Auckland rap crew SWIDT lead the pack with six finalist nods for the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards which will be held at the Spark Arena on 16 November.

The Onehunga group is up for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Best Group, Best Hip Hop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice – as well as Massey University Best Producer at the Artisan Awards for band member SmokeyGotBeatz.

Two Kiwi songstresses who are making headlines across the world are finalists in multiple categories. Lorde is in the running for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, The Edge Best Pop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice while Aldous Harding has received nominations for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Artist.

Kiwi dream-pop artist Fazerdaze is up for Best Alternative Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, while indie-rock band LEISURE will look to claim Best Group after their Breakthrough Artist of the Year finalist nod in 2016. On top of this, both are nominated for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year.

Local hip hop MC David Dallas is a finalist for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year for his fourth album Hood Country Club. He’s also in the running for Best Hip Hop Artist and Vodafone Single of the Year for his 2017 track ‘Fit In’.

Dunedin-born singer songwriter Nadia Reid has seen her musical career grow significantly over the last few years. A finalist for 2016’s Best Folk Album, the release of her second album Preservation earlier this year has catapulted her into the VNZMA finalist list for Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Best Alternative Artist.

Another newcomer to the Music Awards is TEEKS who debuted at number ten on the NZ Official Top 40 Chart for ‘The Grapefruit Skies EP’. He’s up for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Best Soul/RnB Artist, and Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist at this year’s show.

Kiwi music stalwart Ladi6 is a finalist for Best Soul/RnB Artist and Christchurch’s Theia has been nominated for The Edge Best Pop Artist and Vodafone People’s Choice. Both musicians are up for Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Royal Blue’ and ‘Roam’, respectively.

There are some strong finalists for Best Roots Artist with Israel Starr, Sons of Zion, and Tomorrow People all being recognised for their contributions to the genre in 2017.

The last 12 months have seen the release of excellent electronic music as well. Chaos In The CBD, K+Lab, and Truth are the three finalists for Best Electronic Artist.

Other finalists include Devilskin (Best Group, Best Rock Artist), KINGS (Three Best Solo Artist, Best Hip Hop Artist, Vodafone People’s Choice), Shapeshifter (Best Group),MAALA (Vodafone Single of the Year, Vodafone People’s Choice), Mitch James (The Edge Best Pop Artist), Clap Clap Riot (Best Rock Artist), Graham Brazier (Best Rock Artist), Tommy Nee (Best Soul/RnB Artist), Alien Weaponry (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist), and Maisey Rika (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist).

Curate Music, Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg, and Juliagrace are finalists for Best Worship Artist, while Jenny McLeod, NZ Trio, and Te Kōkī Trio have all been recognised as finalists for Best Classical Artist.

Recorded Music CEO Damian Vaughan says each year gets better and better and he is immensely proud of this year’s finalists.

“We have a wide variety of talented musicians dedicated to their craft here in New Zealand. The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards gives us a platform to recognise the incredible work that’s been produced across a number of genres and categories. It will be a fantastic night to take in everything that has been achieved in New Zealand music this past year,” says Vaughan.

The recipients of the Vodafone Highest Selling Single, Highest Selling Album, NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year, and the International Achievement Awardwill also be announced on the night.

A line-up of exciting live performances

Alongside celebrating the great Kiwi musicians and their work over the last 12 months, the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards welcomes a number of artists to take the stage and perform on the night.

This year, SWIDT, Lorde, TEEKS, Theia and Devilskin will be performing on the night and there will also be two special performances, including a tribute to the 2017 Legacy Award recipient.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on November 16th from 8.30pm. Whether you’re on the red carpet or your couch at home, you’ll be able to watch some of New Zealand’s finest musical talent at the Music Awards.

Tickets go on sale 6 October, $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

VNZMA 2017 Finalists

Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year
Aldous Harding – ‘Party’
David Dallas – ‘Hood Country Club’
Fazerdaze – ‘Morningside’
LEISURE – ‘LEISURE’
Lorde – ‘Melodrama’
SWIDT – ‘Stoneyhunga‘

Vodafone Single of the Year
David Dallas – “Fit In”
Ladi6 – “Royal Blue”
Lorde – “Green Light”
MAALA – “In My Head”
SWIDT – “Player Of The Day”
Theia – “Roam”

Best Group
Devilskin
LEISURE
Shapeshifter
SWIDT

THREE Best Solo Artist
Aldous Harding
KINGS
Lorde
Nadia

Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Aldous Harding
Fazerdaze
Nadia Reid
TEEKS

Best Rock Artist
Clap Clap Riot
Devilskin
Graham Brazier

The Edge Best Pop Artist
Lorde
Mitch James
Theia

Best Alternative Artist
Aldous Harding
Fazerdaze
Nadia Reid

Best Soul/RnB Artist
Ladi6
TEEKS
Tommy Nee

Best Hip Hop Artist
David Dallas
KINGS
SWIDT

Best Roots Artist
Israel Starr
Sons of Zion
Tomorrow People

Best Electronic Artist
Chaos In The CBD
K+Lab
Truth

Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist
Alien Weaponry
Maisey Rika
TEEKS

Best Worship Artist
Curate Music
Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg
Juliagrace

Best Classical Artist
Jenny McLeod
NZTrio
Te Kōkī Trio

Vodafone People’s Choice Award
Lorde
KINGS
MAALA
SWIDT
Theia

ARTISAN AWARDS

NZ On Air Best Music Video
Dan Watkins (Reel Factory) – Her
(Shapeshifter)
Joel Kefali – Got It Bad (LEISURE)
Sam Kristofski – Lucky Girl (Fazerdaze)
18. Best Album Cover
Dean Poole & Tyrone Ohia (Alt Group) –
‘Stars’ (Shapeshifter)
Henrietta Harris – ‘Otherness’ (Grayson
Gilmour)
Jamie Robertson – ‘String Theory’ (Fly My
Pretties)

Massey University Best Producer
Ben Edwards – ‘Preservation’ (Nadia
Reid)
LEISURE – ‘LEISURE’ (LEISURE)
SmokeyGotBeatz – ‘Stoneyhunga’
(SWIDT)

Best Engineer
Ben Edwards – ‘Preservation’ (Nadia
Reid)
Chris Chetland – ‘A Place to Stand’ (REI)
Clint Murphy – ‘Be Like The River’
(Devilskin)

NZ Herald Legacy Award

Vodafone Highest Selling Single

Highest Selling Album

NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of
the Year

International Achievement

ADDITIONAL TUIS PRESENTED IN 2017

Best Pacific Album
Winner: Aaradhna – ‘Brown Girl’
KINGS – ‘KINGS EP’
Unity Pacific – ‘Blackbirder Dread’

Best Country Album
Winner: Jody Direen – ‘Shake Up’
Hamilton County Bluegrass Band – ‘These
Old Hands’
Phil Doublet – ‘Endless Highway’

Best Folk Album
Winner: Guy Wishart – ‘West By North’
Luke Thompson – ‘Hosts
Graeme James – ‘News From Nowhere’

Best Jazz Album
Winner: Jonathan Crayford – ‘East West
Moon’
Mike Nock Trio & NZ Trio – ‘Vicissitudes’
Myele Manzanza – ‘OnePointOne’

Best Children’s Album
Winner: Anika Moa – ‘Songs For Bubbas
2’
Claudia Gunn – ‘Little Wild Lullabies’
Itty Bitty Beats – ‘On The Move’