Genesis Owusu Wins Big at 2022 AIR Awards

With a hattrick, Genesis Owusu was the big winner Thursday night (Aug. 4) at the 2022 AIR Awards in Adelaide, the annual ceremony that recognizes the best in Australia’s independent music community.

There was a hattrick of sorts for I Oh You, the piping-hot Mushroom Group label that’s home to DMAs, Violent Soho, DZ Deathrays, Jack River and others.  I Oh You won independent label of the year for a third time, becoming the first brand to do so.

Other winners on the night included Liz Stringer (best independent blues and roots album or EP with First Time Really Feeling), Courtney Barnett (best independent rock album or EP for Things Take Time, Take Time), Hiatus Kaiyote (best independent jazz album or EP for Mood Valiant), Wolf & Cub (best independent heavy album or EP for Dusk at the Watagan Forest Motel), Amyl And the Sniffers (best independent punk album or EP with Comfort to Me) and Flight Facilities (best independent dance/electronica album or EP category with Forever).

In one of the emotional moments at Freemasons Hall in the South Australian capital, Warren Costello was posthumously lauded with the 2022 outstanding achievement award, sponsored by Merlin.

Costello, who passed away earlier this year after a long battle with cancer, was nominated by AIR members for the award in recognition of his work supporting independent artists for over 30 years through labels Liberation and Bloodlines.

The A$5,000 professional development prize is bestowed to Warren’s daughter, Caitlin Costello, to further her career as an entertainment lawyer.

Held live and in-person for the first time in two years, the AIR Awards featured performances from Jesswar, Telenova, Teenage Joans, Jaguar Jonze, and Andrew Swift.

The 16th annual event was once again organized by Australia’s independent music trade body AIR, with support from the South Australian government.

The gala recognizes, promotes, and celebrates the success of Australia’s independent music sector, and is a fixture in the program for AIR’s Indie-con Australia conference, held this year in Adelaide from Aug. 3-5.

The 2022 AIR Awards Recipients:

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