Amy Shark, Paul Kelly and Jessica Mauboy hits among Song of the Year nominees

Now the artist who has captured the world’s heart with her breakthrough hits Adore and Weekends has been recognised as one of Australia’s most successful and respected songwriters by the APRA Music Awards.

Shark’s Weekends is up for Song of the Year alongside Paul Kelly’s Firewood and Candles, Jessica Mauboy’s Fallin’, Gang Of Youths’ What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out? and Running Second by Ainslie Wills.

Amy Shark can finally call herself a songwriter. Picture: AAP /Gold Coast Tourism, Brad Wagner.Source:AAP

Shark, who just smashed it in the US with her debut performance on the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon, said while she had always loved composing, she didn’t dare call herself a songwriter until “everything was happening.”

“The moment I thought I could be a songwriter wasn’t until I completely signed to a record label, management, everything else,” she said.

“I wasn’t sold until everything was happening because you have your doubts.”

The annual APRA Music awards recognise the men and women behind the songs Australia fell in love with last year.

The writers behind Jessica Mauboy’s hit Fallin’ are up for Song of the Year. Picture: Jay Town.Source:News Corp Australia

Mauboy’s longtime producer Louis Schoorl, alongside co-writers Ivy Adara and P.J. Harding, were behind her bold retro pop hit Fallin’, which has also been nominated for Most Played Australian Work and Pop Work of the Year.

Meanwhile Shark’s producer M-Phazes has four nominations for his work on her records and those of leading hip pop artist Illy.

Other multiple nominees for the APRAs, considered the most fun music awards of the year, include electronic pop kings Peking Duk, Sam Littlemore who works with PNAU, Bernard Fanning, The McClymonts and current stadium king Ed Sheeran, who has two songs up for International Work of the Year.

Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles of Peking Due are up for APRAs. Picture: AAP Image/Claudia Baxter.Source:News Corp Australia

As the gender inequality debate rages in the Australian music industry due to lack of female representation at festivals and in record label boardrooms, the APRA nominations are also under the microscope for their recognition of female songwriters.

The good news is three women are nominated within Song of the Year.

The Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year award is dominated by up and coming artists and composers with Alex Lahey, Celia Pavey (Vera Blue), Gretta Ray and LA-based writer to the stars Sarah Aarons nominated alongside Ben Abraham.

Vera Blue is up for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. Picture: Justin Lloyd.Source:News Corp Australia

Four out of the five songs in Most Played Australian Work feature female co-writers, Country Work is dominated by women including The McClymonts and Kasey Chambers.

Trash Sultana is the only women to break through in the Blues and Roots category and The Producer by Cable Ties is the only song in Rock Work to feature female co-writers.

The winners of the APRA Music Awards will be revealed in Sydney on April 10, hosted by Julia Zemiro.

SONG OF THE YEAR

Fallin’

Performer: Jessica Mauboy

Writers: Ivy Adara* / PJ Harding pka Thief^ / Louis Schoorl+

Firewood and Candles

Performer: Paul Kelly

Writers: Paul Kelly / Billy Miller

Running Second

Performer: Ainslie Wills

Writers: Ainslie Wills / Lawrence Folvig

Weekends

Performer: Amy Shark

Writer: Amy Shark

What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?

Performer: Gang of Youths

Writer: David Le’aupepe

Gang of Youths frontman Dave Leaupepe is nominated for Song of the Year. Picture: Tim Pascoe.Source:News Corp Australia

BREAKTHROUGH SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Writer: Alex Lahey

Writer: Ben Abraham

Writer: Celia Pavey (Vera Blue)

Writer: Gretta Ray

Writer: Sarah Aarons

MOST PLAYED AUSTRALIAN WORK

Adore

Performer: Amy Shark

Writers: Amy Shark / M-Phazes

Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix)

Performer: Starley

Writers: Starley Hope / Peter Wadams

Chameleon

Performer: PNAU

Writers: Nick Littlemore / Sam Littlemore / Peter Mayes

Fallin’

Performer: Jessica Mauboy

Writers: Ivy Adara / PJ Harding aka Thief / Louis Schoorl

Stranger

Performer: Peking Duk feat. Elliphant

Writers: Adam Hyde / Reuben Styles / Kaelyn Behr (Styalz) / Elliphant^ / Daniel Goudie /

Ashley Milton

M-Phazes is the producer and songwriter behind hits by Amy Shark and Illy. Picture: Christian Gilles.Source:News Corp Australia

INTERNATIONAL WORK OF THE YEAR

24K Magic

Performer: Bruno Mars

Writers: Bruno Mars / Christopher Brown / Philip Lawrence

Castle On The Hill

Performer: Ed Sheeran

Writers: Ed Sheeran / Benjamin Levin

Shape of You

Performer: Ed Sheeran

Writers: Ed Sheeran / Kevin Briggs / Kandi Burruss / Tameka Cottle / Steven

McCutcheon / John McDaid

Something Just Like This

Performer: The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

Writers: Andrew Taggart / Chris Martin / Guy Berryman / Jonathan Buckland / William

Champion

There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back

Performer: Shawn Mendes

Writers: Shawn Mendes / Scott Friedman / Teddy Geiger / Geoffrey Warburton