22 November 2013 - 0 Comments

She has ruled the charts on the international scene and now teen singing sensation Lorde has been acknowledged big time at home collecting four Tuis at the 2013 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

Hot on her heels is R&B vocalist Aaradhna who adds three Tuis to her impressive gallery of music accolades – including the coveted Mentos Album of the Year award. And following close behind the two leading ladies is Christchurch-formed drum ‘n’ bass outfit Shapeshifter which picks up two Tuis.

The winners were announced last night (Nov. 21) at the star-studded 2013 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards at Auckland’s Vector Arena.

Ella Yelich-O’Connor’s (Lorde) mega-successful debut EP The Love Club sees her pick up Tuis for Vodafone Single of the Year for Royals, Westpac Hotpoints Breakthrough Artist of the Year and 2013 Xbox One International Achievement Award.

And to cap off a huge night for the Auckland 17 year-old, she also takes home the Vodafone People’s Choice Award.

No stranger to the limelight, Lorde has enjoyed great success here and abroad – most notably retaining the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks. She’s also graced the stages of top US talk shows, performing live on the Ellen Degeneres Show, Later with Jools Holland and most recently The Late Show with David Letterman.

Even after 20,000 free downloads, Royals has been certified double Platinum and took out the 2013 APRA Silver Scroll for the year’s best song.

Wellington-born Aaradhna takes home Tuis for Mentos Album of the Year for Treble and Reverb, Spotify Best Female Solo Artist and Best Urban / Hip Hop Album.

2013 has been an especially momentous year for 29-year-old Aaradhna. She has a record-breaking six awards from the 2013 Pacific Music Awards - including the Pasefika Proud Best Pacific Music Album Tui for Treble and Reverb - and she was a finalist for the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll and Taite Music Prizes.

Shapeshifter’s fifth album Delta gains the group awards for Steinlager Pure Best Group and George FM Best Electronica Album. The band was also a finalist for Mentos Album of the Year and Vodafone Single of the Year.

Jamie McDell’s album Six Strings and a Sailboat gains the coveted The Edge Best Pop Album Tui while Best Rock Album goes to Villainy for debut album Mode. Set. Clear. 

McDell’s album has produced four hit singles and has been certified Gold after debuting at #2 on the NZ Album charts and remaining in the top 10 for six months. Four piece alternative rock band Villainy’s Mode. Set. Clear debuted at #8 on the New Zealand album chart and reached #1.

Fat Freddy’s Drop makes a return to the Vodafone NZ Music Awards, claiming Best Roots Album for 2013 with the seven-piece’s third full-length album Blackbird - all self-released independently through label The Drop. It’s the band’s eighth Tui. 

Spotify Best Male Solo Artist for 2013 goes to Lawrence Arabia – pseudonym for Christchurch-born James Milne – for his third album The Sparrow. The recording was also a finalist for the Taite Music Prize.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s II takes the Tui for Best Alternative Album. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – the alter ego of Oregon-based Ruban Nielson previously of The Mint Chicks – won Best Male Solo Artist at the music awards in 2012.

This year Shapeshifter, Aaradhna and Lorde were joined by the evening’s co-host Stan Walker and boy-band Titanium in contesting the Peoples’ Choice Award with Lorde taking out the honours.

The FOUR Highest Selling Album Tui for 2013 goes to White Rabbit: The Very Best of Peter Posa released in 2012 and immediately entering the album charts at #1. Posa, now in his 70s and enjoying something of a revival, was awarded the NZ Order of Merit in 2008 for services to entertainment.

Recorded Music New Zealand Chief Executive, Damian Vaughan says the calibre of the 2013 Tui winners demonstrates the strength of New Zealand music across a wide range of genres.

“When you look at all the categories it’s plain to see that the music has never been stronger and the means for accessing it more diverse. Congratulations to all the winners - to the other finalists, well done on achieving so much in what has been a stellar year for all involved.”

Other winners on the night include Stan Walker who takes out the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Tui for Take It Easy and Flight Of The Conchords who claim the Vodafone Highest Selling Single award for Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That).

Joel Kefali also gets a Tui for NZ On Air Best Music Video for his work on Lorde’s Royals while the NUMA Trust Best Maori Album goes to Maisey Rika for Whitiora. The Tui for Best Gospel / Christian Album now sits on Strahan’s mantelpiece for Posters.

Best Classical Album Tui goes Michael Houstoun for his Lilburn, a so-called ‘sampler’ of music from all periods of the noted New Zealand composer’s life.

The Recorded Music NZ Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards finals night featured live performances by Aaradhna, Lorde, Jamie McDell, Titanium, Iva Lamkum and awards co-host Stan Walker. There was also a special tribute performance to NZ Herald Legacy Award recipient Shona Laing by Ruby Frost. The Award also sees Shona inducted in to the NZ Music Hall of Fame.

Tui recipients who have received their awards during the year are:

New Zealand Herald Legacy Award – Shona Laing

Best Jazz Album – Nathan Haines The Poet’s Embrace

Best Folk Album – Great North Halves

Pasefika Proud Best Pacific Music Album – Aaradhna Treble and Reverb

Best Country Music Album – Delaney and Marlon Sad but True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Vol. 1

Best Album Cover – Gina Kiel & Harry A'Court – Blackbird (Fat Freddy’s Drop)

Best Engineer – Brett Stanton/Lee Prebble/The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango (The Phoenix Foundation)

Best Producer – The Phoenix Foundation/Lee Prebble/Brett Stanton – Fandango (The Phoenix Foundation)

Best Children’s Music Album – fleaBITE – Circus of Fleas

Hallenstein Brothers 2013 Critics’ Choice Prize – Sheep, Dog & Wolf

Thanks to www.nzmusicawards.co.nz for this story.

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