Many of our Pacific artists walked away with coveted Tui’s at the Aotearoa Music Awards which took place at Spark Arena last night.
Siren beats producer Jawsh 685 took home the Spotify Breakthrough Artist of the Year and was the second recipient of the International Achievement Award.
The 18-year-old was “glad having everyone’s support” and “really excited” to win. “I would like to thank God for blessing me with everything. Thank you to my family, my friends up there.”
The Manurewa High School student had taken the stage earlier with singer/songwriter Villette to perform a Samoan remix of his global hit Savage Love.
It was a real highlight to see the producer’s high school friends also join him on stage, opening his performance with a school chant and performing the memorable TikTok dance which helped his song go viral.
Central Auckland rap duo Church & AP took out the Best Hip Hop Artist award with Church jokingly adding, “I think the massive honour was losing to Benee three times last year so it’s good to come back and get one.”
The duo took the time to thank “all the villages that helped raise us and the communities that put us here.”
“We’re just one group that came out of a small community here and we’re far from the only people. We’re bringing a whole army with us, we’re gonna raise New Zealand hip hop.”
Team Dynamite producer Haz Beats won as part of the duo Haz & Miloux, who won the Best Soul/R&B Artist award. Miloux, aka Rebecca Melrose had high praise for her Niuean counterpart. “I wanna thank Haz. I’m honestly one of the luckiest vocalists in the world to work with one of the best producers in the world.”
Other winners include Songstress Bella Kalolo who was part of the Gospel supergroup Mōhau took home Best Worship Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tui.
Anahera Parata, Director for SWIDT music video BUNGA was awarded the Tui for Best Music Video earlier in the week.
See below for the full list of winners:
1. Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
- WINNER: The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers
- L.A.B – L.A.B III
- Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
- Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain
- Six60 – Six60
- Tami Neilson – Chickaboom!
2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year
- WINNER: BENEE – ‘Supalonely’
- Drax Project ft Six60 – ‘Catching Feelings’
- Jawsh685 – ‘Savage Love’
- L.A.B – ‘In The Air’
- Six60 – ‘Please Don’t Go’
- Troy Kingi – ‘All Your Ships Have Sailed
3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group
- WINNER: The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers
- L.A.B. – L.A.B. III
- Miss June – Bad Luck Party
- Six60 – Six60
4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist
- WINNER: BENEE – Stella & Steve
- JessB – New Views
- Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
- Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain
5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
- WINNER: Jawsh685
- CHAII
- MELODOWNZ
- Paige
6. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist
- WINNER: Maimoa
- Ria Hall
- Stan Walker
7. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist
- WINNER: BENEE
- Paige
- Six60
8. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist
- WINNER: The Beths
- Mermaidens
- Reb Fountain
9. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist
- WINNER: Haz & Miloux
- Lepani
- Stan Walker
10. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist
- WINNER: Church & AP
- choicevaughan
- Raiza Biza
11. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist
- WINNER: L.A.B
- Lomez Brown
- Ria Hall
12. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award
- WINNER: Mōhau
- Maimoa
- Six60
13. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist
- WINNER: Lee Mvtthews
- State of Mind
- Truth
14. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist
- WINNER: City of Souls
- Devilskin
- Villainy
15. Te Kaipuoro Kairangi Toa | Best Worship Artist
- WINNER: Mōhau
- Kane Adams
- Te Rautini
16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist
- WINNER: Andrew Beer & Sarah Watkins
- Klara Kollektiv
- Matthew Marshall
17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice Award
- L.A.B
18. Tohu Whakareretanga | Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award
- Johnny Cooper
- Max Merritt
- Peter Posa, Dinah Lee
- The Chicks and Larry’s Rebels
19. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist
- Drax Project ft. Six60
20. Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year
- Drax Project
21. Tohu Tutuki o te Ao | Recorded Music NZ International Achievement
- BENEE
- Jawsh685
Additional Tuis presented in 2019
22. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist
- Winner: Mel Parsons – Glass Heart
- Victoria Vigenser & Lindsay Martin – The Gap
- Paper Cranes – Voices
23. Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album
- Winner: Olivia Foa’I – Candid
- Church & AP – Teeth
- POETIK – HAMOFIED 2 EP
24. Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Artist
- Winner: Delaney Davidson & Barry Saunders – Word Gets Around
- Katie Thompson – Bittersweet
- Kendall Elise – Red Earth
25. Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist
- Winner: Dixon Nacey – The Edge Of Chaos
- ALCHEMY – ALCHEMY
- Michal Martyniuk – Resonate
26. Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children’s Artist
- Winner: Anika Moa – Songs For Bubbas 3
- Captain Festus McBoyle
- Chris Sanders
