The Best Children’s Music Artist tui will be presented at the Children’s Music Awards, which will be held as part of Kiwi Kids Music Month on Sunday 6th May.  Started in 2008, the Children’s Music Awards strive to highlight & support the New Zealand Recording Artists, Songwriters & Composers, and Directors that write and/or record for our nation’s children.

In keeping with the changes to genre categories in the 2017 Vodafone NZ Music Awards, all nominees can now be put forward if they have released an album OR a minimum of five single tracks, as long as they have not previously appeared on an album, and were released within the eligibility period (1 January 2017-31 December 2017)

For details and instructions on entry, as well as the terms and conditions, please go here, then begin the nomination process here
(if you have already set yourself up as nominator click on ‘already have an account’).

For any questions regarding the nominations process please contact Sarah Leota sarah@recordedmusic.co.nz.

To be eligible for judging, all nominations including any accompanying material must be submitted and endorsed by 5pm on Monday 19 February 2018.

Entries are also open for the 2018 APRA Best Children’s Song, and NZ On Air Best Children’s Music Video.   For more details please see here

Entry for this award is open to recordings released between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017.

The award will be presented at the NZ Jazz Awards, to be held in Wellington as part of the Wellington Jazz Festival in June.  The NZ Jazz Awards recognise excellence and creativity in the broad world of jazz, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Wellington Jazz festival once again to celebrate the achievements of the NZ jazz community.

In keeping with the changes to genre categories in the 2017 Vodafone NZ Music Awards, all nominees can now be put forward if they have released an album OR a minimum of five single tracks, as long as they have not previously appeared on an album, and were released within the eligibility period (1 January 2017-31 December 2017)

For details and instructions on entry, as well as the terms and conditions, please go here, then begin the nomination process here
(if you have already set yourself up as nominator click on ‘already have an account’).

For any questions regarding the nominations process please contact Sarah Leota sarah@recordedmusic.co.nz.

To be eligible for judging, all nominations including any accompanying material must be submitted and endorsed by 5pm on Monday 12 February 2018.

Entries are also open for the 2018 APRA Best Jazz Composition Award.  For more details please see here

2018 finalists Reb Fountain, Albi & The Wolves and Candice Milner will be celebrated at the Auckland Folk Festival on Sunday 28 January where Recorded Music New Zealand will announce the winner of the Tui.

After six years in the making, Reb Fountain released her third studio album Little Arrows in September 2017.

Full of rich songs about grappling with relationships – both personal and institutional – the album’s release was celebrated with an exclusive nationwide tour across four New Zealand cities – Dunedin, Christchurch, Paekakariki, and Auckland.

Collaborating with the late Sam Prebble (Bond St Bridge, Mermaid & Mariner, The Broken Heartbreakers) and Dylan Storey (The Dylan Storey Band), Little Arrows is a unique blend of folk, rock and punk Americana that won over the hearts of listeners and peaked at #7 on the Official New Zealand Album Chart.

Magic happens when Albi & The Wolves get together. Their unique blend of folk, soul, bluegrass, rock and world music fuse to create a live experience unlike anything else happening in New Zealand.

Since forming in 2014, they’ve played countless gigs across the country, entertaining large crowds who can’t resist dancing to the infectious beat. In 2016, the trio released their debut studio album One Eye Open, which is a finalist for the 2018 Best Folk Artist.

The other debut album recognised for Best Folk Artist this year is Evergreen by Lyttleton-born Candice Milner. Released at the end of 2016 it reached #9 on the Official New Zealand Album Chart and #5 on the Heatseeker Charts.

Candice has been writing and recording since the age of 14, with her first single “Helping Hands” being released to support the youth cancer charity CanTeen NZ in 2015.

Working with local producer Ben Edwards (Tami Neilson, Marlon Williams, Nadia Reid), Evergreen is an eclectic collection of songs spanning country, folk and pop-rock to create something unique to Lyttleton and New Zealand.

Recorded Music NZ chief executive officer Damian Vaughan says there is astounding talent coming from the New Zealand folk music scene at the moment.

“There are three remarkable albums being recognised at the Auckland Folk Festival this year. It’s great to see musicians crafting unique albums right here in Aotearoa. Whether they’re debuting or have an established back catalogue of great music, it’s always special to see people come together to celebrate each other’s successes.”

Tickets for the Auckland Folk Festival are available from http://aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz/

The 21-year-old, who performed her hit ‘Green Light’ during the show, claimed the Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year for her second album Melodrama, Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Green Light’, Three Best Solo Artist, and The Edge Best Pop Artist. Her global success was also recognised with the International Achievement Award – a record extending fourth time she has won this award.

Lorde also won the coveted Vodafone People’s Choice Award, with the New Zealand public voting for her as their favourite artist from the past year.

With tonight’s haul, Lorde now has 18 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards to add to her brimming trophy cabinet which already includes two Grammys.

After bursting onto the New Zealand hip hop scene with SmokeyGotBeatz presents: SWIDT vs Everybody, SWIDT were finalists at the Awards last year.

This year, the Onehunga-based hip hop crew have been making bigger waves with the release of its debut album Stoneyhunga. Packed with humour, throwbacks and a personalised tour into what it was like growing up in Onehunga, SWIDT’s personality is what has seen them take home two Tuis tonight for Best Group and Best Hip Hop Artist.

New Zealand’s rising star Aldous Harding claimed Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Artist, following the release of her 2017 album Party and subsequent local and international touring.

She is currently performing in the United Kingdom before heading home for four shows at the end of November in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.

All eyes were on Sharon O’Neill tonight as she received the Legacy Award and was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. The celebration was emphasised by a stunning rendition of her hit song ‘Maxine’ by eight-time Tui winners Stellar*.

Alongside Lorde, songwriter and lead vocalist of Te Vaka, Opetaia Foa’i, was recognised with an International Achievement Award for his work on the soundtrack for Disney’s smash hit film Moana.

His music on the soundtrack was led by the single ‘We Know The Way’ and he contributed significantly to all the music within the film. Earlier this year, Opetaia was also presented with the Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement at the Pacific Music Awards.

Devilskin has been recognised as New Zealand’s Best Rock Artist for 2017. The band’shigh energy performance of ‘Pray’ rocked Spark Arena at tonight’s ceremony.

The band’s 2016 album Be Like The River reached #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and has received critical acclaim both in New Zealand and abroad.

Teeks (Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui) has been awarded the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist. He is recognised for his debut release The Grapefruit Skies EP which is filled with his soulful style and reached #10 on the Official NZ Top 40 Albums Chart.

Last year’s summer smash hit ‘Don’t Worry ‘Bout It’ by Kiwi hip hop artist KINGS has been celebrated again, winning the Tui for both Vodafone Highest Selling Single and New Zealand On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year.

This year, The Koi Boys have achieved phenomenal success with their debut album Meant To Be. Released in October 2016, the album has skyrocketed to the top of the sales chart as 2017’s Highest Selling Album.

After releasing her debut album in 2008, Ladi6 has remained a strong staple of the Kiwi music scene. This year she has earned the top spot for Best Soul/RnB Artist following the release of her six-track EP Royal Blue 3000.

New Zealand electronic duo Truth have received the Tui for Best Electronic Artist, while reggae musician Israel Starr was named the Best Roots Artist after a strong year of touring his new album The Producers Chair Dancehall, Vol. 1.

Curate Music won Best Worship Artist for their work on the album These Eyes, while Best Classical Artist was awarded to the NZTrio after the release of their album Sway.

Recorded Music CEO Damian Vaughan said 2017 has been another phenomenal year for New Zealand music, with a number of notable achievements internationally and here in Aotearoa.

“The sheer calibre of Kiwi musicians at the moment is astounding, we’re particularly thrilled to see such strong female representation amongst the finalists and the winners. Across all genres and musical styles, the sound of Aotearoa continues to evolve to encompass our diverse communities and reflect our identity as a country.

“The great number of first time finalists this year is a great sign for the bright future of Kiwi music. Today we’re celebrating each Tui win, but we’re already looking forward to seeing what our talented musicians are planning next.”

The 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards were hosted by comedians Jono and Ben and featured performances by Lorde, SWIDT, Devilskin, TEEKS, Theia, Opetaia and Olivia Foa’i performing ‘We Know the Way’ from the Moana film and a special tribute by Stellar* for the 2017 Legacy Award recipient Sharon O’Neill.

Tui recipients who received their awards during the year are:

• Best Jazz Album: Jonathan Crayford – East West Moon
• Best Folk Album: Guy Wishart – West By North
• Best Pacific Album: Aaradhna – Brown Girl
• Best Children’s Album: Anika Moa – Songs For Bubbas 2
• Best Country Music Album: Jody Direen – Shake Up
• Best Album Cover: Henrietta Harris – Otherness (Grayson Gilmour)
• Best Music Video: Joel Kefali – ‘Got It Bad’ (LEISURE)
• Best Engineer: Clint Murphy – Be Like The River (Devilskin)
• Best Producer: Ben Edwards – Preservation (Nadia Reid)

This year Ben Edwards took the Tui for Massey University Best Producer, Clint Murphy was named theBest Engineer, Henrietta Harris claimed the Best Album Cover and the NZ On Air Best Music Video was presented to Joel Kefali.

Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Damian Vaughan said it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the creative technicians and visual artists who ensure the quality of New Zealand music.

“The Artisan Awards is a night to recognise the people behind the scenes who add the often-overlooked touches to our favourite songs.

“Engineers and producers are the backbone of the high-quality songs and albums being released today, while album art and music videos add another dimension to the artistry of music.”

For his work on Nadia Reid’s 2017 album Preservation, Ben Edwards has claimed the Massey University Best Producer award.

Nadia Reid is up for three Tuis at this year’s Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. Ben has also worked with fellow 2017 finalist Aldous Harding as well as former winners Marlon Williams and Tami Neilson.

His local success has spurred international demand from Australia, Germany and the United States with Ben’s schedule booked up for the next 12 months.

The Tui for Best Engineer goes to Clint Murphyfor his work with Devilskin on their 2016 album Be Like The River, which peaked at #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and was recently certified gold.

Known for his work with local artists like Opshop, Annabel Fay, The Feelers and Kimbra, Clint has also seen success overseas – achieving three UK Top Ten Singles and three UK Top Twenty Records for his work on the Manic Street Preachers’ ‘Lifeblood’, Thunder’s ’Rip It Up’ and Melanie C’s ‘Beautiful Intentions’.

Although physical album sales are declining, album art is still proudly displayed on digital and streaming platforms to represent artists’ work and vision. This year, Henrietta Harris has won the Tui for Best Album Cover for her work on Grayson Gilmour’s album Otherness.

Henrietta masterfully hand-draws her images, which have appeared in shows all over New Zealand, Australia, London and New York, on t-shirts, on record covers and in fine print publications. She was also a finalist in 2014 for Grayson Gilmour’s last album Infinite Life!

While album art is a static interpretation of music, creating a music video to match and emphasise the song is an artform in its own right. Joel Kefalihas won the NZ On Air Best Music Video for his video for ‘Got It Bad’ by LEISURE.

He is no stranger to the industry. Beginning in 2007 in a duo under the moniker Special Problems, Joel and his creative partner Campbell Hooper began crafting music videos for musicians like The Mint Chicks, Kimbra, Gin Wigmore and The Naked and Famous. Since then, Joel has worked with everyone from Lorde to Katy Perry to complement their work.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on 16 November from 8.30pm.Whether you’re on the red carpet or your couch at home, you’ll be able to watch some of New Zealand’s finest musical talent at the Music Awards.

Tickets are on sale now, $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

Kua hipa te tau nui mō te ao puoro Māori me te matahuhuatanga o ngā kaiwaiata e rārangi mai ana kia whakawhiwhia ki te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho ki Ngā Tohu Puoro a Vodafone Aotearoa 2017. Me te tautoko a Te Puni Kōkiri rāua ko Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, ka tūtohu te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho i ngā kaiwaiata e whakaatu nei i te tuakiri Māori motuhake.

Ko TEEKS, Maisey Rika rātou ko Alien Weaponry ngā kaiwaiata i tae ki te whiringa whakamutunga ka whakanuia ki te Whare Tapere o Spark ā te 16 o Whiringa-ā-rangi.

I te tau 2011, ka whakawhiwhia ki a TEEKS (Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui) te tohu Best Vocalist i te whakataetae Smokefree Pacifica Beats, ka uru ai ki te kaupapa whanake i ngā kaiwaiata hou a Pao Pao Pao. Mai i reira ka whakatakoto ia i tana kohinga waiata tuatahi i te Āporo Nui me Aotearoa The Grapefruit Skies EP, i tae ki te #10 i te rārangi o ngā tino kohinga waiata 40 o Aotearoa.

Tāpiri atu ki te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho, e whai wāhi ana ia ki te tohu Breakthrough Artist of the Year me te tohu Best Soul/RnB Artist ki Ngā Tohu Puoro a Vodafone Aotearoa o tēnei tau.

He tino tau nui anō tēnei mō te manu tīoriori reo Māori a Maisey Rika (Ngāti Awa, Tuhoe, Te Arawa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui).

Ko 1998 te tau tuatahi i tae a Maisey ki te whiringa whakamutunga i Ngā Tohu Puoro a Vodafone Aotearoa, ā, i whakawhiwhia ki tana Tui tuatahi i te tau 2013 mō tana kohinga ātaahua Whitiora. I te Whiringa-ā-rangi 2016 ka whakaputa ia i te kohinga waiata Tira, 10 ngā waiata i āta kōwhiria mai i te kirihimete, i ngā waiata kapa haka, ngā waiata tira me ētahi waiata hou.

I whakawhiwhia ngā tohu e whā ki a Maisey i ngā Tohu Waiata Reo Māori o te tau nei – Tohu – Kōpae Mōteatea Hira, Tohu – Manu Tīoriori Wahine Autaia, Tohu – Waiata Māori Hirame te Tohu – Waiata Māori Hira. I tae anō a Maisey ki te whiringa whakamutunga o te tohu Maioha a APRA.

Ko ngā tūngāne Lewis rāua ko Henry de Jong (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Raukawa) me Ethan Trembath te tira Alien Weaponry – te pēne maitai takawhitiwhiti – te whakamutunga o ngā kaiwaiata i tohua mō te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho

He maha ā rātou waiata reo Māori, ā, ko rātou anake te tira waiata i toa i ngā whakataetae e rua arā Smokefree Rockquest me te Smokefree Pacifica Beats (2016). I tautoko anō hoki rātou i ngā tira waiata Devilskin me Shihad (i whakawhiwhia ki ngā Tui 16).

Nō Waipu ēnei taitama, ā, nō muri nei i whakawhiwhia rātou ki te Tohu Maioha a APRA mō tā rātou waiata ‘Raupatu.’ Kei te whakatika rātou ki te tū ki roto o Ūropi ā te 2018 i muri i te haina kirimana me tētahi whakahaere o Berlin. Kei te titiro te tokotoru nei ki te whakaputa i tā rātou kohinga waiata hou ā te tīmatanga o te tau e tū mai nei.

E mea ana te Kaiwhakahaere Matua o Recorded Music Damian Vaughan ka mutu te pai o te matahuhua o ngā kaiwaiata i tohua mō te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho i tēnei tau.

“I tēnei tau kua eke ētahi o ā tātou kaiwaiata motuhake, whakaihiihi hoki ki te whiringa whakamutunga o te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho. He tohu ngangahau tēnei e harikoa ai te ngākau,” te kī a Vaughan.

Ka pānuitia te kaiwhiwhi i te Tohu Kaiwaiata Māori Toa a Te Māngai Pāho ki Ngā Tohu Puoro a Aotearoa 2017 e pāohotia ai ki te hōngere Toru ā te 16 Whiringa-ā-rangi i te 8.30pm. Ahakoa ko hea koe, te whāriki whero, te kāinga rānei, ka āhei koe te mātakitaki i te tino o ngā kaiwaiata i Ngā Tohu Puoro a Vodafone Aotearoa 2017.

E āhei ana te iwi whānui ki te hoko tīkiti whānui $25 + utu tāpui, mai i Ticketmaster.

TEEKS, Maisey Rika and Alien Weaponry will be acknowledged at the Music Awards

It’s been another phenomenal year for Māori music with a diverse line-up of musicians lined-up for Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist at the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. With the support of Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist Tui acknowledges our artists who make music reflecting a unique Māori identity.

TEEKS, Maisey Rika and Alien Weaponry represent this year’s finalists who will be honoured at Spark Arena on 16 November.

In 2011 TEEKS (Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui), won Best Vocalist at Smokefree Pacifica Beats before participating in the late Dr Hirini Melbourne’s Māori artist development initiative Pao Pao Pao. This led to recording time in both New York and Aotearoa where he recorded his debut release The Grapefruit Skies EP, which reached #10 on the Official NZ Top 40 Albums Chart.

Alongside being a finalist for the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist, he’s also in the running for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Soul/RnB Artist at this year’s Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

It’s also been an impressive year for Te Reo songbird Maisey Rika (Ngāti Awa, Tuhoe, Te Arawa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui).

Maisey first became a finalist for the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards in 1998 and won her first Tui in 2013 for her album Whitiora. In November 2016 she released Tira, a collection of 10 carefully selected waiata kirihimete, waiata kapa haka, waiata tira and waiata hōu.

Maisey was celebrated at the recent Waiata Māori Music Awards with four wins – Best Traditional Māori Album, Best Female Solo Artist, Best Song by a Māori Artist and the Best Songwriter Award. She was also a finalist for this year’s APRA Maioha award.

Brothers Lewis and Henry de Jong (Ngāti Pikiāo, Ngāti Raukawa) and Ethan Trembath are Alien Weaponry – the three-piece thrash metal band which rounds out the finalists for the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist.

Many of their songs are in Te Reo Māori, and they are the only band in have won both the Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats (2016). They have also opened for fellow 2017 finalists Devilskin, and 16-time Tui winners Shihad.

The Waipu-based teens were recently honoured at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards where they won the prestigious Maioha Award for their single ‘Raupatu’, and they are currently preparing to play a selection of European dates in 2018 after signing with a Berlin-based music agency. The group are also planning to release their debut album early next year.

Recorded Music CEO Damian Vaughan says it’s great to see such diversity represented by this year’s Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist finalists.

“This year we have some of the most unique and exciting artists as finalists for the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist. It’s a vibrant category that never fails to delight,” says Vaughan.

The winner of the 2017 Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist will be announced at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards which will be broadcast live on Three on 16 November at 8.30pm.Whether you’re on the red carpet or your couch at home, you’ll be able to watch some of New Zealand’s finest musical talent at the Music Awards.

Tickets are on sale now for $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

Teased hair and rockstar flair defined a generation. But no-one pulled off the quintessentially 80’s look like Sharon O’Neill, who carved out a colourful and very successful musical career.

And now she can add the Legacy Award to her many accolades, with Sharon being inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame and presented with the Legacy Award at the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

The Nelson-born songstress is no stranger to music awards and recognition. Throughout her career, she’s won Top Female Vocalist at the New Zealand Music Awards three times (1978, 1979, 1980) and is the only artist in awards history to have won a Tui in 3 consecutive years.

Her debut album also picked up awards for Best Producer and Best Engineer, and the album’s lead track won the 1979 APRA Silver Scroll. Her ground-breaking self-titled second album won Album of the Year in 1980, and in 1983, Sharon also won Best Soundtrack for Smash Palace.

Her 1983 song ‘Maxine’ won the hearts and minds of music lovers here and in Australia alike. It was the second single from her fourth album Foreign Affairs and chronicles the life of a Kings Cross prostitute. Such is the iconic nature of this song and video, the costume worn by the actress in the video was featured in the landmark music exhibition Volume: Making Music in Aotearoa (2016) at Auckland Museum.

Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughan says Sharon O’Neill’s seminal style and powerful pop-rock albums are a staple of both New Zealand and Australia’s musical legacy.

“Sharon’s songs are an iconic part of an era when New Zealand music really started to come of age. From her early days as a folk singer to sweeping the charts and winning awards both here and in Australia – Sharon blazed a trail for women in rock, and it’s only right we take the time to celebrate her career and the impact she had on Kiwi music.”

Sharon started her career as a folk artist in Nelson before briefly joining Christchurch rock band Chapta in 1972. A move to Wellington saw her work as a session vocalist at the legendary EMI Studios in Lower Hutt.

However, it was her 1978 performance of her song “Luck’s On Your Table” on the New Zealand TV show “The Entertainers” which caught the ears of the newly-established local office of CBS Records. CBS promptly made Sharon their first local signing, and the track became the lead single off her debut album This Heart This Song (1979).

Her second album Sharon O’Neill (1980) was a breakout success reaching #3 on The Official New Zealand Music Charts and featuring the hits “Words” and “Asian Paradise”. She followed this in quick succession with the album Maybe (1981) and the soundtrack to Roger Donaldson’s iconic film Smash Palace (1982).

However, it was Sharon’s fourth studio album Foreign Affairs (1983) which marked her out as a major star on both sides of the Tasman. Recorded in Los Angeles, the album featured classics such as “Maxine”, “Losing You” and “Danger”.

With striking videos, numerous TV appearances and a national tour of Australia supporting Boz Scaggs (with 2013 Inductee Dave Dobbyn playing guitar in her band), Sharon won over the Aussies. At the Australian Countdown Awards, Sharon won Best Female Performance in a Video twice (1984 & 1985) and Most Popular Female Performer four times (1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984). She was also a two-time ARIA Awards nominee for Best Female Artist.

Sharon next returned in 1987 with her fifth album Danced In The Fire, followed by 1990’s Edge of Winter. In the interim, Sharon and her partner Alan Mansfield (a 2011 Inductee with Dragon) co-wrote the 1989 hit single “Young Years” for Dragon. The 90’s also saw Sharon co-write and provide vocals for the late British superstar Robert Palmer, with Sharon and Alan co-writing Palmer’s final studio single, “True Love” (1999).

In 2001 Sharon returned to New Zealand to join When The Cat’s Away on their Live In Paradise tour, with the subsequent live recording going Top Ten and platinum. More recently, The Church Tour in September 2016 saw Sharon tour the country with fellow legends Debbie Harwood, Hammond Gamble and 2013 Inductee Shona Laing. Sharon continues to entertain fans to this day with two sold out shows in Nelson last month.

Sharon’s contribution to New Zealand music will be acknowledged 16 November at the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

“Words: The Very Best Of Sharon O’Neill” is out now on Sony Music NZ.

Auckland rap crew SWIDT lead the pack with six finalist nods for the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards which will be held at the Spark Arena on 16 November.

The Onehunga group is up for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Best Group, Best Hip Hop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice – as well as Massey University Best Producer at the Artisan Awards for band member SmokeyGotBeatz.

Two Kiwi songstresses who are making headlines across the world are finalists in multiple categories. Lorde is in the running for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, The Edge Best Pop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice while Aldous Harding has received nominations for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Artist.

Kiwi dream-pop artist Fazerdaze is up for Best Alternative Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, while indie-rock band LEISURE will look to claim Best Group after their Breakthrough Artist of the Year finalist nod in 2016. On top of this, both are nominated for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year.

Local hip hop MC David Dallas is a finalist for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year for his fourth album Hood Country Club. He’s also in the running for Best Hip Hop Artist and Vodafone Single of the Year for his 2017 track ‘Fit In’.

Dunedin-born singer songwriter Nadia Reid has seen her musical career grow significantly over the last few years. A finalist for 2016’s Best Folk Album, the release of her second album Preservation earlier this year has catapulted her into the VNZMA finalist list for Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Best Alternative Artist.

Another newcomer to the Music Awards is TEEKS who debuted at number ten on the NZ Official Top 40 Chart for ‘The Grapefruit Skies EP’. He’s up for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Best Soul/RnB Artist, and Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist at this year’s show.

Kiwi music stalwart Ladi6 is a finalist for Best Soul/RnB Artistand Christchurch’s Theia has been nominated for The Edge Best Pop Artist and Vodafone People’s Choice. Both musicians are up for Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Royal Blue’ and ‘Roam’, respectively.

There are some strong finalists for Best Roots Artist with Israel Starr, Sons of Zion, and Tomorrow People all being recognised for their contributions to the genre in 2017.

The last 12 months have seen the release of excellent electronic music as well. Chaos In The CBD, K+Lab, and Truth are the three finalists for Best Electronic Artist.

Other finalists include Devilskin (Best Group, Best Rock Artist), KINGS (Three Best Solo Artist, Best Hip Hop Artist, Vodafone People’s Choice), Shapeshifter (Best Group), MAALA (Vodafone Single of the Year, Vodafone People’s Choice), Mitch James (The Edge Best Pop Artist), Clap Clap Riot (Best Rock Artist), Graham Brazier (Best Rock Artist), Tommy Nee (Best Soul/RnB Artist), Alien Weaponry (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist), and Maisey Rika (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist).

Curate Music, Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg, and Juliagrace are finalists for Best Worship Artist, while Jenny McLeod, NZ Trio, and Te Kōkī Trio have all been recognised as finalists for Best Classical Artist.

Recorded Music CEO Damian Vaughan says each year gets better and better and he is immensely proud of this year’s finalists.

“We have a wide variety of talented musicians dedicated to their craft here in New Zealand. The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards gives us a platform to recognise the incredible work that’s been produced across a number of genres and categories. It will be a fantastic night to take in everything that has been achieved in New Zealand music this past year,” says Vaughan.

The recipients of the Vodafone Highest Selling Single, Highest Selling Album, NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year, and the International Achievement Award will also be announced on the night.

A line-up of exciting live performances

Alongside celebrating the great Kiwi musicians and their work over the last 12 months, the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards welcomes a number of artists to take the stage and perform on the night.

This year, SWIDT, Lorde, TEEKS, Theia and Devilskin will be performing on the night and there will also be two special performances, including a tribute to the 2017 Legacy Award recipient.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on November 16^th from 8.30pm.Whether you’re on the red carpet or your couch at home, you’ll be able to watch some of New Zealand’s finest musical talent at the Music Awards.

Tickets go on sale 5 October, $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

Entry for this award is open to recordings released between 1 October 2016 and 30 September 2017.

In keeping with the changes to genre categories in the 2017 Vodafone NZ Music Awards, all nominees can now be put forward if they have released an album OR a minimum of five single tracks, as long as they have not previously appeared on an album, and were released within the eligibility period (1 October 2016-30 September 2017)

For details and instructions on entry, as well as the terms and conditions, please go here, then begin the nomination process here
(if you have already set yourself up as nominator click on ‘already have an account‘).

For any questions regarding the nominations process please contact Sarah Leota sarah@recordedmusic.co.nz.

To be eligible for judging, all nominations including any accompanying material must be with Recorded Music by 5pm on Wednesday 25 October 2017.

There is an impressive set of finalists set to be honoured at this year’s event with Tuis presented for Massey University Best Producer, Best Engineer, Best Album Cover and NZ On Air Best Music Video.

Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Damian Vaughan says he’s delighted to bring the Artisan Awards back for its second year.

“The Artisan Awards are all about recognising the incredible behind-the-scenes talent. Producers and engineers ensure the world-class and technical sound quality of New Zealand music while album covers and music videos help to contextualise songs in our heads, long after the music stops playing.”

The Massey University Best Producer finalists are Ben Edwards for his work on Nadia Reid’s album Preservation, SmokeyGotBeatz for producing Stoneyhunga for his band SWIDT, and LEISURE who produced their own self-titled album.

Ben Edwards gets another nod for Best Engineer also for his work on Nadia Reid’s album Preservation, joining Clint Murphy for Devilskin’s Be Like The River, and Chris Chetland for A Place to Stand by REI.

Recognising  the top music video creators of the past year, they are Sam Kristofski for his Fazerdaze creation Lucky Girl, Dan Watkins (Reel Factory) for Shapeshifter’s Her, and rounding out the NZ on Air Best Music Video finalists is Joel Kefali for Got It Bad by LEISURE.

Henrietta Harris was previously a finalist for Best Album Cover in 2014 and she returns this year for her work on Grayson Gilmour’s Otherness. Joining Henrietta is Dean Poole and Tyrone Ohia (Alt Group) for Shapeshifter’s Stars and Jamie Robertson for String Theory by Fly My Pretties.

Artisan finalists list:

Best Album Cover

• Dean Poole & Tyrone Ohia (Alt Group) for Stars (Shapeshifter)
• Henrietta Harris for Otherness (Grayson Gilmour)
• Jamie Robertson for String Theory (Fly My Pretties)

Massey Unviersity Best Producer

• Ben Edwards for Preservation (Nadia Reid)
• LEISURE for LEISURE (LEISURE)
• SmokeyGotBeatz for Stoneyhunga (SWIDT)

Best Engineer

• Ben Edwards for Preservation (Nadia Reid)
• Chris Chetland for A Place to Stand (REI)
• Clint Murphy for Be Like The River (Devilskin)

NZ On Air Best Music Video

• Dan Watkins (Reel Factory) for Her (Shapeshifter)
• Joel Kefali for Got It Bad (LEISURE)
• Sam Kristofski for Lucky Girl (Fazerdaze)

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on November 16^th from 8.30pm. Tickets go on sale 5 October, $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on November 16^th from 8.30pm.