Minogue shines at ARIAS

Australia’s superstar gay icon Kylie Minogue is now a member of the Australian Recording Industry’s Hall of Fame.

Minogue was last night inducted into the ARIA’s first home of Australian music by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

In the highlight of the night’s proceedings, Minogue thanked the ARIA board for “an incredible honour”.

“I’m a very proud Australian and tonight’s award means so much to me,” she told the crowd, that included sister Dannii and model boyfriend Andres Velencoso.

Gillard first met Minogue earlier this year in Japan when they were guests at the Australian embassy fundraising dinner for the tsunami disaster.

The PM described the Pop Princess as a “a special Australian” who would take her “rightful place alongside music legends like Joan Sutherland and John Farnham and Paul Kelly” in the Hall of Fame.

Reading from some loosely scribbled notes, a rarity for the professional media darling, Minogue expressed “amazement (that) I am still here . . . gratitude, humility, wonderment and pride”.

She went on to thanks a collection of her closest friends including her family, manager Terry Blamey, mentor Michael Gudinski and stylist William Baker.

Minogue is the most successful Australian-born artist ever, selling close to 70 million records around the globe.

Next year she celebrates 25 years since the release of her debut single, Locomotion, which went on to be the highest-selling single of the ‘80s, and was her biggest hit until 2001’s Can’t Get You Outta My Head, which sold more than 4 million copies and shot to number 1 on the music charts of 40 countries.

Children’s group The Wiggles was also inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in recognition of the group’s 20 years service

The night’s big winner was Boy & Bear who collected five pointy trophies including Album of the Year and Best Group.

Gotye was the deserved winner of Single of the Year for his hit Somebody That I Used To Know which features Best Female Artist Kimbra.

Out Lesbian musician Sally Whitell took out Best Classical Album for Mad Rush: Piano Music of Philip Glas.

Guy Sebastian took home the highest selling single ARIA for his hit single Who’s That Girl? and Altiyan Childs won Highest Selling Album.

Album of the Year
Boy & Bear Moonfire

Single of the Year
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Best Male Artist
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Best Female Artist
Kimbra – Cameo Lover

Best Group
Boy & Bear Moonfire

Breakthrough Artist Album
Boy & Bear Moonfire

Breakthrough Artist Single
Boy & Bear – Feeding Line

Best Independent Release
Art vs Science – The Experiment

Best Adult Alternative Album
Boy & Bear Moonfire

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Billy Thorpe – Billy Thorpe’s Tangier

Best Blues & Roots Album
The Audreys – Sometimes the Stars

Best Children’s Album
The Wiggles – Ukulele Baby!

Best Comedy Release
Hamish & Andy – Celebrating 50 Glorious Years

Best Country Album
Kasey Chambers – Little Bird

Best Dance Release
Cut Copy Zonoscope

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Front End Loader Ritardando

Best Pop Release
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Best Rock Album
The Living End – The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating

Best Urban Album
Drapht – The Life of Riley

Highest Selling Album
Altiyan Childs – Altiyan Childs

Highest Selling Single
Guy Sebastian – Who’s that Girl (feat. Eve)

Best Classical Album
Sally Whitwell – Mad Rush: Piano Music of Philip Glass

Best Jazz Album
Elixir featuring Katie Noonan – First Seed Ripening

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album
Chris Lilley – Angry Boys – Official Soundtrack Album

Best World Music Album
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu Rrakala

Best Music DVD
AC/DC – AC/DC – Live at River Plate

Best Cover Art
Alter – Cut Copy, Zonoscope

Best Video
Natasha Pincus for Starkraving Productions – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Engineer of the Year
Francois Tetaz – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

Producer of the Year
Wally De Backer – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)

PUBLIC VOTED ARIA AWARD WINNERS

Most Popular Australian Artist
Birds of Tokyo

Most Popular International Artist
P!nk

Most Popular Australian Live Artist
The Living End