Exclusive: McFadden dropped from ARIA Awards' Breakthrough category

07 September 2010

Irish-born, Sydney-based popstar Brian McFadden is no longer eligible for this year’s Breakthrough Artist award after ARIA today ruled him out due to his “previous success”.

With industry voting opening yesterday, many voters were surprised by McFadden’s inclusion in the category, given his previous success with million-album-selling boy-band Westlife and two previous solo albums (released through international labels).

After being approached by TMN, ARIA Award producer Mark Pope responded with the news and this statement:

“The ARIA Awards eligibility vetting process is rigorous, but not fool proof. In spite of three gates of checks and balances, still the odd anomaly slips through the cracks.

Brian Mc Fadden may be a new Australian, but it is obvious, given his previous success, that he is not a Breakthrough Artist as defined in the ARIA Awards Eligibility Document. The situation has now been rectified.”

He will be still eligible for other categories (Best Male, Best Pop Release), given he’s been a ‘resident in Australia for at least six months’ as the ARIA guidelines lay out.

His label Island/Universal declined to comment.