It’s gotta feel pretty good to be Gang of Youths right now, presumably walking right out of the ARIAs struggling to juggle the armful of prestigious awards they just won like one of those stock photos of the dude trying to hold all those limes in his arms.
The group have finished up the night having taken out not just Album of the Year, but also Best Rock Album and Best Group, which I imagine is a pretty sweet thing to be able to add to your resume.
Lead singer Dave Le’aupepe gave a cracker of an acceptance speech for Album of the Year, thanking AB Original, Amy Shark, and Paul Kelly:
We’re all immigrants to this country, every single one of us. This country was built on a strong Indigenous people and on the backs of immigrants.
AB Original thank you for making an incendiary, important record for the brown boys. We fucking love you. Amy Shark you are one of the strongest women and thank you for making the strongest music. Paul Kelly, the heart of Australia beats through your music.
Le’aupepe also gave a shoutout to the band’s collective heritage:
We’re Pacific Islanders and we’re very proud of our heritage. We are a loving community and we’re not just useful on the footy field, and we hope this proves something. My grandparents came on a boat after the Holocaust, they came as refugees to this country and thank you for welcoming us. We love this country. Thanks.
Well deserved, legends.
