Aotearoa Music Awards: 2020 finalists announced

After winning four Tui at the music awards last year, pop sensation BENEE is back and up for three Tui - Best Solo Artist, Edge Best Pop Artist, and Single of the Year. Photo / Nikko Lamere

L.A.B., Benee, The Beths and Six60 dominate this year's nominations, which celebrate 38 finalists across 16 different categories.

The Aotearoa Music Awards replace the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and aim to "reinterpret what it means to be a Kiwi musician".

The event will take place on November 15 at Auckland's Spark Arena, and will be hosted by RNZ's Jesse Mulligan.

Six60 lead the nominations, with nods in five different categories - Album of the Year, Single of The Year, Best Group, Best Pop Artist, and the new Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award, which recognises albums or singles with at least 50% te reo Māori.

Aotearoa's favourite supergroup L.A.B., whose members include Kora brothers Stu and Brad, former Katchafire member Ara Adams-Tamatea, vocalist Joel Shadbolt and keyboardist Miharo Gregory are finalists for four awards including Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Group and Best Roots Artist.

After winning four Tui at the music awards last year, pop sensation BENEE is back and up for three Tui - Best Solo Artist, Edge Best Pop Artist, and Single of the Year for 'Supalonely', the song that dominated TikTok earlier this year.

After performing at the 2019 Music Awards, indie pop group The Beths are nominated in three categories - Best Alternative Artist, Best Group and Album of the Year.

American-born, South Island raised folk favourite, Reb Fountain is up for Album of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Alternative Artist; South Auckland teen Jawsh 685 is in the running for Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, after his single 'Laxed (Siren Beat)' created a global movement; and up-and-coming Māori artist Paige is nominated for Spotify Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Edge Best Pop Artist.

Acclaimed for her intimate musical performances Nadia Reid a finalist for Best Solo Artist and Album of the Year for her third studio album Out of My Province; and Mōhau, a supergroup collective let by Te Tai Tokerau musical legend Rob Ruha, are finalists for Best Worship Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award.

Their self-titled album made up of eight waiata whakamoemiti (gospel songs) were composed entirely in te reo Māori and were recorded in a single take as a live visual album a month before the audio release.

AMA 2020 finalists:

1. Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year​
L.A.B - L.A.B III
Nadia Reid - Out Of My Province
Reb Fountain - Reb Fountain
Six60 - Six60
Tami Neilson - Chickaboom!
The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers

2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year​
BENEE - 'Supalonely'
Drax Project ft Six60 - 'Catching Feelings'
Jawsh685 - 'Savage Love'
L.A.B - 'In The Air'
Six60 - 'Please Don't Go'
Troy Kingi - 'All Your Ships Have Sailed

3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group
L.A.B. - L.A.B. III
Miss June - Bad Luck Party
Six60 - Six60
The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers

4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist​
BENEE - Stella & Steve
JessB - New Views
Nadia Reid - Out Of My Province
Reb Fountain - Reb Fountain

5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
CHAII
Jawsh685
MELODOWNZ
Paige

6. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist
Maimoa
Ria Hall
Stan Walker

7. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist​
BENEE
Paige
Six60

8. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist​
Mermaidens
The Beths
Reb Fountain

9. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Haz & Miloux
Lepani
Stan Walker

10. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist
choicevaughan
Church & AP
Raiza Biza

11. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist
L.A.B
Lomez Brown
Ria Hall

12. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award
Maimoa
Mōhau
Six60

13. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist
Lee Mvtthews
State of Mind
Truth

14. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist
City of Souls
Devilskin
Villainy

15. Te Kaipuoro Kairangi Toa | Best Worship Artist
Mōhau
Kane Adams
Te Rautini

16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist
Andrew Beer & Sarah Watkins
Klara Kollektiv
Matthew Marshall

17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People's Choice Award

18. Tohu Whakareretanga | Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award

19. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist

20. Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year

21. Tohu Tutuki o te Ao | Recorded Music NZ International Achievement