Amy Louise Billings (born 14 May 1986), known professionally as Amy Shark, is an Australian
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...
singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from the
Gold Coast, Queensland
The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nati ...
. During 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and performed under the name Amy Cushway. Her 2016 single "
Adore" peaked at number 3 on the
ARIA Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
and was also listed at number 2 on the
Triple J Hottest 100, 2016
The 2016 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2017. It is the 24th countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station Triple J.
2016's countdown broke several Hot ...
. Her album ''
Love Monster'' (July 2018) debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Shark has won 8
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
from 29 nominations, including winning
Best Pop Release three times: in
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
for her extended play, ''
Night Thinker
''Night Thinker'' is the fifth extended play (EP) by Australian alternative pop singer-songwriter Amy Shark. It was released on 21 April 2017 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Charts, ARIA Albums Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2017, ' ...
'',
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
for ''Love Monster'' and
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
for "
Everybody Rise".
Early life
Amy Shark was born on the
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
on 14 May 1986.
Her mother, Robyn, remarried and raised Shark on the Gold Coast with her stepfather David Cushway and a younger half-sibling.
She is of Hungarian and English descent.
She attended
Southport State High School
Southport State High School is a secondary school situated in Southport on the Gold Coast, Queensland in Australia. Southport State High School was the first public high school on the Gold Coast, celebrating its 100th centenary in 2016. 'Resp ...
,
where she performed in theatre, studied film, and played guitar in an all-female punk-band.
She described her first group, Dorothy's Rainbow and Hansel Kissed Gretel, as "'quite thrashy', though it fell apart when its members splintered. 'I kept going, kept writing songs on my acoustic guitar'."
Her first job was selling T-shirts at a souvenir shop, Gone Troppo.
Shark entered a singing competition in 2007 at the behest of her then-boyfriend Shane Billings.
She subsequently performed under various names, including Amy Cushway, Amy Billings, and as Little Sleeper.
Career
2008–2013: Amy Cushway
Amy Shark recorded and performed as Amy Cushway from 2008 to 2012. Her first solo gig was at Burleigh Bears Rugby League Club, where she performed cover versions. Initial solo performances had her singing to an acoustic guitar. In June 2008 Cushway supported gigs by Brianna Carpenter at The Globe and at The Red Brick Hotel, Brisbane. She released her debut extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. , ''I Thought of You Out Loud'', which included the track, "Take Time Take Me", in mid-2008 and performed the EP at solo gigs from July. She later described this EP, " twas me not knowing any chords but so emotionally drained that I needed something to lift me up and get my blood flowing again." The singer-songwriter made the finals for the 2008 Q Songs Awards in August with "Take Time Take Me" for the alternative category. She reflected on her writing style, "It's so much easier and more enjoyable to start from scratch with a song and write it exactly how you want. It sounds selfish, but it's just reality ..I definitely write songs that the typical ear hasn't heard before, the lyrics are honest and relate to all ages. I'm not trying to write songs solely for radio … I want hard hitting pop rock songs that can be played on radio, whilst having the potential to be blasted through stadiums." She derived inspiration from Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara () are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumental ...
, "they find different ways to deliver the meaning of a song with lyrics that don’t necessarily spell it out." In November the artist backed Rhiannon Hart at Island Vibe Festival, South Brisbane.
Cushway's second EP, ''Love's Not Anorexic'', appeared in mid-2009, supported by a national tour from July. The title attracted criticism from community groups, she explained "it was not a personal attack to people suffering from anorexia but a good catchy title." Another EP track, "Cool Kids Die", relates to recent acquaintances of her age group who had died, "It's not fair that they were all decent, polite and cool kids. Life isn't fair sometimes." Christie Eliezer of ''In Music & Media'' described the EP, "Her new tracks see her move from delicate acoustic ballads to thunderous beats, as 'Little Overweight for TV' and 'Breathing on Aeroplanes' streaming on er websiteshow. Labels are sniffing..." Whereas the artist felt, " t'sa slightly grown up version of the one before with a splash of garage electric guitar." She made the finals of the 2009 Q Songs with, "Stupid not To", vying for the Q Music Encouragement Award. In November of that year the artist described her early material, "As much as I enjoy writing intricate acoustic ballads, there's nothing better than adding thunderous beats and raw energy to your set." She was living in Varsity Lakes
Varsity Lakes is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Varsity Lakes had a population of 15,026 people.
The suburb was originally known as ''Stephens'', but in 2002, Stephens, Andrews and a section of Robina we ...
in April 2010 and explained how, " ecord companiesdid not ask for demos now, but just asked what her MySpace page was." In late 2010 she formed the band, Fly Boy Fly, with collaborator and bassist, Ryan Nash, and drummer, Tom Moore. "A few people put it into my head, if I ever thought of fronting a band." The band's name "was kind of a mixture of things. I'm a little bit obsessed with Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
and The Lost Boys
''The Lost Boys'' is a 1987 American supernatural black comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Harvey Bernhard with a screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, from a story by Fischer and Jeremia ...
, and my partner Shane is very much into war movies... one night we got out Flyboys... ndthrew around some and
or AND may refer to:
Logic, grammar, and computing
* Conjunction (grammar), connecting two words, phrases, or clauses
* Logical conjunction in mathematical logic, notated as "∧", "⋅", "&", or simple juxtaposition
* Bitwise AND, a boolea ...
names and that was one of them."
Cushway described her third EP, ''Broadway Gossip'' (October 2010), "this was me returning home to Australia from the United States and thinking I need to experiment with beats." Cushway's first album, ''It's a Happy City'' appeared in March 2012. "It's extremely fun and I recommend it to you, your parents, grandparents or anyone with a pulse" she explained. In early 2012 Billings was her talent manager with Rooftop Artist Management. By December 2016, Shark was no longer using the name Cushway, and material under that name had been deleted from her accounts.
2013–2017: New name and ''Night Thinker''
During 2013, the artist started using the stage name, Amy Shark, because ''Jaws
Jaws or Jaw may refer to:
Anatomy
* Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth
** Mandible, the lower jaw
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker''
* ...
'' was her favourite film. In February 2014 she independently released a five-track extended play, ''Nelson''. One of its tracks, "Weight of the World", was a finalist at the 2013 Queensland Music Awards
The Queensland Music Awards (commonly known as QMA and known as the Q Song Awards from 2006 to 2010) are annual awards celebrating Queensland's emerging artists. They commenced in 2006.
Each year, the QMA Song of the Year is immortalised in a ...
in the regional category. She activated a new YouTube account, as Amy Shark Music, in 2014 and issued a single, "Spits on Girls", in July.
Shark released her next self-produced single, "Golden Fleece", in October 2015, originally under the name, Little Sleeper.[ Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'] The singer later explained why she dropped the Little Sleeper name, "I've been in talks with these music supervisors in America ... And they said we'd prefer it if I was playing under the name Amy Shark again." Chris Singh of ''The AU Review.com'' observed, "The song, powerful and penetrating in itself, is given visuals both understated and intense as Little Sleeper stands in darkness with her guitar and is progressively drenched in multi-coloured paint." It won Pop Song of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards in 2016, and Shark embarked on a nationwide tour supporting Sydney band, Tigertown in December. She received a grant from the City of Gold Coast
The City of Gold Coast is the local government area spanning the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and surrounding areas. With a population of 606,774 it is the second most populous local government area in Australia (City of Brisbane being the ...
council, which allowed her to work with more popular producers. She later recalled how music industry personnel had told her to quit, "Please stop sending unsolicited material to me, your music is no good and it's not something we would be interested in anyway."
In July 2016, she released her next single, " Adore", with co-production by Shark, M-Phazes
Mark Landon (born 1 February 1983), better known by his stage name M-Phazes, is an Australian-born producer based in LA. He has produced records for Logic, Demi Lovato, Madonna, Eminem, Kehlani, Zara Larsson, Remi Wolf, Kiiara, Noah Cyrus, a ...
and Cam Bluff, in addition to a cover version of Silverchair's "Miss You Love
"Miss You Love" is a song by the Australian rock band Silverchair. It was released as the third single from their 1999 album ''Neon Ballroom''. AllMusic critic Jason Anderson called the song a weepy ballad reminiscent of Goo Goo Dolls.
Backgrou ...
" for Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's show ''Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
''. "Adore" received significant airplay on Triple J, leading to a bidding war between major labels, which was won by Sony Music Australia
Sony Music Entertainment Australia is the predominant record label operated by American parent company Sony Music Entertainment in Australia. SMEA also formerly published and distributed video games in Australia & New Zealand on behalf of Sony ...
. Shark signed with Wonderlick/Sony in November 2016. Two of her earlier singles, "Spits on Girls" and "Golden Fleece", were re-released by Wonderlick/Sony in 2016. "Adore" was listed at number 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2016
The 2016 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2017. It is the 24th countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station Triple J.
2016's countdown broke several Hot ...
, behind Flume
A flume is a human-made channel for water, in the form of an open declined gravity chute whose walls are raised above the surrounding terrain, in contrast to a trench or ditch. Flumes are not to be confused with aqueducts, which are built to tr ...
's " Never Be like You".
In March 2017, Shark released "Weekends
The weekdays and weekend are the complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest, respectively. The legal weekdays (British English), or workweek (American English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to working. In most of th ...
" followed by another EP, ''Night Thinker
''Night Thinker'' is the fifth extended play (EP) by Australian alternative pop singer-songwriter Amy Shark. It was released on 21 April 2017 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Charts, ARIA Albums Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2017, ' ...
'' (April), which peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Singles Chart. In April she won Artist of the Year and Song of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards. In November she was named Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
's UpNext artist. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2017
The 31st Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) are a series of award ceremonies which include the 2017 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine ...
Shark was nominated for 6 awards and won both Best Pop Release and Breakthrough Artist for ''Night Thinker''.[ARIA Music Awards for Amy Shark:
* Search Results 'Amy Shark':
* 2017 winners and nominees:
* 2018 winners and nominees:
* 2019 winners and nominees:
* 2020 nominees:
] She performed "Adore" at the ceremony. On 15 November 2017, she appeared on ''The Late Late Show with James Corden
''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show on CBS. It is the fourth and current iteration of '' The Late Late Show''. Airing in the U.S. from Monday to Friday nights at 12:37:28am ...
'' singing "Adore", and performed it again on 13 March 2018 on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
''.
2018–2019: ''Love Monster''
In March 2018, Shark provided, "Sink In", for the film soundtrack of ''Love, Simon
''Love, Simon'' is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Greg Berlanti, written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, and based on the novel ''Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda'' by Becky Albertalli. The film stars Nick Robins ...
''. The related album, by various artists, debuted at No. 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The following month, she performed at the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. on the Gold Coast, in a duet with Archie Roach
Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and Aboriginal Australian, Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara and Western Bundjalung people, Bundjalu ...
and an Indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
youth choir for a rendition of Roach's " Let Love Rule".
On 11 April 2018, Shark premiered a single, " I Said Hi", on Triple J before releasing it the following day. It received unpaid promotion by comedians, and digital radio show hosts, Luke and Lewis using posters, megaphone and a large home-made sign hung up next to the Fox FM Melbourne station logo. That promotion captured the attention of the singer-songwriter who displayed it on her own Instagram account. "I Said Hi" peaked at number 6 on the ARIA charts.
Shark's album, '' Love Monster'', was released on 13 July 2018 and it debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Charts. The album provided four additional singles, including " Mess Her Up" (March 2019). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2018
The 32nd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) are a series of award ceremonies which include the 2018 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine ...
, the artist won four ARIA Music Awards, with Album of the Year, Best Pop Release and Best Female Artist for ''Love Monster'', and Producer of the Year
The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality non- classical music at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors i ...
for Dann Hume
Dann Hume (born 1 September 1987) is a New Zealand musician, music producer, mix engineer and songwriter. Hume began his career with his two brothers (with Peter Hume and Jon Hume) who make up the alternative rock band, Evermore since 1999.
B ...
and M-Phazes work on "I Said Hi". She was the most nominated artist and equal highest winner in that year.
At the ARIA ceremony, Shark's acceptance speech for Album of the Year included her thanks to "the people who helped make her album. Her producers, her management and the fans." Also attending was her label boss, Denis Handlin
Denis Anthony Handlin AO (born 1951) is an Australian former entrepreneur and business executive who served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand and President of Sony Music Entertainmen ...
, however, "she didn’t thank Handlin, or the Sony label." She had acknowledged them in earlier speeches. According to ''The Sydney Morning Herald''s Nathanael Cooper, " andlinwas furious she hadn’t thanked him or Sony in her speech for the major award." Furthermore, Shark was "required to be in the office early the next morning to publicly apologise for failing to thank" him and the label.
Shark promoted ''Love Monster'' during 2019 on her Regional Australia Tour. In December 2019, the Chainsmokers
The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists. The EDM- pop duo achieved a breakthrough with the ...
' single, " The Reaper", featured Shark on vocals. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019
The ARIA Music Awards of 2019 are the 33rd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2019 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA ...
, she received four more nominations.
2020–present: ''Cry Forever''
For her latest album, Amy Shark worked with Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
, Diplo
Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
, Billy Corgan
William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band the ...
of Smashing Pumpkins, and the Chainsmokers. On 16 February 2020, Shark performed at the Fire Fight Australia
Fire Fight Australia was a fundraising benefit concert held on Sunday, 16 February 2020, as a means for raising funds for the national bushfire relief following the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, known as the 'Black Summer'. It was hel ...
fund-raising relief concert in Sydney for the effects of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season
The 201920 Australian bushfire season (Black Summer), was a period of bushfires in many parts of Australia, which, due to its unusual intensity, size, duration, and uncontrollable dimension, is considered a megafire. The Australian National ...
. Her live performance of "I Said Hi" appeared on the related album by various artists, ''Artists Unite for Fire Fight: Concert for National Bushfire Relief'' (12 March 2020). Thomas Bleach observed that she was, "euphorically telling the world that Australia says hi and thank you for all the support that has been given."
On 6 March 2020, Shark announced a management deal with Redlight's Will Botwin for international markets while husband, Shane Billings continued to manage her for the local market. On 23 October 2020, Shark released a single " C'mon" featuring blink-182
Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...
drummer Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Transpla ...
. Alexander Pan of ''Tone Deaf'' observed, " t'sa thumping power-pop ballad that's got a considerable amount of weight behind it." Two days later she performed at the 2020 NRL Grand Final
The 2020 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2020 National Rugby League season held at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on October 25. The match was contested between minor premiers Penrith Panthers and second-placed Melbo ...
at Stadium Australia
Stadium Australia, currently known as Accor Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park, in Sydney, Australia. The stadium, which in Australia is sometimes referred to as Sydney Olympic Stad ...
, Sydney. At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards
The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2020 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Ha ...
, she won Best Pop Release for her single, " Everybody Rise" (June 2020)—marking the third time she'd received the award. Shark performed the track live at the ceremony. She also performed as part of an all-female ensemble, singing "I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard during ...
", in honour of Helen Reddy
Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
(1941–2020). At the ceremony, she also won the public-voted category, Best Australian Live Act for her Regional Tour during 2019.
On 4 December 2020, Shark announced her second studio album for Sony, '' Cry Forever'', which was released on 30 April 2021. Shark released the single "All the Lies About Me", alongside the album's announcement and additionally announced a national headline tour for mid-2021. Shark revealed the album's track listing in an interview with ''Rolling Stone Australia
''Rolling Stone'' Australia is the Australian edition of the United States' ''Rolling Stone'' magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture, published monthly. The Australian version of ''Rolling Stone'' was initially published in 197 ...
'' Tyler Jenke on the same day.
"Love Songs Ain't for Us
"Love Songs Ain't for Us" is a song recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Amy Shark, featuring Keith Urban. The song was released on 19 February 2021 as the fourth single from Shark's second studio album, '' Cry Forever''.
Shark recalls saying ...
", featuring Australian country musician Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...
, was released on 19 February 2021 as the album's fourth single. The song was co-written with English singer Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
. At the APRA Music Awards of 2022 it won Most Performed Country Work. On 19 March 2021, Shark appeared on Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's ''Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
'' segment, performing a cover of Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
's " Sugar, We're Going Down" alongside a performance of her original track "Baby Steps" (marking her debut live performance of the song). Shark appeared as a contestant on the sixth season of ''The Celebrity Apprentice Australia
''The Celebrity Apprentice Australia'' is an Australian reality television series which aired on the Nine Network. Based on NBC's ''The Apprentice'', it first aired on 24 October 2011 and originally featured Mark Bouris, the founder and chairm ...
'' from May to June 2022, she finished in the top 4.
On 28 September 2022, Shark was announced as a judge for Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
’s revival of ''Australian Idol
''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program ''Pop Idol' ...
'' for 2023. Amy released Sway This Way cover with R3HAD in July 2022. Amy released "Only Wanna Dance With You" in October 2022.
Personal life
Amy Shark's birth father separated from her mother, Robyn, when Shark was "just a baby, one or two."[ Upon the success of "Adore", Shark replied to her birth father's attempt to re-establish contact, "Haven't heard from my father in 15 years until now. It must suck knowing ur daughter got all this way on her very own! Now beat it! I'm busy."][ Of her stepfather, David Cushway, she recalled "I used to call him Dave and I remember the day I said to Mum, 'Do you think I could call Dave "Dad"?' She cried. She said, 'Why don't you go and ask him?' So I went and asked him, and he cried. I was only young but I remember it really well."][ Early recordings were credited to Amy Cushway (2008–2012).]
In 2007 Shark met Shane Billings (born ca. ),[ a New Zealand-born Gold Coast resident; they married on 11 May 2013.] Her written material is credited to Amy Louise Billings.[ Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'] The couple worked with the local National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...
football club, Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans are a professional rugby league football club, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australia and New Zealand's national rugby league club competition. The ...
: Shark as a video editor and Shane as a financial manager. She left the job in November 2016. Shane was also Shark's talent manager until she signed with Jaddan Comerford of UNIFIED Music Group
UNIFIED Music Group is an Australian-based music company. Founded by Jaddan Comerford in 2011, the company now has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, London and Los Angeles. UNIFIED Music Group runs record label UNFD, merchandise store 24Hundred, and ...
, and continued as her manager for the local market. The couple are residents of Broadbeach Waters.
Discography
* ''It's a Happy City'' (2012)
* '' Love Monster'' (2018)
* '' Cry Forever'' (2021)
Concert tours
Headlining
* Love Monster Tour (2018)
* Australian Tour (2019)
* Regional Australia Tour (2019)
* Cry Forever Tour (2021-2022)
* See U Somewhere Tour (2022)
Supporting
* Nostalgic for the Present Tour
The Nostalgic for the Present Tour was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Sia. The 23-date North American leg of the tour, which featured opening acts Miguel and AlunaGeorge, began at Seattle, Washington's KeyArena on 29 Se ...
(Sia, 2017)
Awards and nominations
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia
The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions of ...
. They commenced in 1987. Amy Shark has won 8 awards from 28 nominations; at the 2018 ceremony she received 9 nominations and won 4, heading up the leader board for the year.
, -
, rowspan="6", 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, , rowspan="4", ''Night Thinker'' , , Album of the Year , ,
, -
, Best Female Artist , ,
, -
, Best Pop Release , ,
, -
, Breakthrough Artist , ,
, -
, "Drive You Mad" , , Best Video , ,
, -
, "Adore" , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, rowspan="9", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , rowspan="3", ''Love Monster'' , , Album of the Year , ,
, -
, Best Female Artist , ,
, -
, Best Pop Release , ,
, -
, "I Said Hi" , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, Nicholas Waterman for "I Said Hi" , , Best Video , ,
, -
, Love Monster Tour , , Best Australian Live Act , ,
, -
, Steve Wyper for ''Love Monster'' , , Best Cover Art , ,
, -
, rowspan="2", Dann Hume & M Phazes for "I Said Hi" , , Engineer of the Year, ,
, -
, Producer of the Year , ,
, -
, rowspan="4", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, , rowspan="3", "Mess Her Up" , , Best Female Artist , ,
, -
, Best Pop Release , ,
, -
, Song of the Year , ,
, -
, Amy Shark Australian Tour , , Best Australian Live Act , ,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, , rowspan="2", "Everybody Rise" , , Best Female Artist , ,
, -
, Best Pop Release , ,
, -
, Amy Shark Regional Tour , , Best Australian Live Act , ,
, -
, rowspan="7", 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, , rowspan="3", ''Cry Forever'' , , Album of the Year , ,
, -
, Best Artist , ,
, -
, Best Pop Release , ,
, -
, Cry Forever Tour 2021 , , Best Australian Live Act , ,
, -
, "Love Songs Ain't for Us" (featuring Keith Urban) , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, James Chappell for Amy Shark – "Love Songs Ain't for Us" , , Video of the Year , ,
, -
, M-Phazes for Amy Shark – ''Cry Forever'' , , Producer of the Year , ,
, -
, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, , ''See U Somewhere Australia Tour 2022'' , , Best Australian Live Act , ,
, -
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia by the Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
(APRA) to recognise composing and song writing skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Shark was nominated for three categories at the 2018 APRA Awards and at the 2019 awards.
, -
, 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, , rowspan="3", "Adore" (Amy Billings Amy Shark, Mark Landon M-Phazes
Mark Landon (born 1 February 1983), better known by his stage name M-Phazes, is an Australian-born producer based in LA. He has produced records for Logic, Demi Lovato, Madonna, Eminem, Kehlani, Zara Larsson, Remi Wolf, Kiiara, Noah Cyrus, a ...
) , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , Pop Work of the Year , ,
, -
, Most Played Australian Work , ,
, -
, "Weekends" (Amy Billings Amy Shark) , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, , rowspan="3", "I Said Hi" (Amy Billings Amy Shark , , Pop Work of the Year , ,
, -
, , Most Played Australian Work , ,
, -
, , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, , "All Loved Up" (Amy Billings Amy Shark, Jack Antonoff , , Most Performed Pop Work of the Year , ,
, -
, rowspan="2", 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, , rowspan="2", " Everybody Rise" (Amy Billings Amy Shark and Joel Little
Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter. ) , , Song of the Year , ,
, -
, Most Performed Pop Work , ,
, -
, rowspan="2", 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, , "C'Mon" (with Travis Barker) , , Most Performed Alternative Work , ,
, -
, "Love Songs Ain't for Us
"Love Songs Ain't for Us" is a song recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Amy Shark, featuring Keith Urban. The song was released on 19 February 2021 as the fourth single from Shark's second studio album, '' Cry Forever''.
Shark recalls saying ...
" (with Keith Urban) , , Most Performed Country Work , ,
, -
Australian Women in Music Awards
The Australian Women in Music Awards
Australian Women in Music Awards (commonly known informally as AWMA) is an annual awards ceremony and conference celebrating the contributions of women in all areas of the Australian music industry. The two-day program includes forums, a show ...
is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.
, -
, 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, Amy Shark
, Breakthrough Artist Award
,
Country Music Awards of Australia
The Country Music Awards of Australia
The Country Music Awards of Australia also known as the Golden Guitar Awards (originally named Australasian Country Music Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales ...
is an annual awards night typically held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival
The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual Australian music festival held for 10 days from Friday to Sunday in mid to late January each year, sometimes including Australia Day, in Tamworth, New South Wales. The festival is the second bigg ...
. Celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music
Australian country music is a part of the music of Australia. There is a broad range of styles, from bluegrass music, bluegrass, to yodeling to Australian folk music, folk to the more popular. The genre has been influenced by Celtic and English ...
industry. They commenced in 1973.
!
, -
, rowspan="2", 2022
, rowspan="2", "Love Songs Ain't for Us" (feat. Keith Urban)
, (unknown)
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, (unknown)
,
J Awards
The J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...
are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
's youth-focused radio station Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
. They commenced in 2005.
, -
, J Awards of 2018
The J Award of 2018 is the fourteenth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio stat ...
, ''Love Monster''
, Australian Album of the Year
,
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an al ...
is an award presented by Viacom International Media Networks
Paramount International Networks (PIN) is the international division of Paramount Global. The division oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of key Paramount's brands outside of the United States. These brands include Paramount Net ...
to honour artists and music in pop culture
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* Pop (Gas al ...
.
, -
, 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, herself
, Best Australian Act
,
, -
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the Australian live scene – recognising the best vocal talents and musicians alongside ...
(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
, -
, rowspan="5" , 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, rowspan="5" , Amy Shark
, Live Act of the Year
,
, -
, Best New Act of the Year
,
, -
, Live Pop Act of the Year
,
, -
, Best Live Voice of the Year - People's Choice
,
, -
, Queensland Live Voice of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="4" , 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, rowspan="4" , Amy Shark
, Live Pop Act of the Year
,
, -
, International Live Achievement (Solo)
,
, -
, Best Live Voice of the Year - People's Choice
,
, -
, Queensland Live Voice of the Year
,
, -
, 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, Amy Shark
, Live Pop Act of the Year
,
, -
Queensland Music Awards
The Queensland Music Awards
The Queensland Music Awards (commonly known as QMA and known as the Q Song Awards from 2006 to 2010) are annual awards celebrating Queensland's emerging artists. They commenced in 2006.
Each year, the QMA Song of the Year is immortalised in a ...
(known as Q Song Awards until 2010) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.
, -
, 2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, , "Take Time Take Me" , , Alternative Song of the Year, ,
, -
, 2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, , "Stupid not To" , , Q Music Encouragement, ,
, -
, 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, , "Weight of the World", , Regional Song of the Year, ,
, -
, 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, , "Golden Fleece", , Pop Song of the Year, ,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, rowspan="3", "Adore"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, Regional Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="5", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, rowspan="2", herself
, Export Achievement Award
,
, -
, Singer Songwriter
,
, -
, "Adore"
, Highest Selling Single of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="2", "Weekends"
, Pop Song of the Year
,
, -
, Regional Song of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, "I Said Hi"
, Highest Selling Single
,
, -
, ''Love Monster''
, Highest Selling Album
,
, -
, Amy Shark
, Singer Songwriter
,
, -
, 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, "Mess Her Up"
, Highest Selling Single
,
, -
, 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, "Everybody Rise"
, Highest Selling Single
,
, -
, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, ''Cry Forever''
, Highest Selling Album
,
, -
Rolling Stone Australia Awards
The Rolling Stone Australia Awards
The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year. The awards initially commenced in 201 ...
are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.
!
, -
, rowspan="2", 2022
, ''Cry Forever''
, Best Record
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, "Baby Steps"
, Best Single
,
Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. The competition awards a ...
is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music
Albert Music, formerly J Albert and Son, is an Australian company with an estimated worth in 2009 of more than A$209 million. The company has major interests in music publishing and production and it earns significant royalties through its sub ...
and APRA AMCOS
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
. It commenced in 2009.
, -
, 2018
, "Adore"
, Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
, style="background:gold;", 1st
, -
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shark, Amy
1986 births
21st-century Australian singers
21st-century Australian women singers
APRA Award winners
ARIA Award winners
Australian women composers
Australian women pop singers
Australian indie pop musicians
Australian people of English descent
Australian people of Hungarian descent
Living people
Musicians from Gold Coast, Queensland
The Apprentice Australia candidates