L.A.B. have cleaned up at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Supplied.
L.A.B. have cleaned up at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Supplied.
Something’s In the Air - L.A.B. have made history by winning the same four awards two years in a row at the Aotearoa Music Awards.
The reggae band have taken home the same four Tūī awards they did in 2021: Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau/Album of TheYear for L.A.B. V, Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau/Single of the Year for Mr Reggae, Te Roopu Toa/Best Group and Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa/Best Roots Artist.
Country star Tami Neilson follows with three Tūī wins. Not only did she take out the Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa/Best Country Artist for the sixth time and Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa/Best Solo Artist, but also the Massey University Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa/Best Producer award for her album Kingmaker. She’s the first solo female to win Best Producer since Bic Runga in 2006.
Meanwhile, following on from their APRA Silver Scroll success, Rob Ruha and Ka Hao have been recognised for their work together with several awards.
Ka Hao received Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa/Best Māori Artist, under Ruha’s mentorship, and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī for Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice and 35 (ft. Rob Ruha).
Ruha was also awarded Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa/Best Soul/RnB Artist for his album Preservation of Scenery.
First-time nominee Georgia Lines has taken home the Tūī for Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau/Breakthrough Artist of the Year for her second EP Human, while Benee was awarded 2022′s Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa/Best Pop Artist for the fourth year in a row.
Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa/Best Hip Hop Artist went to Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith for The Panthers original soundtrack.
And Six60 have taken out Te Toa Hoko Teitei/Highest Selling Artist for the fourth year in a row, as well as Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau/Radio Airplay Record of the Year for the sixth time with the single Someone To Be Around.
Country star Tami Neilson has taken home three awards at the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Supplied
The Artisan Awards winners
The Artisan Awards recognise those working behind the scenes to produce the award-winning albums, music and videos.
Simon Gooding was awarded the Tūī for Te Kaipukaha Toa/Best Engineer for his work on Tami Neilson’s album Kingmaker.
Chelsea Jade Metcalf took out Te Toi Ataata Pukaemi Toa | Best Album Artwork for her album Soft Spot, while both Lorde and Joel Kefali were awarded the NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa/Best Music Video Content for the music video Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All) from her latest album Solar Power.
Recorded Music New Zealand’s kaiwhakahaere (manager) Sarah Owen says it’s an honour to see artists recognised for “such a broad range of recorded work with originality and artistry, showing the depth and breadth of talent in Aotearoa”.
“With many of our 2022 award winners being first-time nominees, we hope it also encourages our aspiring and emerging ringapuoro across the motu to press ahead with their own musical journeys.”
