The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has crowned Björk Best Live Performer 2023 in its publicly-voted category and revealed the final nominees heading to the judges.
Black Lives in Music CEO, Dr Charisse Beaumont, will be honoured with the Diversity Champion Award when the winners are revealed at London's Roundhouse on Tuesday, September 26th.
This year, the AIM Awards see the return of the PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist, with a shortlist featuring AntsLive, John Summit, Surya Sen, Vibe Chemistry, and Wet Leg.
In the ‘Best Independent Label’ category nods were given to Defected Records, Forever Living Originals, Hospital Records, One Little Independent, and Transgressive.
‘Best Boutique Label’ nominees are Chess Club Records, Glasgow Underground, Houndstooth, Rough Bones, and So Young Records.
‘Music Entrepreneur of the Year’ shines a light on an individual within the independent community who has shown considerable innovation and success. This years’ shortlist includes founder of music marketing app Un:hurd Alex Brees, Young founder & label head Caius Pawson, Director at Good Energy PR Jess Kangalee, founder and CEO of creative solutions company Forward Slash Ketura Cummings and founder of HQ Familia record label and studio Yasin El-Ashrafi.
‘Best Creative Campaign’ is awarded to labels whose teams have executed outstanding album campaigns, using innovation to bring an enhanced experience for fans. 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’), and XL Recordings (Yaeji - ‘With A Hammer’) are all in the running.
Silvia Montello, CEO at AIM said: “The AIM Independent Music Awards are a night to celebrate the best of the UK’s independent music community, and to showcase its triumphs and innovations. We are proud to be able to honour the diversity and talent across the UK ‘s independent labels, artists, entrepreneurs and champions and it’s fantastic to see continued public recognition of Björk’s trailblazing live shows!”
Newly-announced winners and nominees
Diversity Champion
Charisse Beaumont - Black Lives in Music
Best Live Performance
Björk (One Little Independent)
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)
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Alex Brees - Un:hurd
Caius Pawson - Young / Space
Jess Kangalee - Good Energy PR
Keturah Cummings - Forward Slash
Yasin El Ashrafi - HQ Familia
Best Boutique Label
Chess Club
Glasgow Underground
Houndstooth
Rough Bones
So Young Records
Best Independent Label
Defected Records
Forever Living Originals
Hospital Records
One Little Independent
Transgressive
Best Creative Campaign
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’)
XL Recordings (Yaeji - ‘With A Hammer’)
Previously announced nominees
UK Independent Breakthrough
Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)
I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Overmono (XL Recordings)
Shygirl (Because Music)
Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)
Best Independent Track (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)
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)
Best Independent EP/ Mixtape
Bellah - ‘Adultsville’ (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
ENNY - ‘We Go Again’ (FAMM)
Jessica Winter - ‘Limerance’ (Lucky Number)
Saint Joshua - ‘EP2’(Ditto Music)
yunè pinku - ‘BABYLON IX’ (PLATOON)
Best Independent Album
Avelino - God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music)
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 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)’
Jamie XX remix (Young) - Oliver Sim - ‘GMT’
Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - ‘Wolf’
One To Watch (BBC Music Introducing)
Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
Juice Menace (Supernature)
FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)
Laughta (MDLBEAST)
Master Peace (PMR)
Best Independent Video (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)
Black Lives in Music CEO, Dr Charisse Beaumont, will be honoured with the Diversity Champion Award when the winners are revealed at London's Roundhouse on Tuesday, September 26th.
In the ‘Best Independent Label’ category nods were given to Defected Records, Forever Living Originals, Hospital Records, One Little Independent, and Transgressive.
‘Best Boutique Label’ nominees are Chess Club Records, Glasgow Underground, Houndstooth, Rough Bones, and So Young Records.
‘Music Entrepreneur of the Year’ shines a light on an individual within the independent community who has shown considerable innovation and success. This years’ shortlist includes founder of music marketing app Un:hurd Alex Brees, Young founder & label head Caius Pawson, Director at Good Energy PR Jess Kangalee, founder and CEO of creative solutions company Forward Slash Ketura Cummings and founder of HQ Familia record label and studio Yasin El-Ashrafi.
‘Best Creative Campaign’ is awarded to labels whose teams have executed outstanding album campaigns, using innovation to bring an enhanced experience for fans. 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’), and XL Recordings (Yaeji - ‘With A Hammer’) are all in the running.
Silvia Montello, CEO at AIM said: “The AIM Independent Music Awards are a night to celebrate the best of the UK’s independent music community, and to showcase its triumphs and innovations. We are proud to be able to honour the diversity and talent across the UK ‘s independent labels, artists, entrepreneurs and champions and it’s fantastic to see continued public recognition of Björk’s trailblazing live shows!”
For etails go to aimawards.co.uk.
Newly-announced winners and nominees
Diversity Champion
Charisse Beaumont - Black Lives in Music
Best Live Performance
Björk (One Little Independent)
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)
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Alex Brees - Un:hurd
Caius Pawson - Young / Space
Jess Kangalee - Good Energy PR
Keturah Cummings - Forward Slash
Yasin El Ashrafi - HQ Familia
Best Boutique Label
Chess Club
Glasgow Underground
Houndstooth
Rough Bones
So Young Records
Best Independent Label
Defected Records
Forever Living Originals
Hospital Records
One Little Independent
Transgressive
Best Creative Campaign
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’)
XL Recordings (Yaeji - ‘With A Hammer’)
Previously announced nominees
UK Independent Breakthrough
Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)
I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Overmono (XL Recordings)
Shygirl (Because Music)
Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)
Best Independent Track (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)
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)
Best Independent EP/ Mixtape
Bellah - ‘Adultsville’ (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
ENNY - ‘We Go Again’ (FAMM)
Jessica Winter - ‘Limerance’ (Lucky Number)
Saint Joshua - ‘EP2’(Ditto Music)
yunè pinku - ‘BABYLON IX’ (PLATOON)
Best Independent Album
Avelino - God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music)
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 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)’
Jamie XX remix (Young) - Oliver Sim - ‘GMT’
Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - ‘Wolf’
One To Watch (BBC Music Introducing)
Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
Juice Menace (Supernature)
FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)
Laughta (MDLBEAST)
Master Peace (PMR)
Best Independent Video (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)