15 Nov 2020

Aotearoa Music Awards: winners announced

From RNZ Music, 10:30 pm on 15 November 2020

For the second year running, Kiwi pop juggernaut BENEE has taken home four Tui at the Aotearoa Music Awards. Auckland power pop quartet The Beths have won three awards, including the coveted Album of the Year.

After making a huge splash last year, BENEE has cemented her place as one of NZ’s most successful musicians, winning Best Solo Artist, Best Pop Artist, an International Achievement award, and Single of the Year for her smash hit ‘Superlonely’.

Following the release of their second album Jump Rope Gazers earlier this year, Auckland indie pop band The Beths won Album of the Year, Best Group, and Best Alternative Artist for the second year running.

Viral sensation and internationally acclaimed artist Jawsh 685 has had an incredible year, with his track ‘Laxed – Siren Beat’ topping charts globally. He’s the first Pasifika person and the third New Zealander ever to top the UK Singles Chart.

Jawsh won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and was the second recipient of an International Achievement award.

Mōhau, the supergroup collective of Rob Ruha, Ria Hall, Troy Kingi, Bella Kalolo, Majic Paora, Kaaterama Pou, the East Coast Tira Waiata sensation Ka Hao, and The Witch Doctor & Friends were recognised with two awards - Best Worship Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tui.

After winning a Tui for Best Pacific Group at the Pacific Music Awards earlier this year, hip hop duo Church & AP have taken out Best Hip Hop Artist.

Maimoa, a collective of ten young musicians, took home Best Māori Artist for their album Rongomaiwhiti. The supergroup's members include Pere Wihongi, Meto-Tagivale Schmidt-Peke, Hoeata Maxwell-Blake, Awatea Wihongi, Te Kaaterama Pou, Mereana Teka, Raniera Blake, Puawai Taiapa, Nathaniel Howe and Tawaroa Kawana.

Te reo Māori musical collective Maimoa backstage after their Best Māori Artist win at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards

Summer circuit favourites L.A.B won Best Roots Artist, Haz & Miloux took out Best Soul/RnB Artist, and City of Souls won Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist.

Stan Walker and his niece Ibee Maeva backstage after their electrifying performance at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards

Aotearoa Music Awards 2020 winners:

1. Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year​

  • WINNER: The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers
  • L.A.B - L.A.B III
  • Nadia Reid - Out Of My Province
  • Reb Fountain - Reb Fountain
  • Six60 - Six60
  • Tami Neilson - Chickaboom!

2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year​

  • WINNER: BENEE - ‘Supalonely’
  • Drax Project ft Six60 - ‘Catching Feelings’
  • Jawsh685 - ‘Savage Love’
  • L.A.B - ‘In The Air’
  • Six60 - ‘Please Don’t Go’
  • Troy Kingi - ‘All Your Ships Have Sailed

3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group

  • WINNER: The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers 
  • L.A.B. - L.A.B. III
  • Miss June - Bad Luck Party
  • Six60 - Six60

4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist​

  • WINNER: BENEE - Stella & Steve
  • JessB - New Views
  • Nadia Reid - Out Of My Province
  • Reb Fountain - Reb Fountain

5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year

  • WINNER: Jawsh685 
  • CHAII
  • MELODOWNZ
  • Paige

6. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist

  • WINNER: Maimoa
  • Ria Hall
  • Stan Walker

7. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist​

  • WINNER: BENEE
  • Paige
  • Six60

8. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist​

  • WINNER: The Beths 
  • Mermaidens
  • Reb Fountain

9. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist

  • WINNER: Haz & Miloux
  • Lepani
  • Stan Walker

10. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist

  • WINNER: Church & AP
  • choicevaughan
  • Raiza Biza

11. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist

  • WINNER: L.A.B
  • Lomez Brown
  • Ria Hall

12. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

  • WINNER: Mōhau
  • Maimoa
  • Six60

13. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist

  • WINNER: Lee Mvtthews
  • State of Mind
  • Truth

14. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist

  • WINNER: City of Souls
  • Devilskin
  • Villainy

15. Te Kaipuoro Kairangi Toa | Best Worship Artist

  • WINNER: Mōhau
  • Kane Adams
  • Te Rautini

16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist

  • WINNER: Andrew Beer & Sarah Watkins
  • Klara Kollektiv
  • Matthew Marshall

17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice Award

  • L.A.B

18. Tohu Whakareretanga | Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award

  • Johnny Cooper
  • Max Merritt
  • Peter Posa, Dinah Lee
  • The Chicks and Larry’s Rebels

19. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist

  • Drax Project ft. Six60

20. Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year

  • Drax Project

21. Tohu Tutuki o te Ao | Recorded Music NZ International Achievement

  • BENEE
  • Jawsh685

Additional Tuis presented in 2019

22. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist

  • Winner: Mel Parsons - Glass Heart
  • Victoria Vigenser & Lindsay Martin - The Gap
  • Paper Cranes - Voices

23. Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album

  • Winner: Olivia Foa’I - Candid
  • Church & AP - Teeth
  • POETIK - HAMOFIED 2 EP

24. Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Artist

  • Winner: Delaney Davidson & Barry Saunders - Word Gets Around
  • Katie Thompson - Bittersweet
  • Kendall Elise - Red Earth

25. Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist

  • Winner: Dixon Nacey - The Edge Of Chaos
  • ALCHEMY - ALCHEMY
  • Michal Martyniuk - Resonate

26. Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children’s Artist

  • Winner: Anika Moa - Songs For Bubbas 3
  • Captain Festus McBoyle
  • Chris Sanders

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