Everything you need to know about the NZ Music Awards

Find out who’s up for what at this year’s big event.

 

The finalists for this year’s New Zealand Music Awards are in - and Broods lead the way with their recently released 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.

But this time around, they’ll 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.

It won’t just be about them, though. 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 is said to be out in the near future.

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 the best producers, engineers and visual artists in the country. The winners will be announced ahead of the big event, 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.

The winners of the NZ Music Awards, which is now in its 51^st 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