Genesis Owusu, Jaguar Jonze & More Among 2021 J Award Winners

The winners of the 2021 J Awards have today been unveiled, celebrating the “originality, creativity and technical excellence” of some of the country’s best artists.

The coveted Album Of The Year gong has been awarded to Genesis Owusu’s Smiling With No Teeth, LP, which the youth broadcaster described as “beautiful, powerful, adventurous, memorable”.

Directed by Riley Blakeway, the music video for Genesis Owusu’s The Other Black Dog picked up the triple j and rage Australian Music Video Of The Year honour.

Unearthed Artist Of The Year goes to King Stingray following their praised 2020 single Hey Wanhaka. The Yolŋu surf rock group, as triple j said, “only have new heights to reach from here."

Meanwhile, Double J Artist Of The Year was bestowed to The Avalanches off the back of their “masterpiece” We Will Always Love You, an album that also won them the 2020 Australian Music Prize earlier this year.

And this year, the Done Good Award was given to Jaguar Jonze for advocacy and support of abuse survivors.

Triple J noted: “The reckoning against sexual harassment and assault in Australia’s music industry in 2021 wouldn’t be the same without the courage of Deena Lynch. Making music as Jaguar Jonze, Deena Lynch is an Unearthed J Award nominee and Eurovision contestant, but the fearless way she’s put her name and career on the line is equally award-worthy.

“As Deena noted in June, victim-survivors aren’t responsible for creating change. And yet, Deena has selflessly used her own story to spark a conversation that will no doubt create a safer industry for the next generation of artists.”

For more details on the 2021 J Awards, click here.