Broods win at NZ Music Awards Photo: RNZ/Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The finalists for this year’s New Zealand Music Awards are in - and Broods are leading the way with their recently released new album, Conscious.
All up, the Nelson siblings have five nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Pop Album, People’s Choice Award and Single of the Year. Last year, the duo dominated the awards and took home four Tuis, including the coveted Album of the Year award for their debut full-length Evergreen.
Georgia Nott of "Broods" says she is excited to have been nominated in five categories this year's New Zealand Music Awards. She speaks to Morning Report's Susie Ferguson from Los Angeles.
This time around, Broods will be going head-to-head with Aaradhna, MAALA and Fat Freddy’s Drop, who have each scored four nominations.
Other nominees include The Phoenix Foundation and KINGS, who have three nods each, as well as Hollie Smith, Avalanche City, Rob Ruha and Tami Neilson, who all received two nominations each.
Bic Runga has been announced as this year’s Legacy Award recipient and will be inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. She holds the record for most Tuis won by a local solo artist, with 20, and she also has a new album, tentatively titled Close Your Eyes, which will be out mid-November.
Spycc & INF, Kane Strang and Scuba Diva have also been announced as the finalists for this year’s Critics’ Choice Prize. Last year, the award went to Auckland band Bespin and previous winners of the award, which aims to recognise potential NZ Music Award recipients, include Street Chant, Kimbra, Watercolours, Sheep, Dog & Wolf, and Randa. The winner will be decided by an anonymous panel of judges and announced on November 2 at a showcase at Auckland venue The Tuning Fork.
Organisers have also introduced the Artisan Awards, which aims to put a spotlight on producers, engineers and visual artists producing album artwork and music videos. The winners will be announced on October 20th, and nominees include Josh Fountain for his work on MAALA’s debut album Composure, Joel Little for his production on Broods’ new album Conscious and Devin Abrams, the solo artist behind Pacific Heights.
Anna Taylor's topographic cover for Lawrence Arabia's Absolute Truth is up against the portrait of Lontalius by Henrietta Harris and Simon Faisandier's abstract art for Arise's album Road To You.
VMA Cover art awards Photo: supplied
The NZ Music Awards, which is now in its 51st year, will be announced at a ceremony at Vector Arena on Thursday 17 November.
Here’s the full list of finalists:
Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
Broods – Conscious
Fat Freddy’s Drop – BAYS
Hollie Smith – Water Or Gold
Tami Neilson – Don’t Be Afraid
The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams
Vodafone Single of the Year
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
Broods – Free
KINGS – Don't Worry Bout' It
MAALA – Kind of Love
The Naked and Famous – Higher
Shapeshifter – Stars
Best Group
Broods – Conscious
Fat Freddy’s Drop – BAYS
The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams
Sol3Mio – On Another Note
Best Male Solo Artist
Avalanche City – We Are For The Wild Places
Dave Dobbyn – Harmony House
Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth
MAALA – Composure
Fiji Airways Best Female Solo Artist
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
Hollie Smith – Water Or Gold
Ladyhawke – Wild Things
Tami Neilson – Don’t Be Afraid
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
KINGS – Don't Worry Bout' It
Leisure – All Over You
nomad – Oh My My
SACHI – Lunch with Bianca
Best Rock Album
Beastwars – The Death Of All Things
Jordan Luck Band – Not Only… But Also
Villainy – Dead Sight
The Edge Best Pop Album
Avalanche City – We Are For The Wild Places
Broods – Conscious
MAALA – Kind of Love
Best Alternative Album
Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth
The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams
Silicon – Personal Computer
Best Urban/Hip Hop Album
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
PNC – The Luke Vailima EP
SWIDT – SmokeyGotBeatz Presents SWIDT vs EVERYBODY
Best Roots Album
Fat Freddy’s Drop – BAYS
Rob Ruha – Pūmau
Unity Pacific – Blackbirder Dread
Best Electronic Album
Electric Wire Hustle – Aeons
Opiuo – Omniversal
Pacific Heights – The Stillness
Te Mangai Paho Best Maori Album
Dennis Marsh – Maori Songbook 2
Kirsten Te Rito – Āiotanga
Rob Ruha – Pūmau
Best Worship Album
Edge Kingsland – Edge Vol. 3: The Common Good
Grace Vineyard Music – Seek You
LIFE Worship – By My Spirit
Best Classical Album
Anthony Ritchie and Ross Harris – Fjarran
Kenneth Young – Shadows and Light
Zephyr – Zephyr
Artisan Awards
NZ On Air Best Music Video
Chris Lane – Inside Out (Avalanche City)
Sam Peacocke – Buried By The Burden (Pacific Heights Ft. Louis Baker)
Simon Oliver – Secret Lives of Furniture (Ha the Unclear)
Best Album Cover
Anns Taylor – Absolute Truth (Lawrence Arabia)
Henrietta Harris – I'll Forget 17 (Lontalius)
Simon Faisandier – Road To You (ARISE)
Massey University Best Producer
Devin Abrams – The Stillness (Pacific Heights)
Joel Little – Conscious (Broods)
Josh Fountain – Composure (MAALA)
Best Engineer
Joel Little – Conscious (Broods)
Miller & Phil Yule – Shoot Me In The Heart (Miller Yule)
Samuel Flynn Scott & Lee Prebble – Harmony House (Dave Dobbyn)
Vodafone People’s Choice Award
Broods
Fat Freddy’s Drop
KINGS
MAALA
Sol3Mio
NZ Herald Legacy Award
Bic Runga
NZ On Air Critics’ Choice Prize Shortlisted Artists
Kane Strang
Scuba Diva
Spycc & INF