2008 NZ Music Awards Winners/Finalists announced

2008 NZ Music Awards Winners/Finalists announced

Finalists for the 2008 NZ Music Awards were announced at a low-key ceremony in Auckland on Wednesday night. Dai Henwood will host the awards again this year, and was on stage at the pre-award awards to name the finalists as well dish out Tuis to winners in three ‘technical’ categories.

The Phoenix Foundation’s highly regarded ‘Happy Ending’ lived up to its name, at least for fellow Wellingtonian muso/studio genius Lee Prebble, who was appropriately recognised with both Best Engineer and Best Producer Tuis for his work on the album. The Best Album Cover Tui went to Barny Bewick of Indium Design for his innovative 3D design for Goodnight Nurse’s ‘Keep Me On Your Side’.

Bouncing back from last year’s alternative-embracing breakthrough of The Mint Chicks, the main category finalists in 2008 provide few left-of-mainstream surprises. Anika Moa looks the best bet in a very poor showing across the list for the ladies, while two former band front-men dominate with their debut solo albums. Salmonella Dub’s ex Tiki Taane is a finalist in six categories; and former betchadupan Liam Finn will get four chances to make a Tui acceptance speech.

While the finalists are perhaps predictable given the widespread academy voting undertaken by organisers RIANZ, in many cases it’s the categories in which you find them that confuse. Tiki’s ‘Past, Present, Future’ is a finalist in the Album of the Year, Best Maori album and Best Aotearoa Roots/Reggae album categories, while he also finds himself on the Breakthrough Artist shortlist. His awesome Always On My Mind is also up for Best Single, and on the strength of all that you’d surely imagine him a shoe in for Best Male Solo Artist.

But Liam Finn’s electric solo debut ‘I’ll Be Lightning’ sees him being a likely challenger for Tiki in the Album of the Year and Best Male Solo Artist categories. In the absence of any place more appropriate, Liam is also one of three on the Best Rock Album list, where The Phoenix Foundation look even more out of sorts and only Shihad will likely feel deserving.

Those two solo supremacists are also (sort of) competing for the Best Video accolade, with Tiki’s Tangaroa and Liam’s Gather to the Chapel (which won last year’s Juice TV Video Awards), finalists alongside Her Hairigami Set by The Brunettes. Tiki is on the list of performers for the night but it’s unlikely Liam will be at ceremony as he’s about to embark on a lengthy American tour with fellow Kiwi wunderkids The Veils.

Seems the judges couldn’t see past the A-list in the Best Female Artist section where Anika Moa faces up to Aaradhna and Annabel Fay. Anika is also on the list for Album of the Year but Moana & The Tribe makes for the only other female representation. Shihad are rewarded for their 20-year anniversary return-to-form with chances at Best Group, Best Rock Album and Single of the Year for One Will Hear The Other.

Having earned Lee Prebble two Tui’s already, ‘Happy Ending’ has also put The Phoenix Foundation in the spotlight as finalists for three categories: Best Rock Album, Best Group, and Best Single for Bright Grey. Flight of the Conchords could well take off with up to three Tuis – enough to outshine their Emmy and Grammy accolades – as Best Album, Best Group and Breakthrough Artist.

Try as RIANZ might - or might not - the Tuis just can’t help but court controversy, and this year there’s one conscious and at least one accidental listing in the Best Controversy category. The People’s Choice Award finalists were decided on open public voting by email and txt. Suspiciously strong independent campaigning has seen a real mixed bag reaching the top five play offs. Almost unknowns The DFenders of Dunedin and Auckland’s Antiform find themselves rated alongside Nesian Mystik, Parachute Band and Horsemen Family as the country’s favourite artists. (Which brings to mind that Opshop’s only look at a Tui this year is with One Day as Single of the Year.) Voting has now been re-opened to the public with new rules restricting enthusiasts to just two votes (one by txt and one internet).

People’s Choice Award

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Best Urban/Hip Hop Album