Northland singer/songwriter Troy Kingi has won the country's top songwriting award - the APRA Silver Scroll - for his song All Your Ships Have Sailed.
Northland singer/songwriter Troy Kingi has won the country's top songwriting award - the APRA Silver Scroll - for his song All Your Ships Have Sailed.
The accolades and awards for Northland singer/songwriter Troy Kingi keep on coming - he's now won the country's top songwriting award - the APRA Silver Scroll - for his song All Your Ships Have Sailed.
Kingi was presented with the award for 2021 at a virtual ceremony on Thursday. Theevent has been postponed several times since it was to be held last year due to Covid restrictions.
He was also a finalist in the award for Turangawaewae, which he co-wrote with Stephen Harmer, Maisey Rika and Tenei Kesha and performed by Tipene, Kingi, and Maisey Rika. The Silver Scroll - the country's top songwriting award - is the latest in a string of awards and accolades for King, but the man from Kerikeri keeps himself grounded, despite the honours.
Kingi told the Northern Advocate he was humbled by the Silver Scroll, which he considers the top award for an artist in the country.
''It's a bit weird as this was supposed to happen last year, but it kept getting postponed. And I've released a new album since then and have another one I'm about to drop later this year, so I'm already on to other things,'' he said.
''But this is such a huge award, and means it's a good moment to stop and have a look back a bit, taking some time out to reflect. But also to look forward.''
Kingi wrote All Your Ships Have Sailed for 2020's The Ghost of Freddie Cesar album. It's part of Kingi's bold 10:10:10 project, to release 10 albums in 10 years across 10 different genres.
He admits that it's getting difficult to maintain the momentum six albums in.
Kerikeri's Troy Kingi is proud and honoured to have won the APRA Silver Scroll - an award he sees as the highest for an artists in NZ.
''Not the writing songs, it's just at this stage looking at keeping that momentum and keeping the creativity and quality.''
So why does he do it?
''It's what gets me up in the morning. I've got something to offer, I think, musically, and the fact I'm so deep in this project means I don't really have a choice.
''But I want to make music that I'm proud of, that I'm happy with what I put out there, that it's of a good standard and hopefully people like it. And it's my legacy.''
The next album in the 10:10:10 project will be released later this year, but he's a bit coy on giving away too much at this stage about the genre.
''I'm not saying too much, but it may involve synths and big hair!''
The album Kingi released last year was Black Sea Golden Ladder with Kiwi singer/songwriter Delaney Davidson and Kingi says he'd love to do some more collaborations in the future.
So which three Kiwi artists would he love to work with?
''Mara TK is amazing, he brought out the best album last year, and Ruban Nielson, from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Liam Finn. I've been a big Liam Finn fan since high school.''
Kingi said winning the APRA Silver Scroll for best song was a privilege and something he was immensely proud of.
Also on Thursday night, the APRA Maioha Award- Tohu Maioha went to Maisey Rika and Seth Haapu for Waitī Waitā; the SOUNZ Contemporary Award- Te Tohu Auaha went to The Bewilderness by Plan 9 (David Donaldson, Janet Roddick, Steve Roche); the APRA Best Original Music in a Film Award - Tohu Pūmanawa went to Arli Liberman for Savage and the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award - Tohu Paerangi went to Karl Steven for Black Hands.
It is the third time Kingi has been a top five finalist for the Silver Scroll Award - Kaitito Kaiaka, and the win (which is decided by votes from APRA members) is a wonderful acknowledgment from his songwriting peers on the impact of his work.
