The 2021 awards will be held in Hastings at Toi Toi Hawkes Bay Arts & Events Centre on September the 10th and will feature many of your favourite Māori artists. As well as the nominees and
live performances, the evening is always filled with laughter, manaaki and of course, delicious kai.This year's nominations feature our celebrated Aotearoa artists as well as some new voices, who are welcomed into the Māori music awards with open arms.
After the difficult year in 2020, we look forward to seeing everyone in person at the 14th National Waiata Māori Music
Awards 2021.
Our wāhine artists such as Anna Coddington, Ainsley Ashell, Mistee K, Paige and Vayne are all nominees this year and we honor our wāhine Māori as a vital voice of te ao Māori.
Anna Coddington is a singer/songwriter/producer and her album Beams is up for Best Māori Pop Album, Vayne for Gutta Girl and Misstee K’s The New Chapter Album are all up for awards. Ainsley Allen and Paige are in the running as nominees for Best Wāhine Māori Solo Artist.
Currently at the top of the te reo Māori charts are NLC, who are finalists for the Best Māori Reggae/Roots Album for Trouble, alongside Grove Roots for their album Iwi. Hani Dread is a finalist for Best Single By A Māori Artist with his waiata Kōkiri, Kings is up for Best Hip Hiphop Album for Raplist alongside Adam Tukiri with SON.
Returning award winners, Troy Kingi, Stan Walker, L.A.B and Tipene Harmer are finalists in multiple categories. Up for Best Māori Solo Artist is Hawkins, who is no stranger to the industry. Nominated for Best RnB album is Lois Baker with Love Levitates, in good company alongside Mara TK, who is also in the running for the Best Māori Solo Artist.
Other Waiata Māori Music Awards artists are previous award-winners Tomorrow People, Morse Gang and also IA who are all finalists for Best Māori Group.With a talented list of Māori artists, this year's awards are going to be tū meke!
Independent judges have assessed the work of the artists online, individually, rather than as a group or collective
panel. The results were submitted via the internet to the awards administrator and collated. Judges have been nominated
from the music industry, both Māori and mainstream musicians, composers, producers, managers and music organisations.
Following is the full list of nominees and for more information, go to:
MEDIA :: media@waiatamaoriawards.co.nz
AWARDS INFORMATION :: info@waiatamaoriawards.co.nzFINALISTS 2021Best Māori Hip Hop Album:
Adam Tukiri – SON
Kings - Raplist
Tipene Harmer - Heritage Trail
Vayne - Gutta GirlBest Māori RnB Album:
Louis Baker - Love Levitates
Mara TK - Bad Meditation
Mistee K - The Next Chapter
Troy Kingi - The Ghost of Freddie CesarBest Māori Roots/Reggae Album:
Grove Roots - Iwi
NLC - TroubleBest Māori Pop Album:
Anna Coddington - Beams
L.A.B - L.A.B IV
Teeks - Something to Feel
Troy Kingi - The Ghost of Freddie CesarBest Māori Tāne Solo Artist:
Mara TK
Teeks
Tipene Harmer
Troy KingiBest Māori Wāhine Solo Artist:
Ainslee Allen
Anna Coddington
Mistee K
PaigeBest Māori Group:
IA
L.A.B
Morse Gang
Tomorrow PeopleBest Single By a Māori Artist:
Hani Dread - Kōkiri
Hawkins - Can't Leave It Alone
L.A.B - Why Oh Why
Stan Walker - Bigger
Tipene Harmer - TūrangawaewaeBest Māori Songwriter:
L.A.B - Why Oh Why
Mara TK - Te Kete Aronui
Teeks - Remember Me
Tipene Harmer - Tūrangawaewae
Troy Kingi - All Your Ships Have Sailed
Best Music Video by a Māori Artist: