The 20 finalists for New Zealand's biggest songwriting honour this year have been revealed, with a high number of Māori artists making the list.
Troy Kingi, Maisey Rika, Alien Weaponry, Tipene, Rei and Dallas Tamaira are just some of the Māori artists selected from over 250 entries.
Tipene, Troy Kingi, and Maisey Rika are finalists for the song they wrote together called Turangawaewae.
Kingi has also been honoured for his song All Your Ships Have Sailed while Rika and Seth Haapu have been honoured for Waitī Waitā.
Dallas Tamaira is a finalist for No Flowers and Alien Weaponry are finalists for Tangaroa.
APRA Head of NZ Operations Anthony Healey says the list is a wonderful reflection of the incredible music being written all across Aotearoa.
“Songs that tell our stories, lead us to contemplate issues or questions, and make us feel something.”
APRA Maioha Award
The finalists for the 2021 APRA Maioha Award are for waiata including He Aio, performed by Haami; Karawhiua, performed by Katchafire; Te Pū performed by Tuari Brothers; Toroa, performed by Mara TK; and Waitī Waitā performed by Maisey Rika.
This Top five Maioha Award list was chosen from over 30 entries by a judging panel of four experts who've made significant contributions to the waiata reo Māori community including Matai Smith, Nadia Marsh, Ngatapa Black and Pere Wihongi.
Past recipients of the APRA Maioha Award include Ruia Aperahama, Ngahiwi Apanui, Whirimako Black, Maisey Rika, Stan Walker, Troy Kingi, and Alien Weaponry, who have all taken home Te Ngore - the Maioha award sculpture carved by Brian Flintoff.
Past recipients of the Silver Scroll Award include a long list of iconic Kiwi music stalwarts - from Dave Dobbyn, Don McGlashan and Shona Laing to Neil Finn, Bic Runga and Ray Columbus. They’re joined by a younger generation of music makers that include James Milne & Luke Buda, Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) & Joel Little, Tami Neilson, Ruban & Kody Nielson, Marlon Williams, Aldous Harding, Stella Bennett (Benee), Josh Fountain and Djeisan Suskov.
2021 APRA Silver Scroll Award Top 20 finalists
1 - All Your Ships Have Sailed, written and performed by Troy Kingi (Published by Loop Publishing | Kobalt Music Publishing Australia)
2 - Anna (On My Life), written and performed by Adam Tukiri and Rizván Tu'itahi
3 – BATHSALTS, written by Clark Mathews, Daniel Vernon, Christan Pianta, Hakopa Kuka-Larsen, performed by DARTZ
4 - Brains, written by Madeline Bradley, performed by deryk
5 - Broken Chains, written by Tyree Tautogia, Sidney Diamond, Fred Fa'afou, Ché Ness, Willie Tafa, Solo Tohi, Wasim A. Hussain, Darryl Thompson, Angus McNaughton, performed by Smashproof (*Published by Woodcut Productions)
6 - Don't Run, written by Sid Diamond and Nathan King, performed by Sid Diamond (*Published by Woodcut Productions)
7 - Dragon Fruit (Feat. Louis Baker), written by Tony Sihamau, Lance Fepuleai, Harry Huavi, Louis Baker, performed by Team Dynamite featuring Louis Baker
8 - Guilty Love, written by Phillipa Brown, Georgia Nott, Tommy English, performed by Ladyhawke and Broods (*Published by BMG Rights Management Australia, Third Side Music Inc |Gaga Music and Powerteam Tom Songs / These Are Pulse Songs (BMI). Administered worldwide by Concord Music Publishing | Native Tongue Music Publishing)
9 - Hey Mom, written and performed by Reb Fountain (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing)
10 - Hiwa-i-te-rangi, written by Maisey Rika, Callum Rei McDougall, Chris Chetland, performed by Maisey Rika
11 - Jump Rope Gazers, written by Elizabeth Stokes*, Jonathan Pearce, Benjamin Sinclair, Tristan Deck, performed by The Beths (*Published by Gaga Music obo Carpark Publishing)
12 - Laps Around The Sun, written by Mark Perkins, performed by Merk (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing)
13 - Leave Love Out Of This, written by Anthonie Tonnon and Jonathan Pearce, performed by Anthonie Tonnon
14 – Lightswitch, written by Mona Sanei, Frank Eliesa, performed by CHAII (Published by BMG Rights Management Australia obo Big Pop Music Publishing)
15 - No Flowers, written by Dallas Tamaira and Devin Abrams, performed by Dallas Tamaira (*Published by Universal Music Publishing)
16 - Periphescence, written by Daniel McBride, performed by Sheep, Dog & Wolf
17 - Stand In, written by Deva Mahal and Aaron Livingston, performed by Deva Mahal
18 - Tangaroa, written by Henry de Jong, Lewis de Jong, Ethan Trembath, Niel de Jong, performed by Alien Weaponry
19 - Turangawaewae, written by Stephen Harmer, Maisey Rika, Troy Kingi, Tenei Kesha (10A), performed by Tipene, Troy Kingi, and Maisey Rika.
20 - Your Deodorant Doesn't Work, written by Stephanie Brown, James Fenimore Ikner, performed by Lips
2021 APRA Maioha Award Top 5 shortlist
1 - He Aio, written by Hamiora Tuari, Matthew Sadgrove, Sam Eriwata, and Tei Nohotima, performed by Haami
2 - Karawhiua, written by Logan Bell, Matthew Sadgrove, Stephen Maxwell, translated by Paraone Gloyne, performed by Katchafire (Published by Loop Publishing | Kobalt Music Publishing Australia)
3 - Te Pū, written by Tame-Hoake Tuari, Tatana Tuari, Hamiora Tuari, and Sam Eriwata, performed by Tuari Brothers
4 - Toroa, written by Mara Te Kahika and Cory Champion, performed by Mara TK
5 - Waitī Waitā, written by Maisey Rika and Seth Haapu, performed by Maisey Rika