Aotearoa Music Awards 2024 Finalists Announced

The full list of finalists has been announced for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards, to be presented at Tāmaki Makaurau's Viaduct Events Centre on 30th May, a grand finale for this year's NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa. Stan Walker leads the pack with five individual nominations, while Tom Scott has his hat in the ring for an impressive eight awards (some in the same category), between his work with Avantdale Bowling Club and the reunited Home Brew crew (who are playing this Saturday in Hamilton). Awesome to see rising electronic trailblazers Amamelia (returning to Aotearoa for The Wine Cellar's 20th anniversary), deepState and Grecco Romank amongst the local stars represented — here's the full rundown of finalists below...

"Congratulations to all the finalists for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards. We are so lucky to have such a wide range of remarkably talented artists and behind-the-scenes specialists in Aotearoa. This ceremony at the end of Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Music Month is a chance to truly reflect on all that has been achieved in the music industry across the course of the nomination period.

The Aotearoa Music Awards was paused in 2023, as we considered the outcomes of the review we undertook in 2022. It was important to us to engage with artists and the wider music community about the format, purpose and meaning of AMA.

The message from the community was clear: the Aotearoa Music Awards is seen as essential, and aspirational for emerging artists. We heard strong support for our continuing commitment to embed te ao Māori and te reo and to reflect the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa. We also heard that more clarity was needed around the judging criteria and processes.

We took the time to do that work, and have taken steps to more actively promote diversity and inclusion across the judging process and the event. We are also excited to introduce a fresh format for AMA 2024, which will consist of two connected ceremonies, the Opening Ceremony and Showcase, and award more than 20 Tūī in total.

We can’t wait to celebrate the many incredible artists that are finalists for AMA 24, and to honour them in the company of their music whānau." — Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Jo Oliver

Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau / Album of the Year

Avantdale Bowling Club – TREES
COTERIE – COTERIE
Erny Belle – Not Your Cupid
Home Brew – Run It Back
LEISURE – Leisurevision
Marlon Williams – My Boy
Paige – King Clown
Princess Chelsea – Everything Is Going To Be Alright
Stan Walker – All In
The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field
Tiny Ruins – Ceremony
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V

Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau / Single Of The Year

Aaradhna – SHE
Avantdale Bowling Club – Friday Night At The Liquor Store
Corrella – Blue Eyed Māori
COTERIE – Always Beside You (ft. Six60)
Fazerdaze – Bigger
Home Brew – Run It Back
Kaylee Bell – Boots 'N All
L.A.B – Take It Away
Marlon Williams – Don't Go Back
Mermaidens – I like To Be Alone
Stan Walker – I AM
The Beths – Watching The Credits

Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau / Best Group

The Beths
Home Brew
LEISURE
Mermaidens
Tiny Ruins
Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Te Tino Reo o te Tau / Best Solo Artist

Avantdale Bowling Club
Fazerdaze
Kaylee Bell
Marlon Williams
Princess Chelsea
Stan Walker

Mana Reo

COTERIE – Purea/Cool It Down
Jordyn with a Why – He Rei Niho
MOHI – Me Pēhea Ra
Stan Walker – I AM
TAWAZ – He Aho
Tuari Brothers – Tuari ki te Ao

Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau / Best Māori Artist

Jordyn with a Why
MOHI
Rei
Stan Walker
TAWAZ
Tuari Brothers

Te Taumata o te Toi / Best Album Artwork

Andrew McLeod – The Coin That Broke The Fountain Floor (Clementine Valentine)
Lily Paris West – Mermaidens (Mermaidens)
Lily Paris West – Expert In A Dying Field (The Beths)

Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau / Best Alternative Artist

Grecco Romank
Mermaidens
Princess Chelsea

Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau / Best Classical Artist

Michael Houstoun & Bella Hristova
Natasha Te Rupe-Wilson & Somi Kim
New Zealand String Quartet

Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau / Best Country Artist

Kaylee Bell
Matt Joe Gow
The Mitchell Twins

Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau / Best Electronic Artist

Amamelia
deepState
Elipsa

Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro / Best Engineer

Amelia Murray & Emily Wheatcroft-Snape – Break! (Fazerdaze)
Simon Gooding – King Clown (Paige)
Tom Healy & Alexandra Corbett – My Boy (Marlon Williams)

Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau / Best Folk Artist

Adam McGrath
Terrible Sons
Tom Lark

Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau / Best Hip Hop Artist

Avantdale Bowling Club
Diggy Dupé
Home Brew

Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau / Best Jazz Artist

Clear Path Ensemble
Dave Wilson
Myele Manzanza

Te Taumata o te Ataata / Best Music Video Content

Anahera Parata – SHE (Aaradhna)
Connor Pritchard – All My Friends (NO COMPLY ft. Wells*)
Marlon Williams – Don’t Go Back (Marlon Williams)

Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau / Best Pop Artist

Foley
Georgia Lines
Paige

Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa / Best Producer

Christoph El Truento – TREES (Avantdale Bowling Club)
Haz Beats – Run It Back (Home Brew)
Tom Healy – Ceremony (Tiny Ruins)

Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau / Best Rock Artist

Dead Favours
Midwave Breaks
Racing

Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau / Best Roots Artist

Corrella
COTERIE
Sons of Zion

Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau / Best Soul/RnB Artist

Aaradhna
Dallas Tamaira
Sam V