This year, the annual Waiata Māori Music Awards will take place at the Hastings Sports Centre on September 12.
This ceremony is the most prestigious music awards to acknowledge our Māori composers and just recently, the finalists for this year were announced.
They are:
Best Māori Traditional Album -
Pao - Te Manu
Rob Thorne - Whāia te Maramatanga
Manea - Manea
Manea is a new group who were established just this year. They are a vocal group who came together through various connections to Hoani Waititi Marae.
They are passionate about music and its many genres, both Māori and non-Māori and kapa haka remains their foundation.
Their aim with this album is to offer more Māori music to iwi stations across the country.
Best Māori Urban RAP/Hip Hop/RnB -
Manea - Manea
JGeeks - Māori Vs Music
Kirsten Te Rito - Common Ground
Best Māori Urban Roots Album -
Sons Of Zion - Universal Love
House Of Shem - Harmony
Tomorrow People - One.5
House of Shem released their album Harmony at the end of 2013. Their most popular and well known song from this album that has been heard on many radio stations nationally and internationally is 'Take You There'.
Here's their video clip:
Best Māori Pop Album -
Toni Huata - Tomokia
Kirsten Te Rito - Common Ground
Pao - Te Manu
Best Māori Male Solo Artist -
Rob Ruha
Tama Waipara
Carl Perkins - House of Shem
Robert Ruha is a new-comer to the Waiata Māori Music Awards. His EP Tiki Tapu was released in May this year and many of his songs have proved popular for those who tune in to our iwi radio stations. Here is his song, 'Pōnga Rā':
Best Māori Female Artist -
Kirsten Te Rito
Maika
Ria Hall
Majic Paora
Best Song by a Māori Artist -
Rob Ruha - Tiki Tapu
Tama Waipara - Tangihia
Karl Te Ariki - Pao - Noho Ake Au
Best Māori Songwriter -
Rob Ruha
Tama Waipara
Karl Te Ariki - Pao
Best Māori Music Video -
Sons Of Zion ft Tomorrow - Superman (Director: Shae Stirling)
House Of Shem - Fighting for freedom (Director: Mike Johnathan-Hakaboy Productions)
Tomorrow People - Daydreamer (Director: Mark Arona)
Here's Sons of Zion video, 'Superman':
Up and Coming -
L40
L40 is a 7 piece RnB/Hip Hop/Neo-Soul/Reggae band based in Whanganui. L40, which is short for ‘Latitude -40’ indicates the latitude coordinate of -40 degrees, which on a map, shows you the location of their home, Rātana Pā. Rātana Pā is where the majority of the band members are from, therefore the name ‘L40’ acts as a constant reminder of this.
Here is their song, 'Can I Be':
Iconic Awards -
Keeper of Traditions: Napi Waaka
Music Industry: Rangi Parker
Music Composers (Historical): Paraire Tomoana
Make sure to check the Māori Television website over the coming week for more updates, and visit the Waiata Māori Music Awards facebook page here!
