Anthonie Tonnon's 'Leave Love Out Of This' an Apra Silver Scroll top-five finalist

Anthonie Tonnon joins Troy Kingi, The Beths, Maisey Rika, and Tipene in this year's top five. Photo / Kristy Pearson and Daniel Blackball Alexander

Whanganui musician Anthonie Tonnon has been named as one of the top five finalists for this year's Apra Silver Scroll award for his song "Leave Love Out Of This".

The award honours New Zealand's best-written song each year.

Tonnon is in illustrious company: Troy Kingi, The Beths, Maisey Rika and Tipene have also been given the nod.

Tonnon last made the top five in 2015, with "Water Underground".

Tonnon said for him, making it to the final stage was "as good as winning it".

"It's as much as I would hope for, really.

"Apra do a good job of repping not just the winner. They are in the business of promoting songwriters, so they're quite clever in the way they roll out the process.

"The top 20 get a lot of notice, and then the top five get a lot of notice as well."

The song was written with Tonnon's long-time musical partner and producer Jonathan Pearce, who was also nominated with The Beths.

"The longer you do music the wider your whānau feels, and that's what Apra is about," Tonnon said.

"I've been lucky enough to go to the awards a couple of times, and it feels really special to hang out with a bunch of other musicians who have probably spent their lives living on the smell of an oily rag.

"It's a night where your craft is elevated, and treated as a noble thing to do with your life."

His new album of the same name came out in July, and a nationwide tour is planned for October, including a show at the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

"The whole album release has been really special, and it feels like so many things have come together," Tonnon said.

"I've released a few albums now, and I'm a believer in getting better at things. It took a little while for it to come out, but I think the album is better, and the release is better."

Tonnon said he tried not to focus on "reception" too much.

You've just got to keep doing things and making things, rather than responding to things you made in the past.

"It's the little things that count. It's been really nice to have some records for sale at Article Cafe, and it's been really nice to sell some tickets to the show at the Opera House.

"I haven't toured with a band for so long, so it's nice to think that we are going to have a celebration with a whole crew of people."

As for the current alert level 4 lockdown, he said he was lucky to have a pursuit that filled in the time.

"In moments like this you can return to it [songwriting], and you have something to do.

"Whatever happens, we'll do what we need to do to make sure we can play our show in Whanganui."

• "Leave Love Out Of This" is available on all major streaming platforms. Anthonie Tonnon plays the Royal Whanganui Opera House on Saturday, October 2.