Genesis Owusu swept the 37th annual ARIA Awards on Wednesday night, securing three awards – just one behind Troye Sivan’s four awards.
What makes the win particularly impressive is that the 25-year-old Ghanaian-Australian artist took the big win with an album he wrote about the tortured life of a cockroach.
Struggler, a concept album “about a cockroach that runs and runs,” won best independent release, best hip-hop/rap release and album of the year.
In his first acceptance speech, Genesis said he owed his second album’s win to his team, praising them for “trusting the vision” of his bizarre musical ideas.
“If I told another team [about the cockroach idea], they definitely didn’t put any funding behind it. “I’m very happy to be with this team,” he said.
25-year-old Genesis Owusu (pictured) swept the 37th annual ARIA Awards on Wednesday night, securing three awards – just one behind Troye Sivan’s four awards. Pictured at the 2021 ARIA Awards
In his second win of the night, the Canberra native, who accepted his awards via video link, spoke about his deep connection to the hip hop genre.
“This album is a lot of different things, a lot of different sounds. “As an artist, I explore a lot of different things, but without hip hop I wouldn’t be here,” he said.
“I started with hip hop. Hip hop made me who I am. This allowed me to talk about the things I wanted to talk about. That’s why I always appreciate it with all my heart.’
What makes the win particularly impressive is that the Ghanaian-Australian artist achieved the big win with an album he wrote about the tortured life of a cockroach
Struggler, a concept album “about a cockroach that runs and runs,” won best independent release, best hip-hop/rap release and album of the year
When Genesis released Album of the Year, he explained what Struggler was really about by making a massive political statement.
‘[Struggler] “It’s about humanity and our dogged persistence to wake up every day and survive an oppressive existence,” he said.
At the end of the evening, Genesis took a clear stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which thousands of people have died on both sides.
!['[Struggler] “It’s about humanity and our dogged persistence to wake up every day and survive an oppressive existence,” Genesis said of the album. Pictured at the 2022 ARIA Awards](https://www.spamchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1700051432_439_ARIA-Awards-2023-Musicians-cockroach-inspired-album-scoops-three-major-awards.jpeg "ARIA Awards 2023: Musician's cockroach-inspired album scoops three major awards 6")
‘[Struggler] “It’s about humanity and our dogged persistence to wake up every day and survive an oppressive existence,” Genesis said of the album. Pictured at the 2022 ARIA Awards
Speaking out against Israel’s attacks on Palestine, he said: “There are terrible things happening in the world right now and I think that as a community we should leave our minds, our hearts and our bodies behind to get at every possible juncture to stop.” .’
“With that in mind: ceasefire now, ceasefire now, ceasefire now, free Palestine.”
This year marks seven official ARIA Award wins for Genesis and its second win for Album of the Year.
He was a big winner at the 2021 ARIA Awards, winning Best Cover, Best Independent Release, Best Hip-Hop Release and Album of the Year.
At the end of the evening, Genesis took a clear stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which thousands of people have died on both sides
“Ceasefire now, ceasefire now, ceasefire now, free Palestine,” he said