Top Pacific music artists were recognized at the 15th Pacific Music Awards celebrated last night, 23 May, at the Sir Woolf Fisher Arena Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau City, New Zealand.
Among them were General Fiyah featuring Three Houses Down, winning the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award with their song ‘Here to Stay’.
Two key winners, KINGS and Tomorrow People won four awards each.
KINGS won Best Pacific Male Artist, APRA Best Pacific Song, and the NZ On Air Streaming Award, as well as SIT/MAINZ Best Producer alongside 10A for their album ‘Lov3 & 3go’.
Tomorrow People won Recorded Music Best Pacific Music Album, Pato Entertainment Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist, and PMN Best Pacific Group following the release of their 2018 EP ‘BBQ Reggae’. They also won the SunPix People’s Choice Award for Best Pacific Artist.
The awards also showcased a lineup of performances from finalists Adeaze, Poetik Melodownz, Razé, Tree, Punialava’a, Jaro Local and Tomorrow People. Upcoming artist, Sonatane Kaufusi, who is of Tongan descent, was a finalist for two awards for his song ‘Birdie’.
The evening included a special tribute for the late Queen Salote Tupou III of Tonga, who was recognized with the Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award for her compositions.
2019 Pacific Music Awards Winners:
Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist Award:
- WINNER: Razé - ‘Not About You’
- La Coco - ‘Waiting’
- Tree - ‘Can We’
- Villette - ‘Money’
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist Award:
- WINNER: Kings - Lov3 & 3go
- Melodownz - Melo & Blues
- POETIK - HAMOFIED EP
- Sonatane Kaufusi - ‘Birdie’
PMN Best Pacific Group Award:
- WINNER: Tomorrow People - BBQ Reggae
- Adeaze - A Mother's Love
- SWIDT - The Most Electrifying
PMN Best Pacific Gospel Artist Award:
- WINNER: Adeaze - A Mother's Love
- Punialava’a - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow O ananafi, O nei ma Taeao
- Revere - Revere
Base FM NZ & Island Base FM Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist Award:
- WINNER: SWIDT - The Most Electrifying
- Kings - Lov3 & 3go
- POETIK - HAMOFIED EP
Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist Award:
- WINNER: Razé - ‘Not About You’
- La Coco - ‘Waiting’
- Villette - ‘Not in Love’
Pato Entertainment Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist
- WINNER: Tomorrow People - BBQ Reggae
- Lapi Mariner - ‘Go Back’
- Runtingz Family - ‘Runtingz Anthem’
Flava Best International Pacific Artist Award:
- WINNER: Jaro Local - Dakini Tangarareh
- Bobby Alu - ‘Move’
- Kaiit - Live From Her Room EP
SIT/MAINZ Best Producer Award:
- WINNER: Kings & 10A - Lov3 & 3go
- SmokeyGotBeatz - The Most Electrifying, SWIDT
- Baccyard - Melo & Blues, Melodownz
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video:
- WINNER: Villette ‘Money’ - Directed by Parker Howell, Baron VR
- Razé X Edy - ‘Not About You’, Directed by Kiel Tutin & Edward Liu
- Sonatane Kaufusi - ‘Birdie’ , Directed by: Dave Thomson, Imaginary Friends
- SWIDT - ‘Who Run It’ Directed by 10Daniel16
APRA Best Pacific Song
- WINNER: Kings - ‘6 Figures’ Written by Kingdon Chapple-Wilson
- Church & AP - ‘Ready or Not’ Written by Elijah Manu, Albert Purcell
- Punialava’a ‘Ana le Seanoa’oe’- written by Rev. Iosefa Lale Peteru
SunPix Best Pacific Language
- WINNER: Punialava’a Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow O ananafi, O nei ma Taeao
- Adeaze A Mother's Love
- Sammy Atoa 'Samoa Finau’
Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album Award:
- WINNER: Tomorrow People - BBQ Reggae
- Kings - Lov3 & 3go
- SWIDT - The Most Electrifying
Phillip Fuemana Award – Most Promising Pacific Artist
- WINNER: Melodownz
NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award
- WINNER: General Fiyah feat Three Houses Down – ‘Here To Stay’
NZ On Air Streaming Award
- WINNER: Kings – ‘Don’t Worry About It’
SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist
- WINNER: Tomorrow People
Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award
- (posthumous) HM Queen Sālote Tupou lll
