2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards

Celebrating the past, present and future at the 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards
Top New Zealand musicians celebrated at the 2018 ceremony

Six60 has cemented their place as a powerhouse in Aotearoa’s music scene, claiming five Tui at the 53rd Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards at Spark Arena in Auckland tonight.

After selling out Western Springs for their only gig this summer, the group received THREE Best Group, Highest Selling Album, Vodafone Highest Selling Single and NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year Award, presented by the man behind the 2018 Tui redesign Dick Frizzell.

They also claimed the coveted Vodafone People’s Choice. For the first time, this award was open to all finalists, further highlighting the band’s popularity with the public.

After winning a Tui for Best Music Video for his track ‘Vampire Again’ at the 2018 Artisan Awards at Massey University, Wellington last week, Marlon Williams was celebrated once again on the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards stage – taking out Best Solo Artist and the Hallensteins Album of the Year for his 2018 album Make Way for Love.

This brings Marlon’s total Tui number up to five, after winning Best Male Solo Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2015 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

Newcomers Drax Project were also big winners tonight. They’ve been recognised with the Jaguar Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Vodafone Single of the Year for ‘Woke Up Late’, which resonated with kiwi music fans throughout 2018.

Funkadelic soul superstar Troy Kingi has been recognised with both Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist and Best Soul/R&B Artist after releasing the genre-bending Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron

Aotearoa hip hop pioneers Upper Hutt Posse were inducted into the Te Whare Taonga Puoro/New Zealand Music Hall of Fame and received the 2018 Tohu Whakareretanga/Legacy Award. A powerful tribute performance of “E Tu” by Che Fu and The Kratez, featuring 14 year old DMC DJ World Champ K-Swizz closed out the evening ceremony.

The 2018 International Achievement recipient was Brooke Ligertwood who is one of the top selling and most popular New Zealand recording artists of all time.

More widely known in Aotearoa under Brooke Fraser, where her albums have been certified 15x Platinum, her recent work with worship group Hillsong earned her a Grammy earlier this year for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song under her married name.

After kicking the ceremony off with a high energy performance of “Kai Tangata”, Alien Weaponry has been recognised with the Tui for Best Rock Artist for 2018.

Their debut album Tū in June reached #5 on the New Zealand album charts, and since releasing it the band have had a whirlwind year of international tour and success.

Psychedelic rockers Unknown Mortal Orchestra won Best Alternative Artist and Kiwi songstress Kimbra received The Edge Best Pop Artist, while Best Hip Hop Artist and Best Electronic were awarded to SWIDT and Chores, respectively.

Sons of Zion were awarded Best Roots Artist, Equippers Revolution received Best Worship Artist, and Eve de Castro Robinson won Best Classical Artist for 2018.

Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughan said the calibre of musicians in Aotearoa continues to impress year on year, and 2018 is no exception.

“The quality of music being created and recorded in Aotearoa is world-class. Each and every Tui awarded tonight was incredibly well deserved and I personally look forward to seeing what the future holds for both these musicians – finalists and winners alike – and the musicians of tomorrow.”

The 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards were hosted by Stan Walker and Kanoa Lloyd and featured a more intimate set up than previous years, utilising multiple stages to refocus the awards on Aotearoa’s abundance of musical talent.

Tonight there were performances from Six60, Alien Weaponry, Robinson, Drax Project, JessB, Sons of Zion, a special In Memoriam performance by Stan Walker and an amazing tribute performance by Che Fu and The Kratez for the 2018 Legacy Award recipient Upper Hutt Posse.

Tui recipients who received their awards during the year are:
• Best Jazz Artist: Umar Zakaria – Fearless Music
• Best Folk Artist: Albi & The Wolves - One Eye Open
• Best Pacific Album: Ladi 6 - Royal Blue 3000 EP
• Best Children’s Artist: Levity Beet - My Best Friend Jake Is A Cyborg
• Best Country Artist: Reb Fountain - Hopeful and Hopeless
• Best Album Cover: Jaime Robertson & Matthias Heiderich - In Spaces EP (Sola Rosa)
• Best Music Video: Marlon Williams - ‘Vampire Again’ (Marlon Williams)
• Best Engineer: Jordan Stone & Simon Gooding - Out Of Silence (Neil Finn)
• Best Producer: Simon Gooding, Tom Larkin, Hammerhead - Tū (Alien Weaponry)
• Music Teacher of the Year: Elizabeth Sneyd - Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust, Porirua

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