Sia, Chet Faker and 5SOS Win Big at the ARIAs

The 2014 ARIA Awards

Summer lasted more than five seconds for 5SOS at the ARIAs.

Though international stars One Direction and Katy Perry caused decibel levels to rise on the red carpet at the 28th ARIA Awards at the Star in Sydney, the roar was equally deafening for Australia’s prodigal sons 5 Seconds of Summer, who returned to home turf after receiving multiple accolades abroad including new artist of the year at the American Music Awards on Sunday.

In fact, the presence of teenage-dream inducing acts were why comedian Chris Lilley, nominated in the best comedy album category, joked he didn’t attend in character as J’amie. “She’d be hard work if she was here,” he told WHO. “There’s too many boy bands around. She’s be going crazy!”

That didn’t stop other artists from posing for selfies with either 1D or 5SOS. Veteran performer Anthony Field admitted of the Wiggles’s encounter with One Direction’s Harry Styles, “Harry shook our hand. It was a big moment… there was a twinkle of recognition. It was pretty cool!”

The 2014 ARIA Awards

The time away on tour for 5SOS showed in their seasoned opening performance of “She Looks So Perfect,” which won song of the year.

“When you’re from Australia and start a band, the ARIAs are so prestigious,” said bassist Calum Hood, 18. “It’s so incredible, you can’t put it into words. It’s amazing.” Added drummer Ashton Irwin, 20, “It means a lot to our parents as well, to be honest with you. We do a lot of stuff overseas but when we come home and do things like this, it really means a lot to them.”

Echoing that familial support theme were Brisbane-based Sheppard, who won for best group off the strength of second album Bombs Away and the smash hit “Geronimo.” Lead vocalist George Sheppard said of his lawyer father, “I don’t think he ever wanted us to follow in his footsteps. I had one conversation with him once when I was like, ‘perhaps I should become a lawyer,’ and he was like, ‘No! Do not do this. This is not fun!’ We’re lucky we had the kind of parents that were really behind us having a career we were happy with, not just a 9 to 5 job where money was the main objective. Enjoyment was the main thing.”

PHOTOS: BEST & WORST DRESSED AT THE ARIAS

PHOTOS: BEST & WORST DRESSED AT THE ARIAS

While Sheppard enjoyed some overseas attention in 2014 just like breakthrough artist winner Iggy Azalea, there was no overlooking the acclaim earned by best female artist Sia Furler, 38, the Adelaide singer-songwriter whose 1000 Forms of Fear earned Telstra album of the year and best pop release honours and the video for “Chandelier,” directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, won best video presented by YouTube. Even Perry, who presented the best female category, had to say, “my girl” in deference to Sia before announcing her name and offering to take Sia’s gong back to her in Los Angeles when Perry was done with the Australian leg of her world tour on Dec. 21.

The absent Sia was represented on the red carpet, though, by Triple J’s Matt Okine in a nude bodysuit and blonde wig reminiscent of the “Chandelier” video.

Joining Sia in winning multiple gongs was Melbourne’s Nick Murphy, better known as Chet Faker, who came into the ARIAs with nine nominations yet didn’t dominate the proceedings as his friend and contemporary Flume did last year. Still, Faker, 26, who was previously announced as producer of the year, best cover art and engineer of the year for his debut album Built on Glass, added best independent release to the record’s accolades and earned himself the title of best male artist of the year.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, man,” Faker said in his first acceptance speech of the night after receiving the best independent release trophy from Triple J’s Alex Dyson, who donned a fake Faker beard. “I make music. I don’t know what I’m doing in a suit.” Then, referring to Okine, a bemused Faker added, “There’s a dude in Spandex next to me. I can see his junk.”

Yet after Molly Meldrum and Countdown’s emotional induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, Faker impressed onstage with a very stripped-down rendition of “Talk is Cheap,” adding to striking performances throughout the telecast, including a rousing “Geronimo” by Sheppard with the Melbourne Ska Orchestra and a duet by best adult contemporary album winners Neil Finn and Paul Kelly.

Other key prizes awarded include Kasey Chambers’s Bittersweet for best country album; Dan Sultan’s Blackbird for best rock album; Keith Urban for best live Australian act, and The Wiggles’s Apples & Bananas for best children’s album.