The night of nights for many music industry figures is coming up soon, and to lead into it was today's Sydney ARIA Nominations event, announcing the 2015 nominees. We talked to some of the nominated artists to see how they're feeling in the lead-up to the glamourous and career-changing awards show this November.

courtney barnett

Topping the ARIA noms leaderboard with eight nominations, and one win already, Courtney Barnett seemed a little shell-shocked given how many times her name has come up on everyone's lips already.

"I don't think it's really sunk in yet. I don't really know what I was expecting, but yeah it's a real honour. It's my first album so it's nice to be recognised for all the hard work and for touring."

She called out Paul Kelly as someone she was honoured to be nominated alongside.

While accepting her award for Best Cover Art, Barnett said, "I didn't think I'd be winning an ARIA for a drawing I did with a felt tip pen on printer paper," and expanding on that, Barnett said, "Felt tip pens are quite cheap and yeah, I just thought it portrayed the idea of sitting alone quite well."

Courtney Barnett with her ARIA for Best Cover Art. Photo by Peter Sharp

troy cassar-daley

An ARIA veteran with already three ARIAs on his shelf, all for Best Country Album, Troy Cassar-Daley is once more nominated for the category with his newest, Freedom Ride. 

"It's been such a wonderful thing to still be around after 25 years! I say it every year, it's still nice to be able to nominated! You have to evolve musically and so it makes you feel like you are and you're doing the right thing."

When asked what he thinks he's doing right to be nominated so many times for Best Country Album, Cassar-Daley said, "I would hope it's the songwriting and as a performer, you've been able to expand and get better at what you do. There's so many people who feel like they plateau, so it's nice to get a nomination for an album I'm really proud of. Paul Kelly had a hand in it, it's a lovely result."

And Cassar-Daley's pick on young talent who should be watching? 

"I already think people like Tame Impala are great, it's just evident with the way my kids love them. I've fallen in love with their music too, through the children, I have a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old who have already booked tickets to see them in Brisbane and I like that. It's like a re-education for me. I'm a big Kevin Parker fan now.

"I also had to see Courtney [Barnett] and shake her hand and say, 'I love a girl that plays a Telecaster!' Any girl that can play a Telecaster like that, I'm really impressed, and she was actually impressed that I knew what guitar she played! I think she'll do great, and it's wonderful she's done it all independently as well."

Troy Cassar-Daley. Photo by Peter Sharp

alison wonderland 

The chipper Alison Wonderland — real name Alex Scholler — is giddy about her nomination for Best Dance Release. "It's so amazing because it's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid, so the fact that I'm nominated is the most surreal thing ever. It's so amazing, I can't stop smiling. Just to get a nomination for me is what I wanted so I don't really care what else happens!"

"The recognition is amazing. To be taken seriously as an artist is something that's really important to me and because I am an artist, a lot of hard work has been done to get here so… yeah."

When asked who she's hoping will win an ARIA, she immediately reels off some artists. ""Tame Impala, Hermitude, Hayden James, he's one of my really good friends. We're up against the same thing but if he wins, I'll be stoked. And Courtney Barnett! Those are the ones I was most excited for."

the preatures

Having picked up nominations in 2013, the experience isn't new to Isabella Manfredi or Jack Moffitt, but the pair still seem glad to be here once again.

"It feels great. I think it's surprising, for us. We weren't expecting it," admits Manfredi.

When asked if it feels surreal or and if they're nervous at all, she says, "No, I mean, we're not gonna win, so it's just nice to be nominated!"

Moffitt adds, "We're in seriously strong categories, it's just nice to be there. It sounds like a cop-out to say that but it genuinely is. It's to be reminded of all the people that you're in with, it's a good feeling."

Up against the likes of Dead Letter Circus and Tame Impala for Best Rock Album, Manfredi and Moffitt say they're "honoured to be up against Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, Gang Of Youth... [About Courtney] It's great, isn't it? Debut album, she's doing her own thing, she took her time with the record, she went and did the hard yards overseas and now she's come back and she's like, whatever!" 

The Preatures posing with Uppy's handbag. For some reason. Photo by Peter Sharp