Industry News - Aotearoa Music Awards announce 2025 Tui winners
Produced by Recorded Music NZ, the Aotearoa Music Awards tonight celebrated a standout group of Tūī winners at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau, closing out Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Music Month with a bang. The event marked 60 years of the Music Awards and 50 years of the Official Music Charts in Aotearoa.
Fazerdaze was awarded the Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of The Year and Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist Tūī, cutting through in two categories stacked with incredible talent. The artist’s acclaimed 2024 LP Soft Power has made an impact both at home and internationally, putting Amelia Murray firmly back in the spotlight.
Lorde won Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year with her Charli xcx collaboration, ‘Girl, so confusing featuring lorde’. In the midst of promoting her new chart-topping single ‘What Was That’ and her highly anticipated forthcoming album Virgin, the superstar was present to collect the Tūī and celebrate with her fellow NZ artists. Lorde’s latest single ‘Man of the Year’ is out today.
Earth Tongue was named Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group. The duo features guitarist Gussie Larkin, also a member of 2024 Best Alternative finalists Mermaidens, and drummer Ezra Simons. Along with Oscar Keys and Kristin Li, Simons is also one of the director trio that won this year’s NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content for ‘Paradise’ (DARTZ).
Stan Walker took home both Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo for his chart-topping anthem ‘Maori Ki Te Ao’ and Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist. This follows from his 2024 success as the inaugural recipient of the Te Manu Mātārae award. Walker has a long history with the Awards, having now won 11 Tūī to date and performed and co-hosted on multiple memorable occasions.
L.A.B and 9Lives were both awarded a Te Manu Mātārae Tūī at AMA 2025. The award was introduced in 2024 to recognise artists that have made a significant impact on the music landscape during the eligibility period, but whose success may not be captured by traditional award categories.
L.A.B received the award in recognition of their phenomenal all-round success in 2024. Having long been one of the biggest acts in Aotearoa, it was a truly remarkable year for the group – ranging from their streaming and chart success to a sell-out US tour. The band released its sixth album, L.A.B VI – which went to #1 in the Official Top 40 Albums Chart, one of only two NZ albums to do so in 2024. The group also received the NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year Tūī for the second year running, this time for their hit single ‘Casanova’.
Max Jardine a.k.a 9Lives was also awarded a Te Manu Mātārae Tūī in acknowledgement of the electronic artist’s extraordinary success in 2024, particularly in the US. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, the producer and artist has streaming numbers in the billions, and two RIAA gold-certified songs. 9Lives has collaborated with an ever-increasing number of international artists, including Lil Nas X and Kanii.
Entirely decided by public vote, JD Sports Tā te Iwi | People's Choice was won by Hamilton rock and metal mainstays Devilskin. The band has earned a formidable reputation and a legion of loyal fans since forming in 2010. This Tūī win is backed by Devilskin’s latest EP, SURFACING.
Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year was won by 2024 People’s Choice winner Hori Shaw. The Ōpōtiki-based roots reggae artist’s single ‘Back in My Arms’ first charted in May 2024 and remains at the top end of the Aotearoa Top 20 Singles Chart a full year on.
2025 Taite Music Prize winner MOKOTRON won Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist with his Sun Return release WAEREA. MOKOTRON is the artist persona of Tiopira McDowell, Head of School of Māori and Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland.
The 2025 Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist winner, at a time when Country’s really making itself (re)known, is the inimitable Tami Neilson. The genre icon claims the award for the seventh time, this time for her very special homage to Willie Nelson, Neilson Sings Nelson – right after receiving the newly established Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa at the annual Country Music Honours in Gore. Matt Sinclair also won Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork for the painting that graces the cover of Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson).
Aaradhna claimed Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist for the second year running, for her 2024 return Sweet Surrender. The record saw Aaradhna take full creative control, as both songwriter and producer.
Holly Arrowsmith was awarded Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk, for her compelling Americana record Blue Dreams. Arrowsmith just won the APRA Best Country Music Song Award for the second consecutive year, for the record’s title track (and in 2024 for ‘Desert Dove’). She also won the Best Folk Tūī in 2016, for her debut album For The Weary Traveller.
Jim Nothing’s homage to inner city Auckland, Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn won the garage troubadour the 2025 Tūī for Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist. The self-described green-thumbed, guitar-slinging artist is new to the Awards – 2025 saw both his first finalist nod and win.
2024 Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots and Te Tino Waiata ā-Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Single winners Corrella take the Best Roots Artist Tūī once again, following the release of their 2024 album Skeleton. The eight-piece planted themselves firmly on the map with their hugely popular waiata ‘Blue Eyed Māori’.
Cassie Henderson had a great year on radio, reflected in her win for Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist. Henderson’s Single of the Year-nominated track ‘Seconds To Midnight (11:59)’ spent 15 consecutive weeks at #1 on the RadioScope NZ Airplay Chart from August–December 2024, the longest run by a local female artist since 2017.
Hitmaker David Dallas made a comeback, securing Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist for Vita. The Frontline-produced EP was written while David, or ‘Vita’, was based back in the South Auckland house he grew up in, following the passing of his brother. Dallas has won the category twice before, first in 2010 and again in 2014.
Backing up their directors’ Best Music Video Content Tūī, DARTZ took home Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist for their chart-topping second album Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One. The record debuted at #1 on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts Top 40, a feat achieved by very few others.
2024 APRA Best Jazz Composition Award winner Lucien Johnson won Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist and renowned concert pianist Jian Liu (Where Fairburn Walked) was awarded Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist.
Nic Manders won Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer for his work on Georgia Lines’ debut album, The Rose Of Jericho, and Simon Gooding won Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer for his contribution to Safar (CHAII).
SIX60 was awarded the first-ever Aotearoa Charts Icon award. The Icon award has been established by Recorded Music NZ to recognise local artists that have had significant success in the Official Charts over an extended period. The hugely successful act was also awarded Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist for a record-extending seventh time.
Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Jo Oliver says:
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards. These outstanding artists illustrate the breadth and depth of musical talent we have here in Aotearoa, and the impact our artists and music are having at home and beyond.
“It has been a privilege this year to mark an incredible 60 years of the Music Awards in Aotearoa, and 50 years of the Official Music Charts. Produced by Recorded Music NZ, the Awards and the Charts reflect our rich musical heritage and inspire the next generation of artists and music fans.”
The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards was co-hosted by Kara Rickard and Jesse Mulligan. It was livestreamed by AMA Official Media Partner RNZ via rnz.co.nz and across its social media channels. The broadcast will be available to stream on TVNZ+ from the evening of Friday 30 May.
AMA 2025 was brought to our screens by Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho.
Aotearoa Music Awards 2025 Winners
NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year - Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Spotify Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year - Lorde – ‘Girl, so confusing featuring lorde’ (Charli xcx, Lorde)
Spotify Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist - Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group - Earth Tongue – Great Haunting
Te Manu Mātārae - 9Lives
Te Manu Mātārae - L.A.B
Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo - Stan Walker – ‘Māori Ki Te Ao’
Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist - Stan Walker
Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year - Hori Shaw
Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist - Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn
Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist - Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked
Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist - Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson
Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist - MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist - Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams
Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist - David Dallas – Vita
Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist - Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics
Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist - Cassie Henderson – The Yellow Chapter
Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist - DARTZ – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One
Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist - Corrella – Skeletons
Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist - Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork - Matt Sinclair – Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson)
Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer - Simon Gooding – Safar (CHAII)
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content - Oscar Keys, Ezra Simons, Kristin Li – ‘Paradise’ (DARTZ)
Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer - Nic Manders – The Rose Of Jericho (Georgia Lines)
Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist - Six60
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year - L.A.B
JD Sports Tā te Iwi | People's Choice - Devilskin
AMA 2025 category sponsors
NZ On Air
Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year
Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content
Te Māngai Pāho
Mana Reo
Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist
Spotify
Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year
Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist
JD Sports
Tā te Iwi | People’s Choice
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Produced by Recorded Music NZ, the Aotearoa Music Awards tonight celebrated a standout group of Tūī winners at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau, closing out Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Music Month with a bang.
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