RAYE and Björk were among the leading winners at last night's AIM Awards 2023.
Taking place at the Roundhouse in London, the Association of Independent Music's annual awards ceremony once again recognised 'the achievements of independent labels, artists and entrepreneurs that make up the UK’s diverse and thriving independent music sector'.
RAYE took home the award for Best Independent Track for Escapism, her collaborative track with 070 Shake. She told the audience in a video message: 'Moments like this you work really hard for, and I’m just sending all my gratitude. Congrats to all the other independent artists doing it. Being independent is definitely one of the hardest things, but it’s so creatively liberating too.'
Björk, making her first personal appearance at an award show since the 2012 Webbys, collected AIM’s publicly-voted award for Best Live Performer.
'I’m incredibly honoured and grateful to have been chosen by the fans as the best live performer,' she said. 'I have been singing at concerts since I was a child and the audience’s presence merging with mine has given me many of the most rewarding moments of my life… Shout out to One Little Independent, and shout out to independent labels. Come on, we got this!'
Elsewhere, Avelino won the coveted Best Independent Album award for his record God Save The Streets. 'This is far deeper than thousands of sales, it’s about thousands of lives at stake on the streets of London and up and down the UK,' he said in his acceptance speech. 'To all the children in the trenches and to all my brothers and sisters out there trying to get through this madness, I hope you realise that rock bottom is only the stepping stone onto bigger and better things. God bless everyone and God save the streets.'
Other winners on the night included ENNY (Best Independent EP/ Mixtape), Shygirl (UK Independent Breakthrough), Wet Leg (PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist) and Partisan Records, who won Best Creative Campaign for their work on Ezra Collective's Mercury Prize-winning album Where I'm Meant To Be.
You can see the full winners' list from the AIM Awards 2023 below:
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify
Avelino - God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music) WINNER
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 Track in association with 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) WINNER
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)
UK Independent Breakthrough
Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)
I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Overmono (XL Recordings)
Shygirl (Because Music) WINNER
Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)
Best Live Performer
Björk: (One Little Independent) WINNER
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) WINNER
Best Independent EP/ Mixtape in association with BBC 1Xtra
Bellah - Adultsville (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
ENNY - We Go Again (FAMM) WINNER
Jessica Winter - Limerance (Lucky Number)
Saint Joshua - EP2 (Ditto Music)
yunè pinku - BABYLON IX (PLATOON)
One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing
Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
Juice Menace (Supernature)
FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)
Laughta (MDLBEAST) WINNER
Master Peace (PMR)
Best Creative Campaign in association with Able
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) WINNER
XL Recordings (Yaeji - With A Hammer)
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) WINNER
Jamie XX remix (Young) - Oliver Sim - GMT
Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Wolf
Best Independent Video in association with 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) WINNER
Outstanding Contribution to Music in association with Merlin
Stephen & David Dewaele - Soulwax / 2manydjs WINNER (Because Music / [PIAS])
Best Independent Label
Defected Records
Forever Living Originals
Hospital Records WINNER
One Little Independent
Transgressive
Best Boutique Label
Chess Club
Glasgow Underground
Houndstooth
Rough Bones WINNER
So Young Records
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Alex Brees - Un:hurd
Caius Pawson - Young / Space WINNER
Jess Kangalee - Good Energy PR
Keturah Cummings - Forward Slash
Yasin El Ashrafi - HQ Familia
Independent Champion in association with Downtown
Jaguar Bingham
Resident Music WINNER
Cafe OTO
Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music
Dan Carey WINNER
Diversity Champion
Charisse Beaumont - Black Lives in Music WINNER
Speaking about this year's ceremony, AIM CEO Silvia Montello said: 'The AIM Awards are always about more than celebrating the nominees, winners and attendees in the room; they celebrate everyone across our varied and diverse rights-holder community throughout the regions and nations. From the founders and long-established labels who’ve defined our sector right through to those forming the future independents. From the entrepreneurs driving new creative businesses to the artists carving out their independent journey.
'AIM celebrates the legends, visionaries, innovators, and all the creative talent who continue to keep our UK's vibrant independent music community the envy of the world.'
