We Spoke To Winners DD Dumbo, Birds Of Tokyo & More On The APRAs Red Carpet

Before producer Flume, young pop wunderkind Troye Sivan and more took out last night's top honours at the 2017 APRA Awards in Sydney, The Music were on the red carpet to get the goss from some of the night's nominees.

Taking home the night's biggest award, Song Of The Year, DD Dumbo's Oliver Perry said he was "pretty overwhelmed" with being nominated for his single, Satan.

"I'm pretty overwhelmed. It's very nice to be nominated, obviously. I haven't really experienced awards," Perry admitted.

Fellow Song Of The Year nominee Julia Jacklin (for Pool Party) picked him as a winner right off the bat though, telling us, "I highly doubt I'm gonna win [Song Of The Year] and I'm not saying that in a modest way, I hope it's DD Dumbo. It's a great song, and he's a great guy. It's just really interesting, it's new and it's cool."

Jacklin, endowed with the responsibility of performing Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' epic Skeleton Tree at the show, said she was far more nervous about her performance than potentially winning Song Of The Year. Once that was done though, she hoped she'd run into Paul Kelly.

"I'm hoping Paul Kelly's on my table — I think he'll have his own table — but maybe it'll be in close proximity to my table and I have a reason to like, lean over," Jacklin jokes.

Archie Roach was awarded the prestigious Ted Albert Award For Outstanding Services To Australian Music, which Roach described was "a great honour".

"I'm very honoured, Ted Albert himself, what he did and contributed to Australian music was amazing, you know?"

In between receiving the Ted Albert Award and being nominated for Best Blues And Roots Work, Roach said, "I might be catching up with some friends and other musicians and record company people who are good friends of mine."

Birds Of Tokyo, who took home Rock Work Of The Year with I'll Go With You Anywhere, had no idea pre-ceremony what they were in for.

Adam Spark told The Music, "You know what, full disclosure, we don't really know what's going on tonight. We just got off the road a couple of days ago and this is all just fallen on our laps, we're nominated for something and I don't know who's in it or anything. 

"Last time I was here, I made an ass of a speech. I don't really care about awards but I'm kinda hoping to win again to [redeem myself]. I've got a couple of funny lines to end [our speech] on, gonna bring out the double guns."

He did not bring out the double guns, though Mushroom boss Michael Gudinski took the stage with the band for an odd acceptance speech about AFL, music and "Mushroom rules!"

Another Song Of The Year nominee with Adore, Amy Shark was keen to have a ball with Unified labelmates Illy and The Kite String Tangle at their "kids table". 

"I'm with my manager [Jaddan Comerford] and Illy and The Kite String Tangle, so we're already gonna be on the top of the table. Jaddan's the biggest kid of all!"

She added, "I'm just happy to be here, I'm stoked to just experience the night and be up for [Song Of The Year]. I'm up against some big weapons there [in Nick Cave, DD Dumbo, Julia Jacklin and Tim Minchin]."

All photos by Belinda Dipalo.

Check out the full 2017 APRA Award winners here.