Pacific metal band Shepherds Reign rocked the 20th Pacific Music Awards winning top award Recorded Music NZ Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui A Kiwa o Te Tau, Best Pacific Music Album & the SunPix Best Pacific Language award at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau, Auckland.
The night was a tribute to two decades of Pacific music in Aotearoa, leading lady Aaradhna winning both the Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist and NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video awards for her soulful track ‘She’, directed by Anahera Parata. The song also secured the APRA Best Pacific Song Award, further cementing Aaradhna’s place as a leading voice in Pacific music.
Representing central auckland was another notable artist Diggy Dupé who took home two awards: NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist and Matai Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist, both for his work on ‘We The City’.
The boys from the 312 Onehunga, SWIDT claimed the FLAVA Best Pacific Group award for their hit tracks such as ‘Youphoria feat. High Hoops’, ‘Burn One feat. Stallyano’, ‘Hocus Pocus,’ and ‘Not 4 Sale’.
The magical choral group Signature Choir won the the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their album Mana Moana.
Other notable winners include Shane Walker, who won the SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best
Pacific Artist, and Jordan Gavet, whose song ‘He Said’ earned the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award.
Coming in for a three-peat is Sam V who took home the Pacificast Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist award, for the third consecutive time, for You Left Your Things Here (LP), highlighting his exceptional talent and soulful melodies.
Tigilau Ness and his band Unity Pacific earned the Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist with their song ‘Integrity.’
The Phillip Fuemana Award for Most Promising Pacific Artist was awarded to MITI, while Noa
Records received the Creative New Zealand Award for their innovative contributions to the Pacific
music scene. Aaron Strickland, known as Astro, received the Arch Angel Independent Music Award.
Fresh from his South Pacific tour is Hawai’i based singer songwriter Josh Tatofi won the Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist award for hit songs including ‘Ouana,’ ‘Why Worry,’ and ‘Storms Never Last’.
Finally, Teremoana Rapley, a trailblazing figure in Pacific music, was celebrated with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to the industry and her enduring legacy. Continuing her music story, in honour of the award, Teremoana performed an exclusive set of new songs from her highly anticipated debut trilogy album Daughter of a Housegirl, Cleaning House and Daily Incantations.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Pacific Music Awards a new song ‘Our Way Home’ produced by Kings, written and performed by past PMA winners: Nainz Tupai (Adeaze), Dave Atai (Nesian Mystik), Tree, Swiss, Siavani, Bella Kalolo, Sam V, Pati AF, Lepani, Olivia Foa’i, Jarna, Emily Muli and Marley Sola – collectively known as the PMA Allstars – and the Auckland Secondary Schools Pacific Choir. The song will be officially released soon, with proceeds going to the Tautua Programme that the Trust delivers to support Pacific artists.
2024 Pacific Music Awards Winners
Philip Fuemana Award for Most Promising Pacific Artist: The Mitis
Creative New Zealand Award Winner: Noa Records
Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist: Josh Tatofi
NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award winner: Jordan Gavet “He Said”
NZ On Air Streaming Award winner: Savage ft Aaradhna “They Don’t Know”
ArchAngel Independent Music Award winner: ASTRO – Aaron Strickland
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video: “She” Aaradhna
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist: Diggy Dupé
Flava Best Pacific Group: SWIDT
SunPix Best Pacific Language award: Shepherds Reign
Ministry for Pacific Peoples Lifetime Achievement Award winner: Teremoana Rapley
APRA Best Pacific Song: “She” By Aaradhna**
MPGNZ/SAE Creative Media Institute Best Producer: Haz Beats
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist: Signature Choir
Best Pacific Roots/Reggae: Unity Pacific
Pacific Cast Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist: Sam V
17. Matai Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist: Diggy Dupé
18. SunPix People’s Choice Award: Shane Walker
19. Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist: Aaradhna
20. Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album: Shepherds Reign
