The 10th annual Waiata Māori Music Awards were celebrated in Heretaunga on Friday night - get to know the winners.
Maisey Rika Photo: Supplied.
Whakatāne based singer/songwriter Maisey Rika scooped four prizes at the 10th Annual Waiata Māori Music Awards which were held in Heretaunga/Hastings on Friday.
Her wins included Best Traditional Māori Album (Te Reo Māori), Best Māori Female Solo Artist, Best Song by a Māori Artist Award and the Best Māori Songwriter Award.
Kerikeri musician and actor Troy Kingi won awards for Best Māori Pop Artist and the Best Māori Male Solo Artist Award.
Other winners on the night included Wellington hip hop artist Rei (aka Callum Rei McDougall) who was named Best Māori Urban Artist, Israel Starr who won the Best Roots, Reggae Award and Stan Walker whose video for 'New Takeover', which was directed produced and shot by Shae Sterling, won Best Video of the year by a Māori Artist.
Amba Holly, a previous Waiata Māori Music Award Winner took out the Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist in Te Reo Māori Award with her track 'Mau Tonu' while Six60’s Mother’s Eyes was named Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist.
Award-winner and Waiata Māori Music Ambassador Maisey Rika said: “I believe the Waiata Māori Awards is a great kaupapa for our cultural identity, as Māori singing in Māori from a Māori perspective makes us unique to the rest of the world, it is our very own special point of difference naturally engrained into our DNA and strongly influenced by our taiao, taha hinengaro, wairua, tinana. The Awards are an awesome platform for all or any of our artists that love and respect our reo Māori and our culture. I will always be here for kaupapa such as the Waiata Māori Awards. I feel at home here, not necessarily because of the Awards but because of the wairua in the room. He tau ngā tangata, he ngakau māhaki e poipoi ana tātau i a tātau.”
The 2017 Waiata Māori Music Awards winners are:
Best Māori Traditional Album (Te Reo Maori Awards | Tohu – Kōpae Mōteatea Hira
Tira, Maisey Rika
Best Māori Pop Artist or Artists Award | Tohu – Kaipūoru Māori Autaia
Guitar Party at Uncle’s Bach, Troy Kingi
Best Māori Urban Artist or Artists Award | Tohu – Kaipūoru Māori-noho-taone Autaia
A Place to Stand, Rei
Best Māori Male Solo Artist Award | Tohu – Manu Tīoriori Tāne Autaia
Best Māori Female Solo Artist Award | Tohu – Manu Tīoriori Wahine Autaia
Best Song by a Māori Artist Award | Tohu - Waiata Māori Hira
Taku Mana, Maisey Rika
Best Māori Songwriter Award | Tohu – Kaitito Waiata-Māori Autaia
Best Roots, Reggae Award | Tohu – Kopaeroa Autaia Roots, Reggae
Dance Hall Vol 1, Israel Starr
Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist in Te Reo Māori Award | Tohu – Kōpae-Irirangi Kaipūoru Reo Māori o te Tau
Mau Tonu, Amba Holly
Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist | Tohu – Kōpae- Irirangi Kaipūoru Māori o te Tau
Mother’s Eyes, Six 60
Best Video of the Year by a Māori Artist | Tohu – Ataata Māori Hira o te Tau
New Take Over, Stan Walker
Iconic - Keeper of Traditions Award | Tohu – Kaitiaki Tikanga Pūoru
Kiritokia Ete Tomairangi Paki
Iconic - Music Industry Award | Tohu – Ahumahi Pūoru
Bunny Te Kokiri Miha Waahi Walters
Iconic – Music Composers Award (Historical) | Tohu – Te Puna o te ki o Nehe
Canon Wi Te Tau Huata
Emerging Artist (Under 25) | Tohu – Kaipūoro Hau - Rangatahi
Emerging Artist (over 25) | Tohu – Kaipūoro Hau - Pakeke
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