Pacific Music Awards pits opera against hip-hop

Leading Pacific Music Awards nominee Ladi6.

The tenth annual Pacific Music Awards announced its finalists tonight with chart-topping opera group Sol3 Mio, hip-hop star David Dallas and contemporary soul queen Ladi6 featuring among the contenders.

The three acts are this year's nominees for Best Pacific Album.

Dallas and Ladi6 will be the leading nominees at the May 8 awards, which are sponsored by Vodafone.

As well as best album, the pair are competing in the best song, best urban artist and best video categories. They are also both nominated in the best male and best female artist categories, respectively.

Sol3 Mio, whose debut album has gone five times platinum, is up against reggae acts BrownHill and the Tomorrow People in the best group category. The Wellington-based BrownHill is nominated again among the urban artist finalists.

Also among the multiple nominees are Mark Vanilau (male artist and song); husband and wife duo Kelemete and Kiligi Ta'ale (Pacific language album and gospel artist) and the Youth of Christ Alumni New Zealand Choir (Pacific language album and gospel artist).

The Ta'ale family effectively have three nominations - two for Mum and Dad and one for daughter Julie Ta'ale, who under her stage name Mz J is in the best female artist category alongside Ladi6 and Bella Kalolo.

This year's awards have included an International Achievement Award to reward the Pacific musicians living elsewhere in the world.

The inaugural finalists are Hawaiian reggae/hip-hop star Fiji, New Caledonian band Kalaga'la and American-based Samoan reggae voice Spawnbreezie.

Another new award is the British Council Aspiring International Artist award which will fund an artist's return trip to the UK for performance and networking opportunities.

The Pacific Music Awards tale place at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau on Thursday May 8. Tickets for the winners announcement are now available from www.ticketdirect.co.nz.

THE FINALISTS

TRILLIAN TRUST BEST PACIFIC FEMALE ARTIST
Bella Kalolo Time and Space
Ladi 6 Automatic
MzJ You Make Me Smile

NZ MUSIC COMMISSION BEST PACIFIC MALE ARTIST
David Dallas Falling Into Place
Mark Vanilau Dark Horizon
Swiss Lucky Man

NIU FM BEST PACIFIC URBAN ARTIST
David Dallas Falling Into Place
Ladi 6 Automatic
BrownHill Firstlove

RADIO 531PI BEST PACIFIC GROUP
BrownHill First Love
Sol3 Mio Sol3 Mio
Tomorrow People One.5

NZ ON AIR BEST PACIFIC MUSIC VIDEO
David Dallas Runnin'
King Kapisi Crush
Ladi 6 Ikarus

APRA BEST PACIFIC SONG
David Dallas Runnin'
Ladi 6 Ikarus
Mark Vanilau Giant of the Sea

TAGATA PASIFIKA BEST PACIFIC LANGUAGE
Fiafia Band Pepelo
Kelemete & Kiligi Ta'ale Penina Lalelei o Samoa
YFC Alumni NZ Choir Amuia le Tagata

BEST PACIFIC GOSPEL ARTIST
Kelemete & Kiligi Ta'ale Penina Lalelei o Samoa
Lifestyle Lifestyle (of Worship)
YFC Alumni NZ Choir Amuia le Tagata

FLAVA BEST INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC ARTIST
Fiji Born & Raised II -The ReBirth
Kalaga'la Aimons Nous
Spawnbreezie Perfect

AUCKLAND COUNCIL BEST PACIFIC MUSIC ALBUM
David Dallas Falling Into Place
Ladi 6 Automatic
Sol3 Mio Sol3 Mio