NZ Music Awards finalists announced

The winners for the technical categories for the 2013 NZ Music Awards were announced earlier this evening, along with the finalists in other categories, and the Legacy Award, which goes to Shona Laing.

Leading the pack, Shapeshifter are up for six awards, and Aaradhna is up for five. Lorde and Unknown Mortal Orchestra both have four nominations each - note Lorde's album came out after the June 30 cutoff date for eligibility in this year's awards - and The Phoenix Foundation and Fat Freddy's Drop are up for three awards - they also picked up some of the technical awards.

Performers on the night of the awards, held at Vector Arena on Nov 21, are Lorde, Aaradhna, Titanium, Jamie McDell, Iva Lamkum, and Jamie McDell. Ruby Frost will perform a tribute to Shona Laing. Were Shihad unavailable? (jokes). Tickets to the awards are open to the public, and cost $25, via Ticketmaster.


Technical Awards Winners
Best Album Cover to Gina Kiel & Harry A’Court – ‘Blackbird’ (Fat Freddy’s Drop)
Best Producer to The Phoenix Foundation/Lee Prebble/Brett Stanton – ‘Fandango’ (The Phoenix Foundation)
Best Engineer to Brett Stanton/Lee Prebble/The Phoenix Foundation – ‘Fandango’ (The Phoenix Foundation)

VNZMA Finalists

Mentos Album of the Year
Aaradhna ‘Treble & Reverb’
Fat Freddy’s Drop ‘Blackbird’
Shapeshifter ‘Delta’
The Phoenix Foundation ‘Fandango’
Unknown Mortal Orchestra ‘II’

Vodafone Single of the Year
Aaradhna ‘Wake Up’
Lorde ‘Royals’
Shapeshifter ‘In Colour’
Stan Walker ‘Take It Easy’
Unknown Mortal Orchestra ‘So Good At Being In Trouble’

Steinlager Pure Best Group
Fat Freddy’s Drop ‘Blackbird’
Shapeshifter ‘Delta’
The Phoenix Foundation ‘Fandango’

Spotify Best Male Solo Artist
Lawrence Arabia ‘The Sparrow’
Unknown Mortal Orchestra ‘II’
Willy Moon ‘Here’s Willy Moon’

Spotify Best Female Solo Artist
Aaradhna ‘Treble & Reverb’
Iva Lamkum ‘Black Eagle’
Jamie McDell ‘Six Strings and a Sailboat’

Westpac Hotpoints Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Jamie McDell ‘Six Strings and a Sailboat’
Lorde ‘The Love Club EP’
Willy Moon ‘Here’s Willy Moon’

Best Rock Album
Beastwars ‘Blood Becomes Fire’
The Datsuns ‘Death Rattle Boogie’
Villainy ‘Mode. Set. Clear.’

The Edge Best Pop Album
AnikaBoh&Hollie ‘Peace of Mind’
Jamie McDell ‘Six Strings and a Sailboat’
Kids Of 88 ‘Modern Love’

Best Alternative Album
Lawrence Arabia ‘The Sparrow’
The Phoenix Foundation ‘Fandango’
Unknown Mortal Orchestra ‘II’

Best Urban/Hip Hop Album
@Peace ‘Girl Songs’
Aaradhna ‘Treble & Reverb’
P-Money ‘Gratitude’

Best Roots Album
Fat Freddy’s Drop ‘Blackbird’
Latinaotearoa ‘Sonido de Latinaotearoa’
Soljah ‘Aotearoa’

George FM Best Electronica Album
K+LAB ‘Space Dirt’
Shapeshifter ‘Delta’
Sola Rosa ‘Low and Behold, High and Beyond’

NZ On Air Best Music Video
Joel Kefali – ‘Royals’ (Lorde)
Nick Dwyer – ‘In Colour’ (Shapeshifter)
Thunderlips – ‘Frankenstein’ (Randa)

NUMA Trust Best Maori Album
Kirsten Te Rito ‘Te Rito’
Maisey Rika ‘Whitiora’
Ngatapa Black ‘I Muri Ahiahi’

Best Gospel/Christian Album
Edge Kingsland ‘Edge Vol.2: Due North’
Go Stop Go ‘Go Stop Go’
Strahan ‘Posters’

Best Classical Album
Gillian Whitehead ‘Arapatiki’
Helen Webby ‘Pluck’
Michael Houstoun ‘Lilburn’

Vodafone People’s Choice Award
Shapeshifter
Aaradhna
Lorde
Stan Walker
Titanium

NZ Herald Legacy Award recipient
Shona Laing

Hallenstein Brothers 2013 Critics’ Choice Prize Line-Up (Nov 6 at Kings Arms)
Janine and the Mixtape
Paquin
Sheep, Dog & Wolf