Here are the finalists for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards

8:50 am on 18 April 2024
A selection of finalists in the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards, clockwise from top left, Aaradhna, COTERIE, Tom Scott, Jordyn with a Why, Stan Walker.

A selection of finalists in the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards, clockwise from top left, Aaradhna, Coterie, Tom Scott, Jordyn with a Why, Stan Walker. Photo: Supplied

Stan Walker and Avantdale Bowling Club's Tom Scott are leading nominations for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards.

Walker (Tūhoe, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Porou) is up for five awards, including Best Solo Artist, Best Māori Artist, and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award, which recognises albums or singles with at least 50 percent te reo Māori content.

He is also nominated for Spotify's Album of the Year and Single of the Year awards alongside Scott, who is a finalist in eight categories.

The Beths.

The Beths. Photo: Tim Collins / RNZ

Scott's nominations are evenly split between his work on both Avantdale Bowling Club's TREES and Homebrew's album Run It Back, which he shares with Haz Huari. Three of these nominations are in the same categories, including for Best Hip Hop Artist.

Indie rock darlings The Beths are finalists in three categories this year, including the coveted Best Group award.

They share this nomination with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tiny Ruins, LEISURE, and Mermaidens - the latter of which have also earned nods for Best Alternative and Spotify Single of the Year awards.

Marlon Williams

Marlon Williams. Photo: Marlon Williams / Facebook

Marlon Williams is being recognised for his self-directed music video for 'Don't Go Back' with a nomination for Best Music Video Content, alongside three other nominations, and 2023 Taite Music Prize winner Princess Chelsea is a finalist for three awards, including Best Alternative and Best Solo Artist.

Wellington singer-songwriter Aaradhna is also nominated ahead of the release of her first album in eight years. She's up for Best Soul/RnB Artist - a genre she helped create in 2016 when she regifted her Best Urban/Hip Hop award to SWIDT.

The Aotearoa Music Awards took a break in 2023 following a review the previous year.

Recorded Music New Zealand chief executive Jo Oliver says it's special to be back with a fresh format this year, including two connected ceremonies: the opening ceremony and showcase.

"It was important for us to engage with artists and the wider music community about the format, purpose, and meaning of AMA," Oliver says.

"The message from the community was clear: the Aotearoa Music Awards is seen as essential, and aspirational for emerging artists.

Aaradhna

Aaradhna. Photo: Renati Waaka

"We heard strong support for our continuing commitment to embed te ao Māori and te reo and to reflect the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa. We also heard that more clarity was needed around the judging criteria and processes.

"We took the time to do that work and have taken steps to more actively promote diversity and inclusion across the judging process and the event."

"Congratulations to all the finalists ... we are so lucky to have such a wide range of remarkably talented artists and behind-the-scenes specialists in Aotearoa."

The 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards will take place on Thursday 30 May at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre. RNZ is the official media partner for the awards and will be streaming live video of the awards ceremony across multiple platforms on the night.

2024 Aotearoa Music Awards - full list of finalists

Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year

Avantdale Bowling Club - TREES

COTERIE - COTERIE

Erny Belle - Not Your Cupid

Home Brew - Run It Back

LEISURE - Leisurevision

Marlon Williams - My Boy

Paige - King Clown

Princess Chelsea - Everything Is Going To Be Alright

Stan Walker - All In

The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field

Tiny Ruins - Ceremony

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - V

Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year

Aaradhna - SHE

Avantdale Bowling Club - Friday Night At The Liquor Store

Corrella - Blue Eyed Māori

COTERIE - Always Beside You (ft. Six60)

Fazerdaze - Bigger

Home Brew - Run It Back

Kaylee Bell - Boots 'N All

L.A.B - Take It Away

Marlon Williams - Don't Go Back

Mermaidens - I Like To Be Alone

Stan Walker - I AM

The Beths - Watching The Credits

Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group

The Beths

Home Brew

LEISURE

Mermaidens

Tiny Ruins

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist

Avantdale Bowling Club

Fazerdaze

Kaylee Bell

Marlon Williams

Princess Chelsea

Stan Walker

Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist

Jordyn with a Why

MOHI

Rei

Stan Walker

TAWAZ

Tuari Brothers

Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

COTERIE - Purea/Cool It Down

Jordyn with a Why - He Rei Niho

MOHI - Me Pēhea Ra

Stan Walker - I AM

TAWAZ - He Aho

Tuari Brothers - Tuari ki te Ao

Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork

Andrew McLeod - The Coin That Broke The Fountain Floor (Clementine Valentine)

Lily Paris West - Mermaidens (Mermaidens)

Lily Paris West - Expert In A Dying Field (The Beths)

Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist

Grecco Romank

Mermaidens

Princess Chelsea

Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist

Michael Houstoun & Bella Hristova

Natasha Te Rupe-Wilson & Somi Kim

New Zealand String Quartet

Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Artist

Kaylee Bell

Matt Joe Gow

The Mitchell Twins

Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist

Amamelia

deepState

Elipsa

Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer

Amelia Murray & Emily WheatcroftSnape - Break! (Fazerdaze)

Simon Gooding - King Clown (Paige)

Tom Healy & Alexandra Corbett - My Boy (Marlon Williams)

Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist

Adam McGrath

Terrible Sons

Tom Lark

Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist

Avantdale Bowling Club

Diggy Dupé

Home Brew

Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist

Clear Path Ensemble

Dave Wilson

Myele Manzanza

Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content

Anahera Parata - SHE (Aaradhna)

Connor Pritchard - All My Friends (NO COMPLY ft. Wells*)

Marlon Williams - Don't Go Back (Marlon Williams)

Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist

Foley

Georgia Lines

Paige

Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer

Christoph El Truento - TREES (Avantdale Bowling Club)

Haz Beats - Run It Back (Home Brew)

Tom Healy - Ceremony (Tiny Ruins)

Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist

Dead Favours

Midwave Breaks

Racing

Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist

Corrella

Coterie

Sons of Zion

Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist

Aaradhna

Dallas Tamaira

Sam V