The 2022 Pacific Music Awards takes place on Thursday evening in Auckland with 26 nominees vying for awards across 13 categories.
The annual awards are being held at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau, Auckland - the first time it's being hosted in front of a live audience in two years, with the 2020 and 2021 awards held online due to covid disruptions.
The finalists for the 2022 Pacific Music Awards are: Anthem, Bina Butta & Kennyon Brown, Diggy Dupé; choicevaughan & P. Smith, Emily Muli, Foundation, House of Misfits, Jaro Local, Kas Futialo, Kings, Lani Alo, Lisi, Mo Etc, Poetik, Sam V, Sammielz, Samson Squad, Shepherds Reign, SWIDT, Team Dynamite, TJ Taotua, Tomorrow People, Tree, Vallé and Victor J Sefo.
Diggy Dupé Photo: supplied
Nine of the 26 finalists are first-time nominees.
There will be live performances from House of Misfits, Kings, Mo Etc, Sam V, SWIDT and Tomorrow People. The event will be MC'd by John Pulu and Tofilau Ah-chow.
Events coordinator Petrina Togi-Sa'ena said the ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of Pasifika and their contributions to New Zealand music.
"This is our first live event in a couple of years so we are really excited to be returning to the live event," said Togi-Sa'ena.
"With the Pacific Music Awards, it's a chance to recognise and acknowledge, and celebrate our amazing Pacific artists. It's great for the community. It's just a just chance the acknowledge all the amazing Pasifika talent that we have."
Lifetime Achievement award
Samoan singer-songwriter Fa'anana Jerome Grey, will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement award at the ceremony.
Grey was an early pioneer of modern Pacific Island music, with his hit song We Are Samoa being dubbed the unofficial anthem of Samoa during the 1970s.
The 75-year-old was well-known during his generation, and performed for former US President Jimmy Carter and Congress in 1980.
Fa'anana Jerome Grey, the man who famously penned the song, 'We Are Samoa' Photo: Grey family