Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) have announced that the finalists for the Taite Music Prize 2018 have been confirmed. Now in its ninth year, the Taite Music Prize recognises outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained on one recording.

Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of New Zealand’s most respected music journalists, the prize-winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 to be spent as they wish, thanks to Taite Music Prize founding partner Recorded Music NZ; recording time at Red Bull Studios Auckland; and a year’s supply of Red Bull product. This year’s eight finalists, from a lengthy list of 92 nominations submitted by record labels both independent and major from across the country, are:

Aldous Harding - Party  (Flying Nun Records)
Fazerdaze - Morningside  (Flying Nun Records)
Grayson Gilmour - Otherness (Flying Nun Records)
Kane Strang - Two Hearts and No Brain (Dead Oceans)
Mermaidens - Perfect Body (Flying Nun Records)
Nadia Reid - Preservation (SPUNK!)
TEEKS - The Grapefruit Skies (TEEKS)
The Bads - Losing Heroes (The Bads)

The eight albums in contention for the 2018 prize include fresh faces and familiar New Zealand musicians alike. Previous Taite Music Prize finalists all return with their sophomore albums:  Nadia Reid returns with Preservation, Aldous Harding with Partyand her label-mate Grayson Gilmour with his Otherness album. Brand new finalists include Fazerdaze with Morningside, TEEKS with The Grapefruit Skies and Kane Strang with his sophomore record Two Hearts and No Brain as do Mermaidens with Perfect Body.  The Bads join the finalists list with their album number four, Losing Heroes.

IMNZ General Manager, Dylan Pellett, says, “It’s been another exciting banner year for New Zealand music and this year’s finalists are a true reflection of the best local recordings. I wish all the finalists every success.”

This year the Taite Music Prize will be announced at a presentation at The Civic’s Wintergarden in Auckland on Tuesday 17th April 2018. 

Alongside the main prize, two additional awards will again be presented at the ceremony: the Independent Music NZ Classic Record Award and the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award, celebrating the freshest talent of Aotearoa. The winner receives a $2,000 cash prize and a live performance slot programmed at Auckland Live.

Check out the albums on Spotify HERE!

Previous winners of The Taite Prize:

2010 - Lawrence Arabia Chant Darling (Honorary Bedouin Records)

2011 - Ladi6 - The Liberation Of (What? Music)

2012 - Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Seeing Records)

2013 – SJD - Elastic Wasteland (Round Trip Mars)

2014 – Lorde - Pure Heroine (Universal Music NZ)

2015 – Jakob – Sines (Shoot The Freak)

2016 – Silicon - Personal Computer (Weird World/Domino Recordings)

2017 - Street Chant - Hauora (Arch Hill Recordings)

Previous Winners of the  Independent Music NZ Classic Record:

2013 – Gordons – Gordons (Flying Nun)

2014 – Various Artists – AK79 (Ripper Records)

2015 – Herbs – What’s Be Happen? (Warrior Records)

2016 – Upper Hutt Posse – E Tū (Jayrem Records)

2017 - The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle (Flying Nun