‘Top’ Kiwi to launch top music line-up

March 3, 2005

‘Top’ Kiwi to launch top music line-up

A line-up of New Zealand’s best Pacific music talent is to perform for the Prime Minister and the public at the 2005 Pacific Music Awards at Pasifika Festival in Auckland on Friday, March 11.

The ‘voice of the Pacific’ Lapi Mariner kicks off the awards entertainment before Prime Minister Helen Clark officially opens the inaugural 2005 Pacific Music Awards.

The Pacific Music Awards are being presented as the finale of Pasifika’s Air New Zealand opening night concert.

Other artists performing include Nesian Mystik, Tha Feelstyle and Alphrisk, who will be joined by Adeaze to perform at the conclusion of the awards.

“It is a great honour to have our nation’s leader officially open our inaugural awards,” says Pacific Music Awards spokesman the Rev. Mua Strickson-Pua.

“Miss Clark has been a long-time supporter of Pacific arts and as such it is only fitting to have her perform the official duties at this celebration of Pacific talent and achievement.”

The Prime Minister welcomes the opportunity of celebrating with the Pacific Island community.

"Pacific Island music has grown as a genre and now forms an important part of New Zealand's cultural life. I am very much looking forward to the night's performances," Helen Clark says.

In a further development, the Pacific Music Awards Committee has announced that Niu FM is to sponsor the Best Pacific Music Album (Tui) category at the awards. The radio network is also supporting the Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist category at the awards.

Niu FM is delighted to further its involvement and support of the awards says chief executive Sina Moore. “Pacific music is at the forefront of the wave of musical success in Aotearoa. NiuFM plays a key role in showcasing our Pacific talent on the airwaves,” she says.

“To provide support for both the Best Pacific Hip Hop and Best Pacific Music Album categories in these inaugural awards is, for us, a great opportunity to extend our commitment to the creative work of Pacific musicians”.

Finalists are competing for six awards to be presented at the inaugural awards show starting at 9.00pm at Western Springs in Auckland on March 11. It follows a one and a half hour concert featuring some of Pasifika Festival's hottest performers.

The following awards will be presented:

Niu FM Best Pacific Music Album 531PI Best Pacific Music Group Niu FM Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist NZMIC Best Pacific Male Artist C4 Best Pacific Female Artist APRA Best Pacific Song.

Both the Air New Zealand Opening Night Concert and the 2005 Pacific Music Awards show are free and open to the public.

For those not able to attend the awards event, selected segments from the Air New Zealand opening night concert and the awards will screen during Teuila Blakely’s Freestyle Live show on C4 on March 12, the day following the event.

About the 2005 Pacific Music Awards The 2005 Pacific Music Awards are proudly supported by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) and the NZ Music Industry Commission (NZMIC). Category sponsors include the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), C4, Niu FM, Radio 531PI and the NZMIC.

About Pasifika Festival Pasifika Festival 2005, organised by Auckland City, is being held at Western Springs on 11 and 12 March. It starts on Friday at 7.30pm (gates open 7pm) with the Air New Zealand opening night concert at the stadium, and concludes on Saturday with a full day of performances, entertainment and festivities at the Stadium and adjacent park.

Pasifika Festival is one of more than 60 free events provided by Auckland City as part of the Ak@Play summer events programme and is sponsored by Air New Zealand, SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand), Radio 531PI, The New Zealand Herald, Department of Labour, Creative New Zealand, APRA and the New Zealand Music Industry Commission (NZMIC), and Westpac.

ENDS

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