cameo Lover (Warner Music Australia)

Best Group

Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Breakthrough Artist – Album

Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Breakthrough Artist – Single

Boy & Bear – Feeding Line (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Best Independent Release

Art vs Science – The Experiment (Green/MGM Distribution)

Best Adult Alternative Album

Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Billy Thorpe – Billy Thorpe’s Tangier (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)

Best Blues & Roots Album

The Audreys – Sometimes the Stars (ABC Music)

Best Children’s Album

The Wiggles – Ukulele Baby! (ABC Music)

Best Comedy Release

Hamish & Andy – Celebrating 50 Glorious Years (Roadshow Music)

Best Country Album

Kasey Chambers – Little Bird (Liberation Music)

Best Dance Release

Cut Copy – Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

Front End Loader – Ritardando (Weeping Anus Records/MGM Distribution)

Best Pop Release

Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

Best Rock Album

The Living End – The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)

Best Urban Album

Drapht – The Life of Riley (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)

Highest Selling Album

Altiyan Childs – Altiyan Childs (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)

Highest Selling Single

Guy Sebastian – Who’s that Girl (feat. Eve) (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)

Best Classical Album

Sally Whitwell – Mad Rush: Piano Music of Philip Glass (ABC Classics)

Best Jazz Album

Elixir featuring Katie Noonan – First Seed Ripening (ABC Music)

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album

Chris Lilley – Angry Boys – Official Soundtrack Album (ABC Music)

Best World Music Album

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)

Best Music DVD

AC/DC – AC/DC – Live at River Plate (Albert Productions)

Best Cover Art

Alter – Cut Copy, Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)

Best Video

Natasha Pincus for Starkraving Productions – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

Engineer of the Year

Francois Tetaz – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

Producer of the Year

Wally De Backer – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)

2011 PUBLIC VOTED ARIA AWARD WINNERS

Most Popular Australian Artist

Birds of Tokyo (EMI Music Australia)

Most Popular International Artist

P!nk (La Face/Sony Music Australia)

Most Popular Australian Live Artist

The Living End (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)