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Four groups share the prestige of having the most Tui nods at the 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

Beloved Kiwi group Six60 will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet which already hosts nine Tui. After releasing their third self-titled album earlier this year, and  recently announced as the first kiwi act to sell out Western Springs stadium in Auckland they’re up for four awards in 2018; Album of the Year, Best Group, The Edge Best Pop Artist and Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Don’t Give It Up’.

Northland-based metal group Alien Weaponry are up for four Tuis for Album of the Year, Best Group, Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist and Best Rock Artist. Their hard-hitting combination of classic thrash and te reo Māori offers a uniquely New Zealand metal experience.

After opening for Ed Sheeran earlier this year, Drax Project have continued to make waves in the New Zealand music scene. The pop group are up for Vodafone Single of the Year for the smash hit ‘Woke Up Late’, along with Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Best Group and The Edge Best Pop Artist.

Psychedelic rock group Unknown Mortal Orchestra are returning to the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards as finalists in the Album of the Year category for their 2018 album Sex & Food, which was recorded across the globe. In addition, the band is up for Vodafone Single of the Year for the hazy tune ‘Hunnybee’, Best Group, and Best Alternative Artist.

Three-time Tui winner Marlon Williams is a finalist again this year, in the running for Album of the Year for his 2018 release Make Way For Love, as well as Three Best Solo Artist and Best Alternative Artist. He will join two Kiwi songstresses who both have previously won Tui awards themselves, Julia Deans and Tami Neilson who are both finalists for Three Best Solo Artist and Album of the Year – for We Light Fire and Sassafrass! respectively.

Newcomer Robinson is up for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Vodafone Single of the Year for the pop anthem ‘Nothing To Regret’, and Sons of Zion are up for Best Roots Artist and Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Drift Away’.

Aotearoa’s latest hip hop heavyweight JessB has also received the finalist nod for Best Hip Hop Artist alongside Kings and Onehunga’s own SWIDT, who won two Tuis last year including Best Hip Hop Artist. JessB is also in the running for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

We’re also celebrating the latest wave of New Zealand’s electronic artists, who push the boundaries of dance music in Aotearoa. The finalists for Best Electronic Artist this year are Arma Del Amor, Boycrush and Chores.

Other finalists include Kimbra (Three Best Solo Artist, The Edge Best Pop Artist), Troy Kingi (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist, Best Soul / R&B Artist), Katchafire (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist, Best Roots Artist), Mitch James (Vodafone Single of the Year), L.A.B. (Breakthrough Artist of the Year), Cairo Knife Fight (Best Rock Artist), Skinny Hobos (Best Rock Artist), Wax Chattels (Best Alternative Artist), Tomorrow People (Best Roots Artist), Israel Starr (Best Soul / R&B Artist), and Vince Harder (Best Soul / R&B Artist).

EFKS Te Atatu Junior Youth, Equippers Revolution, and Kane Adams are finalists for Best Worship Artist, while Eve de Castro Robinson, Henry Wong Doe, and Michael Houstoun have all been recognised as finalists for Best Classical Artist.

For the first time, all finalists are eligible for the Vodafone People’s Choice Award, which is announced at the 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards on 15 November. Voting for the Vodafone People’s Choice Award will be opening soon to the public.

Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Damian Vaughan says the success of Kiwi musicians across different genres is a reminder of New Zealand’s diverse, vibrant music scene.

“From rock and metal through to reggae, electronica, hip hop and funk, there’s so much diversity in the music being created by Aotearoa’s talented musicians at the moment,” says Vaughan.

“We’re proud of all recording artists in New Zealand who are taking charge of their own creativity and pushing the boundaries of what is Kiwi music is capable of.”

The recipients of the Vodafone Highest Selling Single, Highest Selling Album, NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year, Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award, and the International Achievement Award will also be announced at the 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

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VODAFONE NZ MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS 2018

  1. Album of the Year
    Alien Weaponry –
    Julia Deans – We Light Fire
    Marlon Williams – Make Way For Love
    Six60 – Six60
    Tami Neilson – Sassafrass!
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food
  2. Vodafone Single of the Year
    Drax Project – ‘Woke Up Late’
    Mitch James – ‘21’
    Robinson – ‘Nothing To Regret’
    Six60 – ‘Don’t Give It Up’
    Sons Of Zion – ‘Drift Away’
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra – ‘Hunnybee’
  3. Best Group
    Alien Weaponry –
    Drax Project – Noon
    Six60 – Six60
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food
  4. THREE Best Solo Artist
    Julia Deans – We Light Fire
    Kimbra – Primal Heart
    Marlon Williams – Make Way For Love
    Tami Neilson – Sassafrass!
  5. Breakthrough Artist of the Year
    Drax Project
    JessB
    L.A.B.
    Robinson
  6. Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist
    Alien Weaponry
    Katchafire
    Troy Kingi
  7. The Edge Best Pop Artist
    Drax Project
    Kimbra
    Six60
  8. Best Alternative Artist
    Marlon Williams
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
    Wax Chattels
  9. Best Soul/RnB Artist
    Israel Starr
    Troy Kingi
    Vince Harder
  10. Best Hip Hop Artist
    JessB
    Kings
    SWIDT
  11. Best Roots Artist
    Katchafire
    Sons of Zion
    Tomorrow People
  12. Best Electronic Artist
    Arma Del Amor
    Boycrush
    Chores
  13. Best Rock Artist
    Alien Weaponry
    Cairo Knife Fight
    Skinny Hobos
  14. Best Worship Artist
    EFKS Te Atatu Junior Youth
    Equippers Revolution
    Kane Adams
  15. Best Classical Artist
    Eve de Castro Robinson
    Henry Wong Doe
    Michael Houstoun
  16. Vodafone People’s Choice Award
  17. Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award
  18. Vodafone Highest Selling Single
  19. Highest Selling Album
  20. NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year
  21. International Achievement

 

Additional Tuis presented in 2018

  • Best Pacific Album
    Winner: Ladi 6 – Royal Blue 3000 EP
    EFKS Te Atatu Junior Youth – Fa’afetai Le Atua
    Noah Slee – Otherland
    Sol3 MioA Very Merry Christmas
    SWIDTStoneyhunga
  • Best Country Artist
    Winner: Reb Fountain – Hopeful and Hopeless
    Lana Doublet – Beautiful Human
    Phil Doublet – Strength, Love, Music & Light
  • Best Folk Artist
    Winner:
    Albi & The Wolves – One Eye Open
    Reb Fountain – Little Arrows
    Candice Milner – Evergreen
  • Best Jazz Artist
    Winner: Umar Zakaria – Fearless Music
    Hayden Chisholm, Norman Meehan and Paul Dyne – Unwind
    Lucien Johnson – West of the Sun
  • Best Children’s Artist
    Winner: Levity Beet – My Best Friend Jake Is A Cyborg
    Chanelle & Friends – The Little Green Turtle And Other Songs For Kids
    Moe & Friends – The Moe Album

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