Pacific musicians recognised at in-person awards ceremony in Manukau, Auckland
This evening the Pacific music community was celebrated at the 2022 Pacific Music Awards at the Vodafone Event Centre in Manukau, Auckland.
Onehunga-based hip hop crew SWIDT took out three awards for Flava Best Pacific Group, Base FM & Island Base Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist and APRA Best Pacific Song for ‘Kelz Garage’, written by Daniel Latu, Amon McGoram, Isaiah Libeau, Lomez Brown, and Samuel Verlinden.
Fellow artist Kings was named for NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist, and received both the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award and NZ On Air Streaming Award for his track ‘Help Me Out’ featuring Sons of Zion.
Barbecue favourites Tomorrow People were honoured with One Love Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist as well as the Recorded Music Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album for their album 21.
For their work on The Panthers OST, Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith were recognised with the MPG/SAE Best Producer award. Furthermore, the song ‘Ain’t The Same’ featuring Melodownz & Summer Vaha’akolo won NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video and was directed by Tom Hern and Timēna Apa.
Several first time finalists won their respective categories as well. Anthem were recognised with 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist, while Sam V and Lisi were awarded Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist and Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist respectively.
Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist was awarded to Emily Muli, while Kas Futialo received the award for SunPix Best Pacific Language for the album Grandmasta Kas.
Sibling outfit Samson Squad were the crowd favourites, taking out SunPix People’s Choice Award for Best Pacific Artist, while newcomer Jarna was awarded the Phillip Fuemana Award for Most Promising Pacific Artist.
Receiving the first Creative New Zealand Awards are Shepherds Reign, recognising their contributions to the Pacific music scene and to help further the impact of their art.
The inaugural Arch Angel Independent Artist Award was presented to lilbubblegum to support his burgeoning career, after his breakout hit ‘af1s’ went viral last year – reaching over 20 million Spotify streams.
There were three recipients of this year’s Ministry for Pacific People’s Special Recognition Award – Ngaire Fuata, Tagata Pasifika and Niu FM – Pacific Media Network. All three deserve to be celebrated for the impact they’ve made on the local Pacific community in Aotearoa.Finally, Fa’anana Jerome Grey was selected as the 2022 recipient of the Manukau Institute of Technology Te Pukenga Lifetime Achievement Award.
Grey’s iconic song ‘We Are Samoa’ became the unofficial anthem of the country, and his legacy was celebrated through a tribute performance by Brotherhood Musiq and Resonate.
Pacific Music Awards Trust spokesperson Rev. Mua Strickson-Pua says: “2022 Pacific Music Awards bares testimony to Ene tolonga [Tonga] Kena ivakaraitaki [Fiji] Maufetuuna’i [Samoa] Te Pakari [Maori Aotearoa] Resilience return to live music live audience honouring and celebrating our Pacific artists and industry.
“Mindful of our Kaupapa themes of Connections, Collaboration and Community Pasifika music soundtracks of our people and this recent COVID19 reality come history. Pasifika Music Pasifika Artists Pasifika nations honoured and celebrated 2022 Pasifika Music Awards manuia.”
Event Producer Petrina Togi-Sa’ena says: “We are grateful and so thankful that we could return with a live event this year for the Pacific Music Awards. This gave us the opportunity to gather together as an extended family and as a community, to collectively celebrate Pacific music together.
“With more award categories and a full show of amazing live performances, it was such a wonderful uplifting night. Huge thanks to our sponsors, funders, supporters and the team that work so hard to make the awards event possible. Congratulations to all the finalists, winners and award recipients – we are so proud of you all!”
Alongside the celebration of Pacific musicians, there were several live performances from finalists and winners alike including House of Misfits, Kings, Mo. Etc, Sam V, SWIDT and Tomorrow People.
2022 Pacific Music Awards winners:
Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist:
- WINNER: Emily Muli – ‘Break’
- Mo Etc. – Oceanbed
- Tree – ‘No Fear ft Junior Soqeta’
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist:
- WINNER: Kings – Raplist, ‘Young 4Eva’
- Diggy Dupé – ‘WEON’
- Poetik – Poetik Justice
Flava Best Pacific Group:
- WINNER: SWIDT – ‘Seize the Day ft Savage’, ‘Kelz Garage’, ‘312 Day’
- Team Dynamite – Respect The Process
- Tomorrow People – 21
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video:
- WINNER: Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith – ‘Ain’t The Same ft. Melodownz & Summer Vaha’akolo’
- Directed by Tom Hernv and Timēna Apa
- House of Misfits – ‘Tā Te Manawa’
- Directed by Abigail Dougherty
- Vallé – ‘Swing Low’
- Directed by Connor Pritchard
APRA Best Pacific Song:
- WINNER: SWIDT ‘Kelz Garage’
- Written by Daniel Latu, Amon McGoram, Isaiah Libeau, Lomez Brown, Samuel Verlinden
- Kings – ‘Young 4Eva’
- Written by Kingdon Chapple-Wilson
- Samson Squad – ‘Amene’
- Written by Jacob Samson, Tautape Samson & Jayjay Samson
SunPix Best Pacific Language:
- WINNER: Kas Futialo – Grandmasta Kas
- Lani Alo – ‘Tua i manu’
- Samson Squad – ‘Kainga’, ‘Amene’
- Shepherds Reign – ‘Nga Ao E Rua feat. Swizl Jager’’
Base FM & Island Base FM Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist:
- WINNER: SWIDT – ‘Seize the Day ft Savage’, ‘Kelz Garage’, ‘312 Day’
- Poetik – Poetik Justice
- Team Dynamite – Respect The Process
Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist:
- WINNER: Sam V – ‘Wired’, ‘Biker Boy’
- Emily Muli – ‘Break’
- TJ Taotua – Overdue
One Love Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist:
- WINNER: Tomorrow People – 21
- Foundation – ‘Closer’
- Sammielz – ‘Okay’
- Victor J Sefo – ‘Pele Ea’, ‘Ride’, ‘Shots’
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist:
- WINNER: Anthem – Anthem
- Tree – ‘No Fear ft Junior Soqeta’
- House of Misfits ‘Tā Te Manawa’
Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist:
- WINNER: Lisi – ‘Good Life’, ‘Dreams’, ‘Til the Death’, ‘Baby We On’
- Bina Butta & Kennyon Brown – ‘Lady Love’
- Jaro Local – ‘Kamanda Amanda’, ‘First Time’, ‘Single Papa’, ‘25 Minutes’
MPG/SAE Best Producer
- WINNER: Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith – The Panthers OST
- Producers: Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan, P Smith
- Team Dynamite – Respect The Process
- Producer: Harry (Haz Beats) Huavi
- Tomorrow People – 21
- Producers: IKON MUSIC – Avina Kelekolio, Hennie Tui, Tana Tupai
Recorded Music Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album
- WINNER:Tomorrow People – 21
- Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith – The Panthers OST
- Kings – Raplist
SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist
- Samson Squad
Phillip Fuemana Award – Most Promising Pacific Artist
- Jarna
Creative New Zealand Award
- Shepherds Reign
Ministry for Pacific People’s Special Recognition Awards
- Ngaire Fuata
- Tagata Pasifika
- Niu FM – Pacific Media Network
Arch Angel Independent Music Award
- lilbubblegum
Manukau Institute of Technology Te Pukenga Lifetime Achievement Award
- Fa’anana Jerome Grey
For more information: www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz