Global acts and independent artists recognised at ARIAs
Established music veterans and emerging indie stars were among the big winners at Australian music nights.
Melbourne-based global hard rockers Amyl and The Sniffers collected four ARIAs at the annual ceremony in Sydney, awarding the night with gongs for best band, best cover art, best rock album and album of the year.
Up-and-coming indie producer Ninajirachi won three awards for his debut album I Love My Computer, including best independent album, breakthrough artist, and best solo artist.
The 26-year-old, whose stage name is a mix of her first name Nina and her favorite Pokémon Jirachi, released her first single eight years ago and described her debut award in 2025 as “really cool and funny”.
“I think a lot of people here may have never heard of me before tonight or this year, but this year I released my first album called I Love My Computer,” he said.
Australian house music producer and DJ Dom Dolla took home two awards for best dance/electronic release and global impact.
“If (AC/DC lead guitarist) Angus Young is given an example, I’ll be tearing out gray hair on the dance floor 50 years from now,” the 19-year-old veteran said.
The global superstar gave a tip to the next generation: Show up every day and don’t worry about the destination.
You Am I, the legendary Sydney rock band who emerged in the 1990s with their distinctive garage grit and power pop hooks, have been inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
Frontman Tim Rogers urged audiences to look out for artists playing smaller venues, not just big international acts.
“By buying a ticket, going to those shows, and betting on something you’ve never heard of before, you might be in a crowd of 12 people, but by doing that, you get to be a part of this wonderful artistic experiment,” he said.
Indie pop star Missy Higgins won best adult contemporary for her album The Second Act, which she added to her 10 ARIAs, inspired by her divorce and being a single mother.
“Being a 42-year-old woman and singing about divorce and single parenthood is not the sexiest thing you can do in this industry,” she said.
Higgins said the response to her album made her realize that women her age don’t care about sex.
“We just want to feel heard. We want to feel seen. I’m so grateful to be able to tell your stories.”
Song of the Year went to The Kid Laroi’s Girls, while Troye Sivan took home the award for Australia’s best live performance.
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