Owusu wins Best Musician crown at Music Victoria Awards

TORQUAY musician Immy Owusu has achieved his biggest professional feat to date and been crowned Music Victoria’s 2023 Best Musician.

The African music and psych rock (Afrodelik) artist secured the major title against a star-studded field on Tuesday evening at The Edge in Melbourne’s Federation Square.

The Music Victoria Awards celebrated the state’s most talented artists, venues, festival and music industry leaders across more than 20 different categories.

Owusu, who fuses Psychedia, Zamrock and West African Highlife into what he calls “Afrodelik” beats, said he was over the moon to take out the award.

“It was pretty overwhelming, but I was just so excited.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting anything like it, so it came as a big shock.

“It was such an amazing night too, and hanging out with all these musicians who I look up to was such a cool experience.”

Owusu says his unique Afrodelik style has been inspired by a variety of music influences and sounds.

“I grew up playing a lot of coastal rock and psych rock, and then a few years back I started to really explore my background and its musical roots.

“I went on this great journey of learning how rock and roll was traced back to Africa and into the early music from African Diaspora.

“I went and played guitars and drummed with by grandfather and musician Agya Koo NImo in Ghana and it just evolved from there.

“It sent me down this path of making Afrorock and the likes, which I’ve been perfecting over the years.”

The 28-year-old recently released his debut album ‘LO-LIFE’ and said he is in the best space of his musical career.

“The feedback of the album has been nothing short of amazing.”

Owusu’s music has been featured as album of the week in Australia and in other countries around the world including France and Belgium.

“It’s crazy to think there’s more out there than just Australia in terms of music and its influences,” he says.

“I’m super keen to just continue exploring with it all.

“I’m also currently in the early stages of making a second album, which I might go over to Africa to record.

“I can’t wait to see where it goes.”

Surf Coast artist Leah Senior (Best Folk Work and Best Regional Act), local band Bones and Jones (Best Regional Act), The Blues Train (Best Regional Venue or Presenter (Under 50 gigs) and The Barwon Club Hotel (Regional Venue or Presenter (Over 50 gigs) all achieved finalist status for the awards.

For the full list of winners and finalists, head to musicvictoriaawards.com.au/