Forget frocks, just celebrate who rocks

Lorde, right, should rightly reign on the night, but Tiny Ruins and David Dallas are equally deserving of awards. Photos / Supplied

So much talent ... they're all winners, writes Paula Yeoman

I pay very little attention to Auckland's social calendar other than a quick weekly glance at photos of glamorous, party people smiling back at me in these very pages. It looks like they're having so much fun.

But to be honest, the thought of fussing over a frock for weeks to then just stand around at some swanky venue making small talk over canapes makes me want to chuck it all in, move to the country and raise chickens.

But every year at about this time, I make one exception. Yes, call me hypocritical, but I always have a ball at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. I know it's one of the more divisive nights in Kiwi music -- haters roll their eyes at the luvvies sitting around tables toasting their marvellousness; while said luvvies profess it's all in the name of celebrating our tiny but unique industry.

There's certainly truth in both sides of the argument. It is a night of smug self-indulgence but there's also lots to celebrate and, as Ladi6 pointed out when I recently interviewed her on her nominations, it's really just a a bit of fun.

"Music is private, emotive and raw. It's also subjective and therefore should always be treated with respect, with all forms being appreciated with an open ear and mind. Think of the Music Awards as just a fun thing for our industry, not something to be taken too seriously."

It doesn't take a Rhodes Scholar to tell you we'll see lots of Lorde. Lots! She'll be at the front so she doesn't have to walk far to collect all those awards. And fair enough. Her rise has been phenomenal. The rest of the world is celebrating her and so will we.

I expect it'll be a big night for Sol3 Mio, too. But others who haven't chalked up the same album sales are no less deserving. Such as David Dallas. I'd be thrilled if he walked away with Song of the Year for Runnin', which gets the blood pumping every time.

I think Album of the Year belongs to Tiny Ruins for Brightly Painted One. It's the album I've listened to most in this category.

I can hear the guffaws now: an understated folk-inspired album winning one of the most coveted awards of the night - it ain't gonna happen. But I love this record.

That's why I'd also declare a three-way tie between Tiny Ruins, Lorde and Ladi6 for Female Artist of the Year. They're all such different artists; it's pointless pitting them against each other. And David Dallas and Liam Finn should share Best Male Artist.

I like to think my inability to pick even one winner is a sign of how tight the competition is rather than a crippling indecisiveness.

And, at the risk of sounding like a politically correct school principal who wants to ban first, second and third at sports day, I'd go as far as suggesting we do away with winners.

Perhaps the VNZMAs are just a night of pointless small-talk, self-indulgent high-fives, frocks, frivolity and nothing more.

I still, however, draw the line at fussing over what to wear and haven't ruled out moving to the country with those chickens.

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards are at Vector Arena on Thursday night.