Taite Music Prize 2023 Finalists Announced

One of Aotearoa's most prestigious music awards, the finalists have been revealed for the 2023 Taite Music Prize, along with the shortlist for the 2023 Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award. Named after legendary music journalist Dylan Taite, the coveted accolade recognises "outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained in one recording," released by an Aotearoa artist / group in the past year, "open to all genres of music and judged on artistic merit regardless of genre, sales, or record label." The recipient will receive a cash prize of $12,500, courtesy of founding partner Recorded Music NZ. Voted for by IMNZ members, the ten finalists for the Taite Prize will now be whittled down to one winner by an independent panel of "musicians, journalists, and music industry professionals with a wide variety of different professional backgrounds and personal tastes."

These two awards will be presented at a no doubt glitzy ceremony on Tuesday 18th April alongside the NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award, IMNZ Classic Record and the Independent Spirit Award.

"As we move through these crazy times, it’s still so heartening to hear fresh new music being made and released in Aotearoa. Congratulations to all this year’s finalists!" — IMNZ General Manager, Dylan Pellett

The 2023 Taite Music Prize finalists are:

Aldous Harding - Warm Chris (Flying Nun Records)
Avantdale Bowling Club - Trees (Years Gone By)
Erny Belle - Venus Is Home (Flying Nun Records)
Fazerdaze - Break! (Flying Nun Records)
Hans Pucket - No Drama (Carpark Records)
Marlon Williams - My Boy (Marlon Williams Music Limited)
Princess Chelsea - Everything Is Going To Be Alright (Lil Chief Records)
Tami Neilson - Kingmaker (Neilson Records)
TE KAAHU - Te Kaahu O Rangi (Theia Music Ltd)
The Beths - Expert In A Dying Field (Ivy League Records)

The three albums nominated for the 2023 Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award are:

Listen to a playlist of all Taite Music Prize 2023 albums...