Aotearoa Music Awards 2021 Finalists Announced

The recently rebranded Aotearoa Music Awards | Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa (formerly the New Zealand Music Awards until 2020) have announced the star-studded full list of finalists for 2021. Traditionally mainly focussed on celebrating the achievements of our pop musical superstars, it's heartening to once again see a whole bunch of UTR familiar faces in the mix. Wax Chattels are up against "bitter rivals" Na Noise and Anthonie Tonnon in the Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist, the finalists for both the Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist and Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist awards are the formidably talented trio of Mara TK, TEEKS and Troy Kingi, and in the running for Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist are rap powerhouses Diggy Dupè, SWIDT and Team Dynamite. Dominating this year's list is the seemingly unstoppable Kingi, who's up for six nominations, TEEKS who's being recognised for a hugely successful year with five nominations, live favourites L.A.B who are up for four Tūis, and battling it out in the ring cage match style for both Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year and Te Roopu Toa | Best Group will be Crowded House and The Phoenix Foundation.

The Aotearoa Music Awards are confirmed to be taking place in December, to be screened on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ OnDemand from Tāmaki's Aotea Centre, with the option of being rescheduled to a date in early 2022 if Covid-19 restrictions prevent the ceremony from going ahead. Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Damian Vaughan shared his excitement for the 56th edition of the glitzy annual prize giving event...

"Our artists and our industry have endured massive disruption over the last 18 months. The uncertainty around live music performance has affected livelihoods and has impacted every part of our music industry which is predicated on bringing people together.

One beacon of positivity however has been music fans utterly embracing our artists and their waiata throughout this period.

It is heartening to see we are consuming homegrown music in record numbers across all forms from streaming to vinyl to radio. Let’s keep that positive support going!”

AOTEAROA MUSIC AWARDS | NGĀ TOHU PUORO O AOTEAROA FINALISTS 2021

Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year

BENEE – Hey u x
Crowded House – Dreamers are Waiting
L.A.B. – L.A.B. IV
The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship
TEEKS – Something to Feel
Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar

Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year

Harper Finn – ‘Dance Away These Days’
L.A.B. – ‘Why Oh Why’
Lorde – ‘Solar Power’
Six60 – ‘All She Wrote’
TEEKS – ‘Remember Me’
Troy Kingi – ‘Sleep (Slumber)’

Te Roopu Toa | Best Group

Crowded House – Dreamers are Waiting
L.A.B. – L.A.B. IV
The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship
Shapeshifter – Rituals

Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist

Anna Coddington – Beams
BENEE – Hey u x
TEEKS – Something to Feel
Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar

Spotify Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Foley
Harper Finn
Muroki
Niko Walters

Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist

Mara TK
Teeks
Troy Kingi

The Edge Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist

BENEE
Foley
LA WOMEN

Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist

Anthonie Tonnon
Na Noise
Wax Chattels

Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist

Mara TK
Teeks
Troy Kingi

Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist

Diggy Dupè
SWIDT
Team Dynamite

Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist

Grove Roots
L.A.B
Tomorrow People

Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

Rei
Te Nūtube
The Nudge & Troy Kingi

Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist

Paige Julia
Shapeshifter
Sola Rosa

Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist

Dead Favours
Ekko Park
Mako Road

Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist

Claire Cowan
Justin DeHart
Tony Yan Tong Chen