Songwriter Sarah Aarons might be best known for her collaborative effort on hit The Middle, but on Tuesday she was on top after winning one of Australia's most prestigious music awards.
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The Melbourne-born and Los Angeles-based 24-year-old has been named songwriter of the year, among a swag of gongs in the 2019 APRA Music Awards.
The award, one of many announced in Melbourne on Tuesday evening, recognises the most impressive body of work from an artist over the past 12 months.
Aarons' year has included writing songs for or with Camila Cabello, Galantis, Khalid, Dua Lipa, Lykke Li, Demi Lovato, Mabel, Peking Duk and Jessie Ware.
Grammy-nominated song The Middle, performed by Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey and co-written by a swag of others, also earned Aarons awards for Most Played Australian Work and Dance Work of the Year.
She also has honours for her work on The Rubens' track Never Ever which took the Rock Work of the Year prize.
Gold Coast singer-songwriter Amy Shark finally cracked the Peer-Voted Song of the Year award for her hit I Said Hi after being nominated three years running.
Shark's track also won the Pop Work of the Year award which comes off the back of a stellar awards season for her album Love Monster.
Dean Lewis was named Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year while his track Be Alright secured a share of the Outstanding International Achievement Award along with 5 Seconds of Summer for their anthemic song Youngblood.
The Urban Work of the Year award went to Hilltop Hoods for Clark Griswold (feat. Adrian Eagle), while siblings Angus and Julia Stone won Blues and Roots Work of the Year for Chateau.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Sia won the Most Played Australian Work Overseas for Cheap Thrills.
Country music star Lee Kernaghan delivered a tribute to the late Rob Potts who was remembered for his work as a promoter.
AUSTRALASIAN PERFORMING RIGHT ASSOCIATION MUSIC WINNERS 2019:
* Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year - I Said Hi, Amy Shark
* Songwriter of the Year - Sarah Aarons
* Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year - Dean Lewis
* Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music - Rob Potts
* Overseas Recognition Award - Lindsay Rimes
* Outstanding International Achievement Awards - Youngblood, 5 Seconds of Summer and, Be Alright - Dean Lewis
* Most Played Australian Work - The Middle, Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey
* Dance Work of the Year - The Middle, Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey
* Rock Work of the Year - Never Ever, The Rubens feat. Sarah
* Pop Work of the Year - I Said Hi, Amy Shark
* Urban Work of the Year - Clark Griswold, Hilltop Hoods feat. Adrian Eagle
* Country Work of the Year - Day Drunk, Morgan Evans
* Blues & Roots Work of the Year - Chateau, Angus & Julia Stone
* Most Played Australian Work Overseas - Cheap Thrills, Sia
* Licensee of the Year - Clancy's Fish Pub, WA.
* International Work of the Year - Perfect, Ed Sheeran
Australian Associated Press
