After a few delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the second lockdown, the Pacific Music Awards kicked off with great gusto tonight in an online ceremony.
It was the first time in PMA’s history the awards were closed to the public, pre-recorded and aired online.
“The opportunity to go online was definitely a challenge,” says PMA trustee and Event Producer Petrina Togi-Sa’ena.
“It was a mixture of decisions; what’s best for our community, what’s safe but [we’re] really glad that we landed on this and that we [were] able to do it.”
Emerging talent was the focus of the night with many first time nominees and winners performing for the broadcast including soul singer Lou’ana, NZ on Air Best Pacific video winner Disciple Pati and two-time PMA winner Lani Alo.
“We went with a great theme, the idea of featuring our first time finalists,” says Togi-Sa’ena.
“We’re never short of talent, we’re always so lucky we have such amazing artists to choose from.”
Rap duo Elijah Manu and Albert Purcell, aka Church & AP were the big winners of the night, walking away with four PMAs.
The group took out the Base FM NZ & Island Base Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist, FLAVA Best Pacific Group and the Radio Airplay award for their highly lauded single Ready or Not.
Their producer Dera Meelan was also awarded the Red Bull Best Producer Award for his work on their debut album Teeth.
Olivia Foa’i took out three awards including Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Language and Best Pacific Album for her debut solo album Candid.
South Auckland siren maker Jawsh 685 received the Special Recognition Award for his recent success with Laxed – Siren Beat, which led to the Jason Derulo collaboration Savage Love and was remixed by Korean pop group BTS.
Savage Love climbed to the #1 on music charts in 17 countries including New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
The late Daniel Rae Costello was awarded the Manukau Institute Lifetime Achievement award posthumously. Costello was honoured with a performance by Fijian singer and close friend Stevie Heatley and backed by TCB, the band that toured with Costello from 2013-2015.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS BELOW:
2020 Pacific Music Awards Winners
Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist:
- WINNER: Olivia Foa’i – Candid
- Bella Kalolo – ‘Ends of the Earth’
- Lou’ana – ‘Move Along’
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist:
- WINNER: Poetik – HAMOFIED 2 EP
- Lepani – ‘Pockets Full of Love’
- Noah Slee– Twice
Flava Best Pacific Group:
- WINNER: Church & AP – Teeth
- Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’
- Tomorrow People – ‘Fever feat. Fiji’
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video:
- WINNER: Disciple Pati – ‘The Boy Who Cried Woman’
- Directed by Shae Stirling and Sapati Apa
- Lou’ana– ‘Eye To Eye’
- Directed by Annie Duckworth
- SWIDT – ‘Bunga
- Directed by Anahera Parata
APRA Best Pacific Song:
- WINNER: Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’
- Written by Metitilani Alo and Livingstone Efu
- General Fiyah – ‘It’s You feat. Three Houses Down’
- Written by Charlie Pome’e and Nicholas Pome’e
- Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’
- Written by Oliver Leupolu, Filivaa James, Joseph Oti-George, Gideon Voon, Shaymen Rameka
SunPix Best Pacific Language:
- WINNER: Olivia Foa’i – Candid
- Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’
- Punialava’a – Sili’aga I Fa’atufugaga, Beyond Our Stories
- Shepherds Reign – ‘Le Manu’
Base FM NZ & Island Base Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist:
- WINNER: Church & AP – Teeth
- Melodownz – ‘No Mercy feat. Denzel Curry’
- Poetik – HAMOFIED 2 EP
Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist:
- WINNER: Jordan Gavet – ‘Hesitation’
- Lepani – ‘Pocket Full of Love’
- Lou’ana – ‘Move Along’
- Noah Slee – Twice
Pato Entertainment Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist:
- WINNER: Tomorrow People – ‘Fever feat. Fiji’
- General Fiyah – ‘Its You feat. Three Houses Down’
- Lomez Brown – ‘Tell Me’
- Raggadat Cris – I Swear
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist:
- WINNER: Lani Alo – ‘Alo I Ou Faiva’
- Punialava’a – Sili’aga I Fa’atufugaga, Beyond Our Stories
- JXN – ‘Talako Dragon’
Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist:
- WINNER: Josh Tatofi – Ua Kui A Lawa
- HP Boyz – ‘Engineers’
- Kaiit – ‘Miss Shiney’
Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album:
- WINNER: Olivia Foa’i – Candid
- Church & AP – Teeth
- POETIK – HAMOFIED 2 EP
Red Bull Best Producer
- WINNER: Dera Meelan (Church & AP – Teeth)
- Kings – ‘Hit That’
- Producer: Kings
- Mikey Mayz – ‘Wild People’
- Producers: Tia Drumma and EDY
- Olivia Foa’i – Candid
- Producer: Matatia Foa’i
Phillip Fuemana Award – Most Promising Pacific Artist
- WINNER: Victor J Sefo
NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award
- WINNER: Church & AP – ‘Ready or Not’
NZ On Air Streaming Award
- WINNER: Kings – ‘6 Figures’
SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist
- WINNER: HP Boyz
Special Recognition Award
- Jawsh 685
Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award
- Daniel Rae Costello
For more information: www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz
