News
- Avelino wins Best Independent Album in association with Spotify
- RAYE and 070 Shake win Best Track in association with Meta, Shygirl wins UK Independent Breakthrough
- Björk makes first in-person awards show appearance since 2012
- Unforgettable performances from Avelino, P Money & Whiney, ‘One to Watch’ winner Laughta and Cassia
The AIM Independent Music Awards celebrated an electrifying evening at this year’s ceremony with success for Avelino with ‘Best Independent Album’, RAYE and 070 Shake for ‘Best Independent Track’ & Shygirl for ‘UK Independent Breakthrough’.
In her first personal appearance at an awards show since the 2012 Webbys, Björk collected AIM’s the publicly-voted ‘Best Live Performer’ award.
Winner of ‘Best Independent Album’ in association with Spotify, Avelino, whose British Rap debut album with undertone influences of grime, punk and drill, ‘God Save The Streets’ has already been praised as a classic, joined the 50 years of Hip Hop celebration supported by BBC 1Xtra – a segment which also featured some effortlessly slick vinyl scratching and a visual storyboard of some of the Hip Hop greats from the USA to the UK.
RAYE and 070 Shake also relished a victory as viral ‘Escapism’ (Human Re Sources) was crowned ‘Best Independent Track’ in association with Meta. Shygirl was awarded ‘UK Independent Breakthrough’, following widely praised debut ‘Nymph’ and a stream of sold out shows.
Best Creative Campaign, in association with Able, was won by Partisan Records for Ezra Collective’s much-acclaimed ‘Where I’m Meant to Be” campaign, with the newly-crowned Mercury Prize-winners collecting the trophy in person.
British-Lebanese rapper/producer Laughta, meanwhile, picked up the ‘One to Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing’ award, following a charismatic performance.
The ‘PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist’ was awarded to Domino Records’ indie superstars Wet Leg. Rapper and songwriter ENNY took home the award for ‘Best Independent EP / Mixtape’ supported by BBC 1Xtra for the inimitable ‘We Go Again’ (FAMM).
Nu:Tone’s remix of GLXY’s – ‘Butterfly Effect’ (feat. Hugh Hardie & Visionobi) (Hospital Records) took the award for ‘Best Independent Remix’. Artist & director Wesley Joseph also emerged victorious in the ‘Best Independent Video’ in association with Vevo category, for his self-directed ‘MONSOON’ (EEVILTWINN) video.
Hospital Records were crowned 2023’s ‘Best Independent Label’, celebrating almost three decades leading the charge for drum and bass, boasting an impressive roster including London Elektricity, Nu:Tone, Flava D and P Money & Whiney.
Fighting off competition for ‘Best Boutique Label’ were Rough Bones, whose commitment to creative freedom for their carefully selected roster earned them the top spot. Speedy Wunderground’s Dan Carey also attended to collect the ‘Innovator Award’ in association with Amazon Music.
‘Music Entrepreneur of the Year’ was awarded to Caius Pawson, founder of Young, whose industry prowess supported the careers of The xx, FKA twigs and Sampha. Brighton-based record store Resident Music collected the award for ‘Independent Champion’ in association with Downtown.
Erol Alkan took to the stage to accept ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ in association with Merlin on behalf of Soulwax – with brothers David and Stephen Dewaele appearing by video.
The ceremony also featured a hotly anticipated performance by P Money & Whiney, as the duo delivered their powerful blend of grime & drum and bass with support from a choir and indie outfit Cassia then drew the ceremony to a close with their signature brand of genre-defying musical vibrancy.
AIM CEO Silvia Montelllo said: “The AIM Awards are always about more than celebrating the nominees, winners and attendees in the room; they celebrate everyone across our varied and diverse rights-holder community throughout the regions and nations. From the founders and long-established labels who’ve defined our sector right through to those forming the future independents. From the entrepreneurs driving new creative businesses to the artists carving out their independent journey. AIM celebrates the legends, visionaries, innovators, and all the creative talent who continue to keep our UK’s vibrant independent music community the envy of the world.”
Thanks to AIM’s category partners – Able, Amazon Music, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Music Introducing, Deezer, Downtown, Merlin, Meta, PPL, Spotify and VEVO – for supporting this year’s Independent Music Awards. Thanks also to Gold Partners, FUGA and NOTION and to the drinks sponsors, Kylie Minogue Wines, Kraken Rum and Two Tribes Brewery.
Nominees & Winners:
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify
Avelino – God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music) WINNER
Kelela – Raven (Warp Records)
Little Simz – No Thank You (Forever Living Originals)
Nova Twins – Supernova (Marshall Records)
Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors (September Recordings)
Oliver Sim – Hideous Bastard (Young)
RAYE – My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources)
Rina Sawayama – Hold The Girl (Dirty Hit)
Shygirl – Nymph (Because Music)
Wu-Lu – LOGGERHEAD (Warp Records)
Best Independent Track in association with Meta
Connie Constance – ‘Hurt You’ (Play It Again Sam)
ENNY – Charge It (FAMM)
Four Tet – ‘Three Drums’ (Text Records)
Makaya McCraven – ‘Dream Another’ (XL Recordings)
Overmono – ‘Good Lies’ (XL Recordings)
RAYE, 070 Shake – ‘Escapism’ (Human Re Sources) WINNER
Shygirl – ‘Shlut’ (Because Music)
Sudan Archives – ‘Selfish Soul’ (Stones Throw Records)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Spitting Off The Edge of The World’ feat. Perfume Genius (Secretly Canadian)
Yves Tumor – ‘Echolalia’ (Warp Records)
UK Independent Breakthrough
Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)
I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Overmono (XL Recordings)
Shygirl (Because Music) WINNER
Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)
Best Live Performer
Björk: (One Little Independent) WINNER
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist
AntsLive (Payday Records, Trademark Records)
John Summit (Off The Grid Records)
Surya Sen (Skint Records)
Vibe Chemistry (DnB Allstars Records)
Wet Leg (Domino Records) WINNER
Best Independent EP/ Mixtape in association with BBC 1Xtra
Bellah – ‘Adultsville’ (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
ENNY – ‘We Go Again’ (FAMM) WINNER
Jessica Winter – ‘Limerance’ (Lucky Number)
Saint Joshua – ‘EP2’ (Ditto Music)
yunè pinku – ‘BABYLON IX’ (PLATOON)
One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing
Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
Juice Menace (Supernature)
FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)
Laughta (MDLBEAST) WINNER
Master Peace (PMR)
Best Creative Campaign in association with Able
Because Music (Shygirl – ‘Nymph’)
Dirty Hit (Rina Sawayama – ‘Hold The Girl’)
Human Re Sources (RAYE – ‘My 21st Century Blues’)
Ninja Tune (Young Fathers – ‘Heavy Heavy’)
Partisan Records (Ezra Collective – ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’) WINNER
XL Recordings (Yaeji – ‘With A Hammer’)
Best Independent Remix
Sega Bodega Remix (One Little Independent) – Björk – ‘Ovuke (feat. Shygirl)’
Soulwax Remix (Deewee / Because Music) – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – ‘Cliche’
Nu:Tone Remix (Hospital Records) – GLXY – ‘Butterfly Effect (feat. Hugh Hardie & Visionobi)’ WINNER
Jamie XX remix (Young) – Oliver Sim – ‘GMT’
Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Wolf’
Best Independent Video in association with Vevo
Ezra Collective – ‘No Confusion ft. Kojey Radical’ (Partisan Records)
Kelela – ‘Enough For Love’ (Warp Records)
Obongjayar – ‘I Wish It Was Me (Live)’ (September Recordings)
RAYE, 070 Shake – ‘Escapism.’ (Human Re Sources)
Wesley Joseph – ‘MONSOON’ (EEVILTWINN) WINNER
Outstanding Contribution to Music in association with Merlin
Stephen & David Dewaele – Soulwax / 2manydjs WINNER (Because Music / [PIAS])
Best Independent Label
Defected Records
Forever Living Originals
Hospital Records WINNER
One Little Independent
Transgressive
Best Boutique Label
Chess Club
Glasgow Underground
Houndstooth
Rough Bones WINNER
So Young Records
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Alex Brees – Un:hurd
Caius Pawson – Young / Space WINNER
Jess Kangalee – Good Energy PR
Keturah Cummings – Forward Slash
Yasin El Ashrafi – HQ Familia
Independent Champion in association with Downtown
Jaguar Bingham
Resident Music WINNER
Cafe OTO
Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music
Dan Carey WINNER
Diversity Champion
Charisse Beaumont – Black Lives in Music WINNER
