For Lorrae McKenna, who manages two of the original winners through her company Our Golden Friend, the attack reveals issues with the peak body for music and musicians in the state.
“I think that it really highlights the dysfunction of Music Victoria and the infrastructure of that organisation,” she said. “A lot of people in the music industry have been very frustrated by how Music Victoria has operated for a really long time, and how it hasn’t serviced us properly.”
The Music Victoria awards were held at Federation Square on October 24. Credit: Sam D’Agostino
After McKenna was informed by Music Victoria of the issue on Wednesday, she had the unenviable task of informing her acts, RVG and Good Morning, that after years of toiling without recognition, their moment in the spotlight was not a moment after all.
“We tie a lot of gratification to awards, but really we should be celebrating anyone who’s put out an album in one of the hardest years for this industry because that is the true testament,” added McKenna.
The manager, who describes herself as a “spiritual, woo-woo kind of girl”, added that she hopes there’s an opportunity in the mess.
“I feel like this is the tower moment for Music Victoria,” she said, explaining that the tower card in the tarot “speaks of burning infrastructure to the ground, rebuilding it the way we want it to be. We have a true pivotal moment right now to look at Music Victoria and burn that shit to the ground.”
Music Victoria would not speak on the record as the matter has been referred to Victoria Police’s cybercrime, fraud, scams and online safety unit for investigation.
However, it is understood that the organisation is baffled by the attack, given the relatively small prizes at stake.
Award recipients in all categories receive a trophy, and winners of some categories receive a prize, typically in-kind studio services worth up to $1000. The greatest value, though, is in the bragging rights conferred by a win.
Simone Schinkel, who had informed the board in early October that she intended to resign in December after four years as chief executive, said in an awards release issued on October 24 that “previous winners have often shared how these honours elevate visibility and recognition, and this year’s nominees and recipients are worthy of it all”.
The organisation claims a nomination in its awards “results in increased promotion, recognition and attention on your music, career, venue or festival. This recognition can translate to audience growth and increased record or ticket sales.”
Whether this is what the scammer or scammers hoped to achieve is unclear.
McKenna suspected it was probably orchestrated by “some 15-year-old in Brunswick who just wanted to see their favourite bands succeed”.
But whoever the perpetrator, and whatever their motives, she felt they might have done the local music scene a favour.
“This has nothing to do with me, and it has nothing to do with my bands,” she said. “It is actually a bigger situation about blatant disrespect for the peak body of our industry.
“I hope we can all see this as a powerful moment where we can actually build something from the ashes of this absolute f—ing shit show.”
