Avelino, Ezra Collective and Shygirl Win Big at 2023’s AIM Awards

“Being independent is definitely one of the hardest things but it’s so creatively liberating too”, Raye mused in her acceptance speech. Having won Best Track in association with Meta with 070 Shake with their collaboration ‘Escapism’, the renowned independent artist summarised the vibe of the AIM Awards: it’s all about liberation and celebration.

Also celebrating some big wins was one of our AIM Awards Digital Cover stars Avelino, winning Best Independent Album in association with Spotify, and also taking to the stage for an exclusive 50 Years of Hip Hop celebration supported by BBC 1Xtra where he performed an homage to the genre and the people behind it.

The British rapper took to the stage to accept his award, and used his platform to talk about both his album, and the vital activist inspiration behind it: “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…” Avelino explained, “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.”

After winning the One to Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing award, British-Lebanese rapper and producer Laughta took to the stage for a vibrant performance too, celebrating her culture and showing off her unique sound.

The winners of the much-anticipated Best Creative Campaign were Partisan Records for Ezra Collective’s ‘Where I’m Meant to Be’ campaign: having just won the Mercury Prize a few weeks back, the fast rising group came along to collect the AIM Awards trophy in person and celebrated their win on stage. Following her widely praised debut Nymph and her sold out tour, Shygirl was awarded ‘UK Independent Breakthrough’, cementing the UK star as a must-know for 2023 onwards.

Check out the full list of winners and nominees from the 2023 AIM Awards below now…

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