ARIA nod shows Chet Faker is the real deal
Melbourne electronic producer Chet Faker leads the nominees in the 2014 ARIA Awards by more than his trademark hipster beard.
The alter ego for 26-year-old Nicholas Murphy, Faker has nine nominations in the annual gongs, two ahead of Brisbane sibling pop outfit Sheppard and three more than Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Sia Furler.
Faker’s swag of nominations include best male artist and album of the year for his No. 1 debut, Built on Glass.
The independent musician picked up his first three ARIA trophies today at the nominations and artisan award ceremony in Sydney where he was named 2014 ARIA producer and Built on Glass earned the engineer of the year title for Eric J. Dubowsky and best cover art for Tin and Ed.
Faker will battle Sheppard, Sia, Jessica Mauboy and Dan Sultan, who has five nominations, for the coveted album of the year honour at the main awards in Sydney next month.
He faces equally stiff opposition in Sultan, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Guy Sebastian and Vance Joy for best male artist.
Meanwhile Sia, whose sixth studio album 1000 Forms of Fear topped the Australian charts, is the frontrunner for best female artist.
She will need to beat fellow international star, rapper Iggy Azalea, plus Adalita, Mauboy and ARIA mainstay Kasey Chambers.
Young band Sheppard, who make their US television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this month, are nominated for best group alongside teen heartthrobs 5 Seconds of Summer, rockers Violent Soho, Sydney trio RUFUS and hip-hop veterans Hilltop Hoods.
West Australian acts are thin on the ground at the 2014 awards.
Perennial ARIA nominee John Butler Trio has three nominations while WA-born country artist Adam Brand and Perth psych-rockers Tame Impala each have one.
Butler and Tame Impala are both nominated for best Australian live act, a public voted category also starring Keith Urban, Boy & Bear, the Preatures and the Presets.
The popular song of the year category includes big hits from Iggy Azalea, 5 Seconds of Summer, Sia, Sheppard and Justice Crew.
Beyonce, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Eminem, Katy Perry and Kiwi star Lorde are among the star-studded 10 finalists for best international artist.
The ARIA Awards will be announced in Sydney on November 26.
