Tha Feelstyle dominates at Pacific Music Awards

Tha Feelstyle dominates at Pacific Music Awards

Samoa-born hip hop artist Tha Feelstyle (Kas Futialo) has won three awards at the inaugural 2005 Pacific Music Awards announced at Pasifika in Auckland tonight (March 11).

A rapper who mixes humour with dark, mysterious lyrical concepts, Tha Feelstyle has taken the Niu FM Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist and the New Zealand Music Industry Commission Best Pacific Male Artist for his 2004 album, Break it to Pieces.

Together with Ian Seumanu, Tha Feelstyle is also the winner of the APRA Best Pacific Song category for the single Su’amalie from Break it to Pieces. Kas writes and records in both Samoan and English.

Ardijah – who first formed as a duo in 1980 – is the winner of the Tui for the Niu FM Best Pacific Music Album category for Journey. Now a sextet, Ardijah won most promising group at the 1987 NZ Music Awards. During 2004 the group played support for New Zealand concerts by both George Benson and James Brown.

While the Tui was presented at the Pacific Music Awards Ardijah will be again acknowledged at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards in October 2005.

Fraternal R&B duo Adeaze, finalists in two categories at last year’s Vodafone NZ Music Awards, takes out Radio 531PI Best Pacific Group for Always & for Real.

Adeaze brothers Nainz and Viiz Tupa'i have had two number one singles from the album, Getting Stronger and the album’s title track. The duo’s sound features soaring harmonies and emotional song writing that is a legacy of their church upbringing.
The C4 Best Pacific Female Artist for music released in 2004 is Sara-Jane Auva’a for her self-titled album Sara-Jane. The former Pacific Soul member has led a diverse singing career from Pacific Island groups to international jazz performances. As a member of Pacific Soul, Sara-Jane won a Tui for Best Pacific Album at the 2003 NZ Music Awards.

In a poignant moment during the awards the late Phil Fuemana, widely recognised as the godfather of urban pacific music, posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to Pacific music.

Selected segments from the Air New Zealand Opening Night Concert and the Pacific Music Awards will screen during Teuila Blakely’s Freestyle Live show on C4, tomorrow (March 12) from 8.00pm – 9.00pm.

The full list of finalists and winners from the 2005 Pacific Music Awards are:

C4 Best Pacific Female Artist Winner: Sara-Jane Auva’a for Sara-Jane Other finalists: Anna Williams for Searching Kat Theo for Waiting

Radio 531PI Best Pacific Group Winner: Adeaze for Always & For Real Other finalists: Ardijah for Journey (Aere’anga) D1 Family for Koko Luv

Niu FM Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist Winner: Tha Feelstyle for Break it to Pieces Other finalists: Dei Hamo for We Gon’ Ride Scribe for Dreaming

New Zealand Music Industry Commission Best Pacific Male Artist Winner: Tha Feelstyle for Break it to Pieces Other finalists: Dei Hamo for We Gon’ Ride Scribe for Dreaming

Niu FM Best Pacific Music Album Winner: Ardijah for Journey Other finalists: Aniseto Falemoe for Afe O Maila Ole Alofa Ephraim for Moemoea o Avaiki

APRA Best Pacific Song Winner: Kas Futialo and Ian Seumanu for Su’amalie Other finalists: Ryan Monga for Journey (Aere’anga) Nainz Tupa’i and Viiz Tupa’i for Getting Stronger

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 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.

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