GENESIS OWUSU: 'STRUGGLER' Named 'Album of the Year' at ARIAS

Genesis Owusu released his acclaimed sophomore album, STRUGGLER, in August 2023 via OURNESS / AWAL, which has received praise from the likes of NPR Music, Consequence, Paste Magazine. 

Earlier this week, STRUGGLER was named "Album of the Year" at Australia's ARIA Awards, among other wins and Owusu was names Australian Live Act of the Year by triple j. He also just wrapped up an extensive North American tour before heading to the UK, Europe and then back home to Australia for a headline run before the new year.

STRUGGLER is a bold soundtrack to uncertain times and features singles “Leaving the Light,” “Tied Up!” and “Stay Blessed.” The album is an 11-track narrative celebration of the inspiring stubbornness of the human will to survive. “Through pandemics, bushfires and wars, we’re still going to find a way to make it to tomorrow, and I think that’s beautiful,” says Owusu. 

On STRUGGLER, Owusu combed his eclectic taste to form a cohesive, concept-driven project where post-punk blends poetry, theater, garage rock, funk rock, hip-hop and heavy soul. Partly inspired by Owusu’s readings of philosopher Albert Camus, novelist Franz Kafka and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, the record paints a portrait using genres like shades of paint, freely exploring topics of resilience, hope, doubt, as well as the most basic of human questions: what’s the point? 

photo by Bec Parsons