Revealed: Finalists announced for national Māori music awards in Hastings

Flaxmere-born rapper Tipene Harmer is a finalist for Best Māori Hip Hop Album. Photo / NZME

Celebrated Aotearoa artists as well as some new voices will be "welcomed into the Māori music awards with open arms".

Organisers for the 14th National Waiata Māori Music Awards 2021 in Hastings say after a difficult year in 2020, the team is poised to host some of the country's best musicians, singers and songwriters.

"Our wāhine artists such as Anna Coddington, Ainsley Ashell, Mistee K, Paige and Vayne are all nominees this year, and we honour our wāhine Māori as a vital voice of te ao Māori," a spokesperson said.

Coddington is a singer-songwriter/producer and her album Beams is up for Best Māori Pop Album, Vayne for Gutta Girl and Misstee K's The New Chapter Album are all up for awards. Ainsley Allen and Paige are in the running as nominees for Best Wāhine Māori Solo Artist.

At the top of the te reo Māori charts are NLC, who are finalists for the Best Māori Reggae/Roots Album for Trouble, alongside Grove Roots for their album Iwi. Hani Dread is a finalist for Best Single By a Māori Artist with his waiata Kōkiri, Kings is up for Best Hip Hop Album for Raplist alongside Adam Tukiri with SON.

Returning award winners Troy Kingi, Stan Walker, L.A.B and former-Flaxmere man Tipene Harmer are finalists in multiple categories.

Up for Best Māori Solo Artist is Hawkins, who is no stranger to the industry. Nominated for Best RnB album is Lois Baker with Love Levitates, in good company alongside Mara TK, who is also in the running for the Best Māori Solo Artist.

Other awards artists are previous award winners Tomorrow People, Morse Gang and also IA who are all finalists for Best Māori Group.

"With a talented list of Māori artists, this year's awards are going to be tū meke!"

Independent judges have assessed the work of the artists online individually, rather than as a group or collective panel.

The results were submitted via the internet to the awards administrator and collated.

Judges have been nominated from the music industry, both Māori and mainstream musicians, composers, producers, managers and music organisations.

The 2021 awards will be held in Hastings at Toitoi Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre on September 10

FINALISTS 2021

Best Māori Hip Hop Album:

Adam Tukiri – SON

Kings - Raplist

Tipene Harmer - Heritage Trail

Vayne - Gutta Girl

Best Māori RnB Album:

Louis Baker - Love Levitates

Mara TK - Bad Meditation

Mistee K - The Next Chapter

Troy Kingi - The Ghost of Freddie Cesar

Best Māori Roots/Reggae Album:
Grove Roots - Iwi

NLC - Trouble

Best Māori Pop Album:

Anna Coddington - Beams

L.A.B - L.A.B IV

Teeks - Something to Feel

Troy Kingi - The Ghost of Freddie Cesar

Best Māori Tāne Solo Artist:

Mara TK

Teeks

Tipene Harmer

Troy Kingi

Best Māori Wāhine Solo Artist:

Ainslee Allen

Anna Coddington

Mistee K

Paige

Best Māori Group:

IA

L.A.B

Morse Gang

Tomorrow People

Best Single By a Māori Artist:

Hani Dread - Kōkiri

Hawkins - Can't Leave It Alone

L.A.B - Why Oh Why

Stan Walker - Bigger

Tipene Harmer - Tūrangawaewae

Best Māori Songwriter:

L.A.B - Why Oh Why

Mara TK - Te Kete Aronui

Teeks - Remember Me

Tipene Harmer - Tūrangawaewae

Troy Kingi - All Your Ships Have Sailed

Best Music Video by a Māori Artist:

Grove Roots - Atua Māori

L.A.B - Why Oh Why

Stan Walker – Bigger

Teeks – Younger

Troy Kingi - First Take Strut