Amy Shark responds after scathing NRL comments resurface
Amy Shark has responded after her comments slamming the NRL resurfaced just hours after it was revealed she will perform during the grand final pre-game entertainment on Sunday night.
The Australian singer, whose real name is Amy Louise Billings, took to Instagram to quash any bad blood between her and the game.
Amy Shark is in a pickle after some scathing comments she made about the NRL last year resurfaced. Hanna Lassen/Getty
Shark shared a video of herself celebrating the Brisbane Broncos at a match last year, writing over the clip: “11 months ago. I love the game… don’t believe the noise.”
The response comes after comments she made at an AFL event in April last year began doing the rounds again on Friday.
Speaking to a room of VIP guests at the AFL’s Gather Round, Shark claimed the NRL had been underpaying music artists.
“I’m from Queensland, so unfortunately I’ve had NRL pushed in front of me, which kind of sucks,” she said.
Amy Shark wrote: “11 months ago. I love the game… don’t believe the noise.” Instagram/@amyshark
“I’m not just saying that because I’m playing tonight. You guys [at the AFL], you know what’s up. We don’t need to totally drill the NRL into the ground but you guys know what’s up.
She then went one step further.
“In case someone is filming this … actually you know what, screw them,” she said.
“Honestly, they just screw around artists, you guys actually understand artists, thank you for doing that.”
When the comments landed online at the time, she was quick to address them.
But she wasn’t apologising.
“I can’t stop laughing. My phone has been blowing up,” she said on social media at the time.
“The truth is, this is not an apology, the NRL don’t pay artists enough. They don’t understand performances, production. They don’t invest.
“I love the game. Always have. I was playing at a corporate. I’m good at corporates. I was just playing to the room baby. It really isn’t a big deal. We all need to chill.”
The timing of their reappearance comes at an awkward time, with Shark now preparing to return to the NRL’s biggest stage.
Amy Shark previously performed at the 2020 NRL Grand Final match. Cameron Spencer/Getty
She will join members of The Screaming Jets, Grinspoon, Peking Duk and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers as part of an all-Australian lineup before the Knights take on the Roosters on Sunday night.
Shark is no stranger to the event either, having previously headlined the NRL grand final in 2020.
This year’s packed lineup of Aussie acts are slated to perform You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers while Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow does a victory lap.
He was forced into retirement this year after a shock diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and will be honoured with a tribute at the grand final.
Shark and the other artists will reportedly be donating their performance fee to MND causes in Arrow’s honour.
Tones and I had initially been in discussions to perform, before the deal fell through less than a fortnight before the match.
Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys subsequently said the money usually spent on a headline act would instead be directed towards grassroots rugby league, before revealing there would still be a musical component to Sunday’s tribute.
