Déjà Vu! L.A.B repeat history in the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards

Repeating their 2021 haul L.A.B has secured their spot in award history, taking out the same four Tūī for the second year running.

Their success story continues with the group taking home Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of The Year for their fifth album L.A.B. V, Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year for Mr Reggae, Te Roopu Toa | Best Group and Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist.

Country singer-songwriter Tami Neilson has won three Tūī: her 6th Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Artist, as well as Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist, and Massey University Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa | Best Producer for her album Kingmaker. Tami’s Best Producer nod makes her the first solo female to win the award since Bic Runga in 2006.

Fresh from their APRA Silver Scroll win, Rob Ruha has been recognised as 2022’s Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist for his album Preservation of Scenery and under his mentorship, Te Tairāwhiti tira waiata Ka Hao received Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī for Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice and 35 (ft. Rob Ruha) respectively.

Tauranga-based artist and first-time nominee Georgia Lines has scooped the Tūī for Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year for her sophomore EP Human, while pop juggernaut BENEE takes home the 2022 Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist for the fourth year running.

The other winners this year include Waipu-based metal band Alien Weaponry for Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist, Vera Ellen for Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist for the critically acclaimed It’s Your Birthday, first time nominee Leaping Tiger for Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist, and Robert Ashworth & Sarah Watkins for Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist for their album Moonstone – a collection of works by New Zealand composers.

Two-time 2022 Pacific Music Award winners Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith also took home the Tūīfor Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist for The Panthers OST.

Another year, another awards season for Six60 who continue to show us why they’re history makers, taking out Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist for the fourth year running, and Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | Radio Airplay Record of the Year for the sixth time for their single Someone To Be Around.

There will be one surprise award announced tonight – the Tūī for Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice will be tallied up and presented to the recipient this evening and on social media.

Announcing the Artisan Awards winners

Alongside the main awards finalists, the behind-the-scenes heroes of the hapori puoro were also announced and celebrated today.

While Tami Neilson received Best Producer, the Tūī for Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer went to Simon Gooding for his contributions to Tami’s album Kingmaker.

L.A based Chelsea Jade Metcalf was awarded Te Toi Ataata Pukaemi Toa | Best Album Artwork for her album Soft Spot while Joel Kefali and Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) were recognised with the NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content for Lorde’s music video Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All), the video which features three different versions of Lorde — literally and figuratively.

Recorded Music New Zealand Kaiwhakahaere o Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa Sarah Owen says this year’s awards are a testament to the passion and commitment displayed by the local music scene.

“Being able to see such deserving artists receive recognition for their art is an honour – such a broad range of recorded work with originality and artistry, showing the depth and breadth of talent in Aotearoa,” says Owen.

“With many of our 2022 award winners being first-time nominees, we hope it also encourages our aspiring and emerging ringapuoro across the motu to press ahead with their own musical journeys.”

With thanks to NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho for their continued support.

AMA 2022 Winners (by category)
1. Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Winner: L.A.B – L.A.B V
Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Lorde – Solar Power
Reb Fountain – Iris
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Tami Neilson – Kingmaker

2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year
Winner: L.A.B – Mr Reggae
Ka Hao – 35 (ft. Rob Ruha)
Marlon Williams – My Boy
Reb Fountain – Lacuna
Rob Ruha – That’s Where I’ll Be
The Beths – Silence is Golden

3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group
Winner: L.A.B – L.A.B V
Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Wairunga
Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice

4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist
Winner: Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
Lorde – Solar Power
Reb Fountain – Iris
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery

5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Winner: Georgia Lines – Human
Coterie – Cool it Down
Jordan Rakei – What We Call Life
There’s a Tuesday – Boy Scout

6. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award
Winner: Ka Hao – 35 (ft Rob Ruha)
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Troy Kingi – Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura

7. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist
Winner: Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Stan Walker – Te Arohanui

8. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist
Winner: BENEE – Lychee
Georgia Lines – Human
Lorde – Solar Power

9. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist
Winner: Vera Ellen – It’s Your Birthday
Ben Woods – Dispeller
Te Kaahu – Te Kaahu O Rangi

10. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Winner: Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery
Jackson Owens – For The Better EP
Jordan Rakei – What We Call Life

11. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist
Winner: Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith – The Panthers OST
CHAII – Pineapple Pizza
Christoph El Truento and Lucky Lance – The 25th January Tape

12. Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Music Artist
Winner: Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
Jenny Mitchell – Tug of War
Kaylee Bell – Silver Linings

13. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist
Winner: L.A.B. – L.A.B V
Ka Hao – Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
The Black Seeds – Love & Fire

14. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist
Winner: Leaping Tiger – Soulsleep
Julien Dyne – MODES
Tali – Future Dwellers

15. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist
Winner: Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa
Shihad – Old Gods
Sit Down In Front – Fuelling My Rage

16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist
Winner: Robert Ashworth & Sarah Watkins – Moonstone
Bridget Douglas and Al Fraser – Silver Stone Wood Bone
NZTrio – Merge

17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice Award
To be announced

18. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist
Six60

19. NZ On Air Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | Radio Airplay Record of the Year
Six60 – Someone To Be Around

2022 Artisan Award Winners

20. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Album Artwork

Winner: Chelsea Jade Metcalf

– Soft Spot (Chelsea Jade)
Barny Bewick & Lewis de Jong

– Tangaroa (Alien Weaponry)

Maria Francesca Melis

– Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

21. Massey University Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa | Best Producer

Winner: Tami Neilson

– Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

CHAII, Frank Keys, Rory Noble

–      Pineapple Pizza (CHAII)

choicevaughan, Diggy Dupé & P Smith

– The Panthers OST (Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan, & P Smith)

22. Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer
Winner: Simon Gooding

– Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

Dr Lee Prebble and Ara Adams-Tamatea

– L.A.B V (L.A.B)

Simon Gooding

– Iris (Reb Fountain)

23. NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content
Winner: Joel Kefali and Ella Yelich-O’Connor

– Secrets from a Girl’ (Who’s Seen It All) (Lorde)

Alyx Duncan

– Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

Nicole Horan, Marara Katipa, Dahnu Graham, Hayden Aull, Thomas Rose, Huhana Ruri-Panapa, Xavier Horan  

– Black Sea Golden Ladder: The Visual Album (Troy Kingi)

Additional Tūī presented in 2022
24. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist
Winner: Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder
Miles Calder – Autopilot Life
We Mavericks – Grief’s a Gardener

25. Recorded Music Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album
Winner: Tomorrow People –21  
Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith –The Panthers OST
Kings – Raplist

26. Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist
Winner: Myele Manzanza – Crisis & Opportunity Vol.1
Devil’s Gate Outfit – Jazz From The Underground Nightclubs Of Aotearoa Volume 5
Jake Baxendale & Jasmine Lovell-Smith – Sanctuary

27. Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children’s Artist
Winner: Music With Michal – Summer Days
Itty Bitty Beats – Itty Bitty Bubbles
Levity Beet – Levity Beet’s Bamboo Banger Collection