2021 has been a hard year for musicians, between lockdowns and cancelled gigs – but one thing is clear: the kiwi music scene remains as strong as ever.
Tonight, the Aotearoa Music Awards celebrates the achievements of our homegrown musicians from around the country over the past year.
Taking home the coveted Tūi Awards tonight are:
Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Nominees:
BENEE – Hey U x
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting
The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship
TEEKS – Something To Feel
Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar
Winner:
L.A.B – L.A.B IV
Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year
Nominees:
Harper Finn – Dance Away These Days
Lorde – Solar Power
Six60 – All She Wrote
TEEKS – Remember Me
Troy Kingi – Sleep (Slumber)
Winner:
L.A.B – Why Oh Why
Te Roopu Toa | Best Group
Nominees:
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting
The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship
Shapeshifter – Rituals
Winner:
L.A.B – L.A.B IV
Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist
Nominees:
Anna Coddington – Beams
BENEE – Hey U x
Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar
Winner:
TEEKS – Something To Feel
Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Nominees:
Foley – Vacation
Muroki – Wavy
Niko Walters – Not My Neighbour
Winner:
Harper Finn – Dance Away These Days
Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist
Nominees:
Mara TK
Troy Kingi
Winner:
TEEKS
Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist
Nominees:
Foley
LA Women
Winner:
BENEE
Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist
Nominees:
Anthonie Tonon
Wax Chattels
Winner:
Na Noise
Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Nominees:
Mara TK
Troy Kingi
Winner:
TEEKS
Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist
Nominees:
Diggy Dupé
SWIDT
Winner:
Team Dynamite
Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist
Nominees:
Grove Roots
Tomorrow People
Winner:
L.A.B
Mana Reo Award
Nominees:
Rei Hoki Mai – Come Back
The Nudge & Troy Kingi – He Orite
Winner:
Te Nūtube – Peke
Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist
Nominees:
Shapeshifter
Sola Rosa
Winner:
Paige Julia
Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist
Nominees:
Ekko Park
Mako Road
Winner:
Dead Favours
Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist
Nominees:
Justin DeHart
Tony Yan Tong Chen
Winner:
Claire Cowan
Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa/Best Country Music Artist
Nominees:
Jody Direen
Ryan Fisherman
Winner:
Tami Neilson
Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa/Best Folk Artist
Nominees:
Darren Watson
You Me Everybody
Winner:
Tattletale Saints
Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa/Best Jazz Artist
Nominees:
Lucien Johnson
Unwind
Winner:
The Jac
Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa/Best Pacific Music Album
Nominees:
Lou’ana
Lepani
Winner:
Tree
Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa/Best Children’s Music Artist
Nominees:
Chris Lam Sam
Music with Michal
Winner:
fleaBITE
Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa | Best Producer
Nominees:
Harry Huavi (Team Dynamite – Respect The Process)
Joel Little
Winner:
Delaney Davidson & Jol Mulholland (Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder)
Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer
Nominees:
Simon Gooding (TEEKS – Something To Feel)
Lee Prebble & Ara Adams Tamatea (L.A.B – L.A.B IV)
Winner:
Jol Mulholland (Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder)
Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Album Artwork
Nominees:
Frances Carter (TEEKS – Something To Feel)
Jaime Robertson, Matthias Heidrich, Andrew Spraggon (Sola Rosa – Chasing The Sun)
Winner:
Amanda Cheng (Wax Chattels – Clot)
Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content
Nominees:
Anahera Parata (Louis Baker – Brighter Day)
Winner:
Alexander Gander (Georgia Lines – No One Knows)
Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist
Winner:
Six60
Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | Radio Airplay Record of the Year
5. Drax Project (Ft. Fetty Wap and AACACIA) – Firefly
4. Six60 – All She Wrote
3. L.A.B – Why Oh Why
2. Niko Walters – Not My Neighbour
Winner:
Six60 – Fade Away
Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice
Winner:
Te Nūtube
Kaiārahi Puoro o te Tau | Music Teacher of the Year
Nominees:
Andrea Rabin (Papakura High School)
Jeni Little (Hobsonville Point Secondary School)
Winner:
Jane Egan (Gisborne Girls High School)
Kaiwhakahaere Puoro o te Tau | Manager of the Year
Cushla Aston (Aston Road) – Louis Baker
Lorraine Barry (Lorraine Barry Management) – Sir Dave Dobbyn, Tom Scott, Team Dynamite, Aaradhna and VGB
Winner:
Nicole Thomas & Paula Yeoman (NicNak Media Ltd) – Theia, Chores, Paige, Abby Wolfe, & Nganeko
Five Wāhine Toa were also inducted into Te Whare Taonga Puoro o Aotearoa | the NZ Music Hall of Fame tonight: Annie Crummer, Debbie Harwood, Dianne Swann, Margaret Urlich and Kim Willoughby, recognised for their individual contributions to Aotearoa’s music scene as well as their joint endeavour as influential band When the Cat’s Away, the inspiration they have provided to local artists and audiences, and their importance in shaping New Zealand’s popular culture. Presented by NZ Music Hall of Fame Trust, the inductions were undertaken in a private ceremony whereupon inductees are gifted a tapu taonga, in accordance with tikanga Māori, with a public acknowledgement at the live broadcast.
Recorded Music New Zealand Kaiwhakahaere o Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa Sarah Owen is excited to be able to celebrate this year’s awards. “Our ringapuoro and their waiata are always there for us as the soundtrack of our shared experiences – they tell our stories and make us feel,” says Owen. “Even as we continue to navigate through the pandemic and the disturbance it brings, our music community deserve to be acknowledged. It’s an honour and a privilege to present the 2021 Aotearoa Music Awards Tūī to celebrate our artists achievements. Ngā mihi nui ki te hunga whiringa toa!”
Thanks to the official Aotearoa Music Awards audio streaming partner Spotify you can check out all the finalists here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qALFVU1inW45NlUgS3W2q?si=9ebdfb5b02f74cd2