# Remi (band)

Remi (stylised in all caps) was an Australian hip hop duo consisting of rapper Remi Kolawole and producer Justin "Sensible J" Smith. Originally a trio, which included producer-engineer Daniel "Dutch" Siwes, the group released four full-length albums as well as two mix-tapes and four extended plays (EPs). Remi's 2014 release Raw x Infinity garnered critical acclaim, winning the Australian Music Prize, while its third album Divas & Demons (2016)—Remi's first as a duo—was nominated for the 2017 ARIA Award for Best Urban Album. The act's final album, Fried (May 2021), coincided with the dissolution of Remi.

## History

Remi was formed in Melbourne as a three-piece by Aderemi Matthew "Remi" Kolawole on lead vocals, Daniel James "Dutch" Siwes on co-production and engineering and Justin Scott "Sensible J" Smith on drums and production. Kolawole was born in Canberra to a Tasmanian mother and Nigerian father. He took classical piano lessons while growing up and started rapping on a dare from a friend. Siwes and Smith were neighbours and jammed in various bands in the late 1990s. The pair mentored Kolawole early in his solo career.
The trio's first recordings appeared in 2011, "Apollo 13" and "Ape", as free downloads through Kolawole's Bandcamp page. "Ape" was also the lead single from Remi's first album, Regular People Shit, which was self-released via House of Beige in 2012. "Ape" received high rotation on national youth radio station, Triple J. Remi's 2013 singles, "Sangria" and "Saggin" from the trio's mix-tape F.Y.G. Act 1, also gained consistent radio airplay, contributing to Remi winning that year's Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year award.
The trio's second album, Raw x Infinity, was released in June 2014 to critical acclaim. Backed by the singles "Livin" and "Tyson"—the latter a boastful nod to boxer Mike Tyson—the release was nominated for Australian Album of the Year in the J Awards of 2014. In March 2015, Remi was awarded the coveted $30,000 Australian Music Prize for Raw x Infinity, adding to the record's growing list of accolades.
Slimming to a duo in 2016, Kolawole and Smith released Divas & Demons, Remi's third album, which peaked in the top 10 of the ARIA Charts. The following year, the record was nominated for the 2017 ARIA Award for Best Urban Album.
The duo's final album, Fried, was released in May 2021 after being postponed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The pair also announced their split during the week of the album's release.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of studio albums, with release date, label, and selected chart positions shown :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | AUS |
| Regular People Shit | Released: 11 January 2012 Label: House of Beige Formats: CD, digital download | – |
| Raw x Infinity | Released: 25 July 2014 Label: House of Beige, Warner Format: CD, LP, digital download | 29 |
| Divas & Demons | Released: 16 September 2016 Label: House of Beige, Warner Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 10 |
| Fried | Released: 7 May 2021 Label: House of Beige, Jakarta Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | – |

### Extended plays

List of EPs, with release date and label shown :
| Title | Details |
| Childish (as Remi 'Remi.' Kolawole) | Released: 17 August 2011 Label: House of Beige Format: Digital download |
| Five Beats I Love (as Remi 'Remi.' Kolawole) | Released: 10 October 2011 Label: House of Beige Format: Digital download |
| Black Hole Sun (with Raiza Biza) | Released: 30 November 2018 Label: Low Key Source, House of Beige Format: 12" vinyl, digital download, streaming |
| Live at the Secret Creek | Released: 26 December 2019 Label: House of Beige Format: Digital download, streaming |

### Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with release date and label shown :
| Title | Details |
| F.Y.G. Act:1 | Released: 12 June 2013 Label: House of Beige Format: Digital download |
| Call It What You Want (F.Y.G. Act:2) | Released: 14 May 2015 Label: House of Beige Format: CD, digital download |

### Singles

List of singles, with year released and album name shown :
| Title | Year | Album |
| "Ape" | 2011 | Regular People Shit |
| "Rock Ish Remix" | 2012 |
| "Sangria" | 2013 | F.Y.G. Act:1 |
| "Saggin" | 2013 | F.Y.G. Act:1 |
| "Livin" | 2014 | Raw x Infinity |
| "Tyson" | 2014 | Raw x Infinity |
| "XTC Party" | 2014 | Raw x Infinity |
| "Ode to Ignorance" | 2015 | Raw x Infinity |
| "For Good" (featuring Sampa the Great) | 2016 | Divas & Demons |
| "Substance Therapy" | 2016 | Divas & Demons |
| "Lose Sleep" (featuring Jordan Rakei) | 2016 | Divas & Demons |
| "My People" (featuring Thando) | 2018 | Non-album single |
| "Runner" (with Raiza Biza featuring Baro) | 2018 | Black Hole Sun |
| "5 A.M." (featuring Whosane) | 2019 | Fried |
| "Brain" (featuring Lori) | 2019 | Fried |
| "Elevate" | 2020 | Fried |
| "Get It Right" (featuring Jace XL) | 2020 | Fried |
| "Left a Note (No Master)" | 2021 | Non-album single |

### Music videos

List of music videos, showing year released and directors :
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
| "Ape" | 2012 | Ollie Cole |
| "Sangria" | 2013 | Jarvis Hunder and Michelle Grace Hunder |
| "Saggin" | 2013 | Jarvis Hunder and Michelle Grace Hunder |
| "Livin" | 2014 | Michelle Grace Hunder |
| "Tyson" | 2014 | Nic McRobbie |
| "XTC Party" | 2014 | Remi Kolawole and Bé Price |
| "Ode to Ignorance" | 2015 | Jam Nawaz |
| "For Good" | 2016 | James Ruse |
| "Substance Therapy" | 2016 | Jam Nawaz |
| "Lose Sleep" | 2016 | Jam Nawaz |
| "My People" | 2018 | Baz Richie and Harry Deadman |
| "Runner" | 2018 | Tig Terera |
| "5 A.M." | 2019 | Barun Chatterjee |
| "Brain" | 2019 | Barun Chatterjee |

## Awards and nominations
### AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | Raw X Infinity | Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album | Won |
| 2014 | themselves | Breakthrough Independent Artist | Nominated |
| 2014 | themselves | Carlton Dry Global Music Grant | Won |
| 2017 | Divas and Demons | Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album | Nominated |

### Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2014 | Raw X Infinity | Australian Music Prize | Won | |

### ARIA Music Awards

The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards or ARIA Awards) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2017 | Divas & Demons | Best Urban Album | Nominated | |

### J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2013 | themselves | Unearthed Artist of the Year | Won | |
| 2014 | Raw X Infinity | Australian Album of the Year | Nominated | |

### BET Awards

The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2017 | Remi | International Viewers' Choice Award | Nominated | |

### Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | himself | Best Emerging Artist | Won |
| 2014 | Raw x Infinity | Best Hip Hop Album | Nominated |
| 2016 | himself | Best Male Artist | Nominated |
| 2017 | himself | Best Male Artist | Nominated |
| 2017 | Divas & Demons | Best Hip Hop Album | Nominated |
| 2019 | himself | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated |

### National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | Remi | Live Hip Hop Act of the Year | Nominated | |