2020 Pacific Music Awards Winners Announced

The sixteenth annual Pacific Music Awards were presented on Saturday evening, triumphing over Covid-19 alert conditions with a glitzy online ceremony and live musical performances. Big winners on the night were Elijah Manu and Albert Purcell aka red hot hip hop duo Church & AP, scooping up FLAVA Best Pacific Group, Base FM NZ & Island Base Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist and NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award, while their creative collaborator Dera Meelan took away the Red Bull Best Producer award for his work on their breakout debut album Teeth. Olivia Foa’i (Moana, Te Vaka) also won big on the evening, being presented Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist, Sunpix Best Pacific Language, and Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album for her debut solo album Candid, while South Auckland teen producer Jawsh 685 aka Josh Nanai received the Special Recognition Award for his UK chart-topping hit with Jason Derulo 'Savage Love'.

Chairman and spokesperson Rev. Mua Strickson-Pua spoke about the significance of this year's awards presentation: “2020 Pacific Music Awards again travels new oceans of richness of Diversity and Inclusivity mirroring the Pasifika Wairuatanga spirit of overcoming life struggles and giving back to loved ones from Atua/God to sacred Tupuga Tupuna / ancestors. Each Finalist and Winner is a living example of Resilience and Hope worthy of honouring and celebrating hence why our 2020 Pacific Music Awards is You & Us Family, & Society Musika Resilience.”

Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist

WINNER: Olivia Foa’i – Candid
Bella Kalolo – ‘Ends of the Earth’
Lou’ana – ‘Move Along’

NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist

WINNER: Poetik – HAMOFIED 2 EP
Lepani – ‘Pockets Full of Love’
Noah Slee – Twice

Flava Best Pacific Group

WINNER: Church & AP – Teeth
Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’
Tomorrow People – ‘Fever feat. Fiji’

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

WINNER: Disciple Pati – ‘The Boy Who Cried Woman’, directed by Shae Stirling and Sapati Apa
Lou’ana – ‘Eye To Eye’, directed by Annie Duckworth
SWIDT – ‘Bunga', directed by Anahera Parata

APRA Best Pacific Song

WINNER: Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’, written by Metitilani Alo and Livingstone Efu
General Fiyah – ‘It’s You feat. Three Houses Down’, written by Charlie Pome’e and Nicholas Pome’e
Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’, written by Oliver Leupolu, Filivaa James, Joseph Oti–George, Gideon Voon, Shaymen Rameka

SunPix Best Pacific Language

WINNER: Olivia Foa’i – Candid
Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’
Punialava’a – Sili’aga I Fa’atufugaga, Beyond Our Stories
Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’

Base FM NZ & Island Base Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

WINNER: Church & AP – Teeth
Melodownz – ‘No Mercy feat. Denzel Curry’
Poetik – HAMOFIED 2 EP

Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist

WINNER: Jordan Gavet – ‘Hesitation’
Lepani – ‘Pocket Full of Love’
Lou’ana – ‘Move Along’
Noah Slee – Twice

Pato Entertainment Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

WINNER: Tomorrow People – ‘Fever feat. Fiji’
General Fiyah – ‘Its You feat. Three Houses Down’
Lomez Brown – ‘Tell Me’
Raggadat Cris – I Swear

531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

WINNER: Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’
Punialava’a – Sili’aga I Fa’atufugaga, Beyond Our Stories
JXN – ‘Talako Dragon’

Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist

WINNER: Josh Tatofi – Ua Kui A Lawa
HP Boyz – ‘Engineers’
Kaiit – ‘Miss Shiney’

Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album

WINNER: Olivia Foa’I – Candid
Church & AP – Teeth
POETIK – HAMOFIED 2 EP

Red Bull Best Producer

WINNER: Dera Meelan (Church & AP – Teeth)
Kings (Kings – ‘Hit That’) Tia Drumma and EDY (Mikey Mayz – ‘Wild People’)
Matatia Foa'I (Olivia Foa’i – Candid)

Phillip Fuemana Award – Most Promising Pacific Artist

WINNER: Victor J Sefo

NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award

WINNER: Church & AP – ‘Ready or Not’

NZ On Air Streaming Award

WINNER: Kings – ‘6 Figures’

SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist

WINNER: HP Boyz

Special Recognition Award

WINNER: Jawsh 685

Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award

WINNER: Daniel Rae Costello

Watch the full 2020 Pacific Music Awards presentation here: