Music News: Genesis Owusu 'Smiling With No Teeth' wins Soundmerch AMP
JUST ANNOUNCED: The 2021 Soundmerch AMP recipient, Genesis Owusu with their album Smiling With No Teeth
Australia’s most prestigious music accolade, the Soundmerch Australian Music Prize has today been awarded to Genesis Owusu for their 2021 Australian album of the year, Smiling With No Teeth. Taking home an unprecedented $30,000 thanks to Soundmerch, Genesis Owusu’s acclaimed record joins the highly esteemed list of previous award winning albums, including last year’s We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches. The Soundmerch AMP was presented to Genesis Owusu by journalist Osman Faruqi and esteemed musician Georgia Maq alongside Soundmerch owner Tim Everist, at the 17th annual ceremony held in Melbourne today, with Owusu accepting the honorary prize via satellite from soundcheck at his sold out show at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre.
Produced by 2021 ARIA Award winning producers Andrew Klippel and Dave Hammer, plus Matt Corby, Harvey Sutherland and Joe LaPorta, Smiling With No Teeth has garnered the Ghanaian-Australian artist colossal success since its release almost a year ago to the date. Released 5 March 2021, the record took out four ARIA Awards for Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Release, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art, as well as Australian Video of the Year and Australian Album of the Year at the 2021 J Awards.
“This means a lot. This is an award with a lot of esteem, not to mention putting real money back into music at a time like this is so crucial. I'm super grateful, and I'm keen to use this prize to help spread my art across the world, shouting out Australian talent on the way.” – Genesis Owusu
THE 17th SOUNDMERCH AMP RECIPIENT
Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth
2021 FINALISTS
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me
Baker Boy – Gela
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Under These Streets
Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth
Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000
Martha Marlow – Medicine Man
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage
Odette – Herald
PREVIOUS AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE RECIPIENTS
2020 - The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
2019 - Sampa the Great - The Return
2018 - Gurrumul - Djarimirri
2017 - Sampa the Great, Birds and the BEE9
2016 - A.B. Original - Reclaim Australia
2015 - Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
2014 - REMI - Raw X Infinity
2013 - Big Scary, Not Art
2012 - Hermitude, HyperParadise
2011 - The Jezabels, Prisoner
2010 - Cloud Control, Bliss Release
2009 - Lisa Mitchel, Wonder
2008 - Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Primary Colours
2007 - The Mess Hall, Devils Elbow
2006 - Augie March, Moo, You Bloody Choir
2005 - The Drones, Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By
For more information: www.australianmusicprize.com.au