She may have a number-one single - and have a top-five album behind it - in the United States, where she is competing and winning against the biggest global names in pop.
But tonight in Auckland, local pop phenomenon Lorde, with producer and co-writer Joel Little, is up for the first major music award of her short but spectacular career, against four other New Zealand acts of lesser profile.
In past years the 10,000 APRA members eligible to vote on the top five have chosen songs that weren't big hits.
But Royals, with its reflective lyrics, indelible tune and original arrangement, would seem to tick enough artistic merit boxes to make it the night's song to beat.
