Vera Ellen / Photo by Nicola Sandford.
We woke up this morning to some excellent news! The winners of the Aotearoa Music Awards 2023 have been announced and we are delighted to share that Vera Ellen has taken out the prestigious award Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist for her brilliant 2021 album, It's Your Birthday! This award is such a well deserved mark of Vera's stellar musical capabilities, and recognition of her journey in the Aotearoa's musical landscape.
Vera was up against some pretty incredible nominees in their category - Ben Woods and Te Kaahu, who both released fantastic albums this year. In fact, the nominees were impressive across the board. Of course, this includes Aldous Harding and Reb Fountain, who were both nominated for some big awards - Album of the Year | Te Pukaemi o te Tau, Single of the Year | Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau and Best Solo Artist | Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa, which went to L.A.B and Tami Neilson respectively.
Recorded Music New Zealand Kaiwhakahaere o Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa Sarah Owen says this year’s awards are a monument of the mahi and passion displayed by Aotearoa's music scene, especially throughout some pretty tough times.
“Being able to see such deserving artists receive recognition for their art is an honour – such a broad range of recorded work with originality and artistry, showing the depth and breadth of talent in Aotearoa,” says Owen.
“With many of our 2022 award winners being first-time nominees" - (and yup, that includes Vera Ellen) - "we hope it also encourages our aspiring and emerging ringapuoro across the motu to press ahead with their own musical journeys.”
The full list of nominees and winners are below.
AMA 2022 WINNERS (BY CATEGORY)
1. Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Winner: L.A.B – L.A.B V
Lorde – Solar Power
Reb Fountain – IRIS
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year
Ka Hao – ‘35’ (ft. Rob Ruha)
Winner: L.A.B – ‘Mr Reggae’
Marlon Williams – ‘My Boy’
Reb Fountain – ‘Lacuna’
Rob Ruha – ‘That's Where I'll Be’
The Beths – ‘Silence is Golden’
3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group
Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa
Fat Freddy's Drop – WAIRUNGA
Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
Winner: L.A.B – L.A.B V
4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist
Lorde – Solar Power
Reb Fountain – IRIS
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Winner: Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
COTERIE – ‘Cool it Down’
Winner: Georgia Lines – Human
Jordan Rakei – What We Call Life
There's a Tuesday – Boy Scout
6. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award
Winner: Ka Hao – ‘35’ (ft Rob Ruha)
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Troy Kingi – Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura
7. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist
Winner: Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Stan Walker – Te Arohanui
8. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist
Winner: BENEE – Lychee
Georgia Lines – Human
Lorde – Solar Power
9. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist
Ben Woods – Dispeller
Te Kaahu – Te Kaahu O Rangi
Winner: Vera Ellen – It's Your Birthday
10. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Jackson Owens – For The Better EP
Jordan Rakei – What We Call Life
Winner: Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
11. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist
CHAII – Pineapple Pizza
Christoph El Truento and Lucky Lance – The 25th January Tape
Winner: Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith – The Panthers OST
12. Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Music Artist
Jenny Mitchell – Tug of War
Kaylee Bell – Silver Linings
Winner: Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
13. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist
Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
Winner: L.A.B. – L.A.B V
The Black Seeds – Love & Fire
14. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist
Julien Dyne – MODES
Winner: LEAPING TIGER – Soulsleep
TALI – Future Dwellers
15. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist
Winner: Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa
Shihad – Old Gods
Sit Down In Front – Fuelling My Rage
16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist
Bridget Douglas and Al Fraser – Silver Stone Wood Bone
NZTrio – Merge
Winner: Robert Ashworth & Sarah Watkins – Moonstone
17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice Award - TBA
18. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist
Winner: Six60
19. Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year -
Winner: Six60 - 'Someone To Be Around'
2022 ARTISAN AWARDS:
20. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Album Artwork
Barny Bewick & Lewis de Jong – Tangaroa (Alien Weaponry)
Winner: Chelsea Jade Metcalf – Soft Spot (Chelsea Jade)
Maria Francesca Melis – Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)
21. Massey University Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa | Best Producer
CHAII, Frank Keys, Rory Noble – Pineapple Pizza (CHAII)
choicevaughan, Diggy Dupé & P Smith – The Panthers OST (Diggy Dupé choicevaughan, & P Smith)
Winner: Tami Neilson – Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)
22. Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer
Dr Lee Prebble and Ara Adams-Tamatea – L.A.B V (L.A.B)
Simon Gooding – IRIS (Reb Fountain)
Winner: Simon Gooding – Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)
23. NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content
Alyx Duncan – ‘Kingmaker’ (Tami Neilson)
Winner: Joel Kefali and Ella Yelich-O’Connor – ‘Secrets from a Girl’ (Who’s Seen It All) (Lorde)
Nicole Horan, Marara Katipa, Dahnu Graham, Hayden Aull, Thomas Rose, Huhana Ruri-Panapa, Xavier Horan – ‘Black Sea Golden Ladder: The Visual Album’ (Troy Kingi)
Additional Tūī awards presented in 2022:
24. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist
Winner: Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder
25. Recorded Music Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album
Winner: Tomorrow People – 21
26. Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist
Winner: Myele Manzanza – Crisis & Opportunity Vol.1
27. Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children’s Artist
Winner: Music With Michal – ‘Summer Days’
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