Nesian Mystik's ad track wins song of the year

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

Nesian Mystik - the hit Auckland hip-hop band barely out of their teens - won the Apra Silver Scroll song-of-the-year award last night for a track which features in a soft-drink commercial.

The annual songwriting prize went to the group for their For the People, a track from their debut album Polysaturated, which has since been bought by Coca-Cola for a television ad campaign.

The band of Donald McNulty, Te Awanui Reeder, Junior Rikiau, David Atai and Feleti Strickson-Pua received a $5000 cheque with the Silver Scroll trophy, awarded by the Australasian Performing Rights Association (Apra), at the Auckland Town Hall event.

It will be added to a trophy cabinet quickly filled by the group. They won two Tuis at the New Zealand Music Awards and best hip-hop release at the b. Net awards this year.

Departing Apra New Zealand boss Mike Chunn said the song showed a melding of musical influences.

"Nesian Mystik epitomise the way New Zealand music is fusing elements from its various genres.

"As each year goes by we are finding young people writing music that is adventurous, sophisticated and appealing."

The other nominees were Damien Binder and Robert Shepheard (Til Now), groups Ill Semantics (Highway), Blindspott (Phlex) and Goldenhorse (nominated for Riverhead).

Goldenhorse won the "most-performed work in NZ" airplay category with their song Maybe Tomorrow.

Neil Finn again won the "most-performed overseas" section with his perennial Crowded House hit Don't Dream It's Over.

The ceremony also marked the inaugural Maioha Award for Maori songwriters, which went to reggae veteran, traditional instrument revivalist and broadcaster Ngahiwi Apanui for Wharikihia from his album E Tau Nei.

In the contemporary classical division, the Sounz Contemporary Award went to composer Gillian Whitehead for Alice, a monodrama for soprano and orchestra written for mezzo Helen Medlyn.