Benee soaks up awards
Pop star wins four categories at NZ’s annual music show
Pop sensation Benee was the big winner at last night’s Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards, scooping all four of the awards she was nominated for at the annual celebration of Kiwi music.
The 19-year-old Aucklander won best solo artist and single of the year for her platinum debut Soaked. She also claimed best pop artist and breakthrough artist for latest album
Fire on Marzz.
Other multiple winners included Tom Scott’s Avantdale Bowling Club, which received album of the year and best hip-hop artist. Scott’s ensemble was one of several leading acts to play live, performing Home with the choir from his former school Avondale Intermediate.
Indie pop band The Beths won best group and best alternative artist, following the success of 2018 debut album Future Me Hates Me. The fourpiece has been making waves overseas, with sellout shows across the UK and mainland Europe.
For the second year running, the now-veterans Six60 picked up highest selling artist and radio airplay record of the year.
They also won the people’s choice award, underlining their huge domestic popularity.
Troy Kingi and his band The Upperclass won best Ma¯ori artist and best roots artist thanks to the success of Holy Colony Burning Acres, the third of 10 albums he plans to release in a decade.
Th’ Dudes had already been announced as recipients of the legacy award and reformed to play a medley of their classic Kiwi songs, including
Bliss, Be Mine Tonight and Walking in Light.
They were joined by special guests Rikki Morris, the brother of the late Ian Morris, and Ian’s daughters Julia and Maude to cap the night.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the night was the lack of awards for Aldous Harding, who was nominated for four and is carving out a hugely successful international career.
Auckland rockers Villainy, who returned after a four-year hiatus with highly anticipated third album Raised in the Dark, won best rock artist. Bailey Wiley won best soul/R’n’B artist.
Other awards went to Tali, for best electronic artist, Harbourside Worship for best worship artist, and Simon O’Neill for best classical artist.
A big winner at last year’s awards, Drax Project received the international achievement award for the success of single Woke Up Late, which achieved double platinum status with the Australian Recording Industry Association and has more than 70 million streams on Spotify to date.
Recorded Music NZ chief executive Damian Vaughan said this year’s awards celebrated newcomers and past favourites, showing the New Zealand music scene is continuing to grow.
“The calibre of talent just keeps getting better each year with more and more of our talented Kiwi musicians making an impact both in Aotearoa and abroad.
“We’re consistently impressed by the creativity, skill and expertise of our musicians and New Zealand should be incredibly proud.”
The event was hosted by Laura Daniel and Shihad’s Jon Toogood.
As well as Avantdale Bowling Club and Th’ Dudes, there were also performances from The Beths, Benee, Mitch James, Troy Kingi, Villainy and Teeks and Hollie Smith.
We’re consistently impressed by the creativity, skill and expertise of our musicians.
Damian Vaughan