Tonight, the artists and technicians of the music industry were celebrated at the second annual Artisan Awards at The Tuning Fork in Auckland.

This year Ben Edwards took the Tui for Massey University Best Producer, Clint Murphy was named the Best Engineer, Henrietta Harris claimed the Best Album Cover and the NZ On Air Best Music Video was presented to Joel Kefali.

Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Damian Vaughan said it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the creative technicians and visual artists who ensure the quality of New Zealand music.  

“The Artisan Awards is a night to recognise the people behind the scenes who add the often-overlooked touches to our favourite songs.

“Engineers and producers are the backbone of the high-quality songs and albums being released today, while album art and music videos add another dimension to the artistry of music.”  

For his work on Nadia Reid’s 2017 album Preservation, Ben Edwards has claimed the Massey University Best Producer award.

Nadia Reid is up for three Tuis at this year’s Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. Ben has also worked with fellow 2017 finalist Aldous Harding as well as former winners Marlon Williams and Tami Neilson. 

His local success has spurred international demand from Australia, Germany and the United States with Ben’s schedule booked up for the next 12 months. 

The Tui for Best Engineer goes to Clint Murphy for his work with Devilskin on their 2016 album Be Like The River, which peaked at #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and was recently certified gold.

Known for his work with local artists like Opshop, Annabel Fay, The Feelers and Kimbra, Clint has also seen success overseas – achieving three UK Top Ten Singles and three UK Top Twenty Records for his work on the Manic Street Preachers' ‘Lifeblood’, Thunder's ’Rip It Up’ and Melanie C's ‘Beautiful Intentions’.

Although physical album sales are declining, album art is still proudly displayed on digital and streaming platforms to represent artists’ work and vision. This year, Henrietta Harris has won the Tui for Best Album Cover for her work on Grayson Gilmour’s album Otherness. 

Henrietta masterfully hand-draws her images, which have appeared in shows all over New Zealand, Australia, London and New York, on t-shirts, on record covers and in fine print publications. She was also a finalist in 2014 for Grayson Gilmour’s last album Infinite Life!

While album art is a static interpretation of music, creating a music video to match and emphasise the song is an artform in its own right. Joel Kefali has won the NZ On Air Best Music Video for his video for ‘Got It Bad’ by LEISURE.

He is no stranger to the industry. Beginning in 2007 in a duo under the moniker Special Problems, Joel and his creative partner Campbell Hooper began crafting music videos for musicians like The Mint Chicks, Kimbra, Gin Wigmore and The Naked and Famous. Since then, Joel has worked with everyone from Lorde to Katy Perry to complement their work.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards will be broadcast live on Three on 16 November 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 are on sale now, $25 general admission + booking fee, available from Ticketmaster.

Artisan winners:

Best Producer: Ben Edwards (Nadia Reid)

Best Engineer: Clint Murphy (Devilskin)

Best Album Cover: Henrietta Harris (Grayson Gilmour)

NZ On Air Best Music Video: Joel Kefali (LEISURE)