A selection of finalists in the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards, clockwise from top left, Aaradhna, Coterie, Tom Scott, Jordyn with a Why, Stan Walker. Photo: Supplied
Stan Walker and Avantdale Bowling Club's Tom Scott are leading nominations for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards.
Walker (Tūhoe, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Porou) is up for five awards, including Best Solo Artist, Best Māori Artist, and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award, which recognises albums or singles with at least 50 percent te reo Māori content.
He is also nominated for Spotify's Album of the Year and Single of the Year awards alongside Scott, who is a finalist in eight categories.
The Beths. Photo: Tim Collins / RNZ
Scott's nominations are evenly split between his work on both Avantdale Bowling Club's TREES and Homebrew's album Run It Back, which he shares with Haz Huari. Three of these nominations are in the same categories, including for Best Hip Hop Artist.
Indie rock darlings The Beths are finalists in three categories this year, including the coveted Best Group award.
They share this nomination with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tiny Ruins, LEISURE, and Mermaidens - the latter of which have also earned nods for Best Alternative and Spotify Single of the Year awards.
Marlon Williams. Photo: Marlon Williams / Facebook
Marlon Williams is being recognised for his self-directed music video for 'Don't Go Back' with a nomination for Best Music Video Content, alongside three other nominations, and 2023 Taite Music Prize winner Princess Chelsea is a finalist for three awards, including Best Alternative and Best Solo Artist.
Wellington singer-songwriter Aaradhna is also nominated ahead of the release of her first album in eight years. She's up for Best Soul/RnB Artist - a genre she helped create in 2016 when she regifted her Best Urban/Hip Hop award to SWIDT.
The Aotearoa Music Awards took a break in 2023 following a review the previous year.
Recorded Music New Zealand chief executive Jo Oliver says it's special to be back with a fresh format this year, including two connected ceremonies: the opening ceremony and showcase.
"It was important for us to engage with artists and the wider music community about the format, purpose, and meaning of AMA," Oliver says.
"The message from the community was clear: the Aotearoa Music Awards is seen as essential, and aspirational for emerging artists.
Aaradhna. Photo: Renati Waaka
"We heard strong support for our continuing commitment to embed te ao Māori and te reo and to reflect the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa. We also heard that more clarity was needed around the judging criteria and processes.
"We took the time to do that work and have taken steps to more actively promote diversity and inclusion across the judging process and the event."
"Congratulations to all the finalists ... we are so lucky to have such a wide range of remarkably talented artists and behind-the-scenes specialists in Aotearoa."
The 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards will take place on Thursday 30 May at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre. RNZ is the official media partner for the awards and will be streaming live video of the awards ceremony across multiple platforms on the night.
2024 Aotearoa Music Awards - full list of finalists
Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Avantdale Bowling Club - TREES
COTERIE - COTERIE
Erny Belle - Not Your Cupid
Home Brew - Run It Back
LEISURE - Leisurevision
Marlon Williams - My Boy
Paige - King Clown
Princess Chelsea - Everything Is Going To Be Alright
Stan Walker - All In
The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field
Tiny Ruins - Ceremony
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - V
Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year
Aaradhna - SHE
Avantdale Bowling Club - Friday Night At The Liquor Store
Corrella - Blue Eyed Māori
COTERIE - Always Beside You (ft. Six60)
Fazerdaze - Bigger
Home Brew - Run It Back
Kaylee Bell - Boots 'N All
L.A.B - Take It Away
Marlon Williams - Don't Go Back
Mermaidens - I Like To Be Alone
Stan Walker - I AM
The Beths - Watching The Credits
Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group
The Beths
Home Brew
LEISURE
Mermaidens
Tiny Ruins
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist
Avantdale Bowling Club
Fazerdaze
Kaylee Bell
Marlon Williams
Princess Chelsea
Stan Walker
Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist
Jordyn with a Why
MOHI
Rei
Stan Walker
TAWAZ
Tuari Brothers
Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award
COTERIE - Purea/Cool It Down
Jordyn with a Why - He Rei Niho
MOHI - Me Pēhea Ra
Stan Walker - I AM
TAWAZ - He Aho
Tuari Brothers - Tuari ki te Ao
Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork
Andrew McLeod - The Coin That Broke The Fountain Floor (Clementine Valentine)
Lily Paris West - Mermaidens (Mermaidens)
Lily Paris West - Expert In A Dying Field (The Beths)
Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist
Grecco Romank
Mermaidens
Princess Chelsea
Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist
Michael Houstoun & Bella Hristova
Natasha Te Rupe-Wilson & Somi Kim
New Zealand String Quartet
Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Artist
Kaylee Bell
Matt Joe Gow
The Mitchell Twins
Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist
Amamelia
deepState
Elipsa
Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer
Amelia Murray & Emily WheatcroftSnape - Break! (Fazerdaze)
Simon Gooding - King Clown (Paige)
Tom Healy & Alexandra Corbett - My Boy (Marlon Williams)
Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist
Adam McGrath
Terrible Sons
Tom Lark
Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist
Avantdale Bowling Club
Diggy Dupé
Home Brew
Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist
Clear Path Ensemble
Dave Wilson
Myele Manzanza
Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content
Anahera Parata - SHE (Aaradhna)
Connor Pritchard - All My Friends (NO COMPLY ft. Wells*)
Marlon Williams - Don't Go Back (Marlon Williams)
Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist
Foley
Georgia Lines
Paige
Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer
Christoph El Truento - TREES (Avantdale Bowling Club)
Haz Beats - Run It Back (Home Brew)
Tom Healy - Ceremony (Tiny Ruins)
Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist
Dead Favours
Midwave Breaks
Racing
Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist
Corrella
Coterie
Sons of Zion
Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Aaradhna
Dallas Tamaira
Sam V