Music Commission News

APRA AMCOS NZ announce the Top 20 songs nominated for the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Award Kaitito Kaiaka and the Top 5 waiata nominated for the APRA Maioha Award. New Zealand APRA members are now invited to vote for their top songs/waiata in each category.

“New Zealand has long been confident in its capacity to create world-class songwriters and the shortlist of APRA Silver Scroll and Maioha Award nominees continues to grow increasingly competitive each year” says Bic Runga, APRA NZ’s Writer Director.

“Voting for Aotearoa’s best songs is a difficult task for APRA members – a song’s power is subjective, its magic impossible to measure. But there’s no doubting the aroha, lyricism, and musical skill that has gone into each one of these high-quality works. This is a fantastic shortlist of masterpieces and future classics that demonstrate the vibrancy and good health of songwriting in New Zealand today.”

The Silver Scroll Top 20 list was decided by a carefully curated panel of APRA members who are also well-respected songwriters, producers, and performers: Alex Freer, Chelsea Jade, Dianne Swann, Ladi6, Mara TK, Marika Hodgson, Mark Vanilau, Nadia Reid, Rizván Tu’itahi, Sam Taylor.

APRA SILVER SCROLL AWARD KAITITO KAIAKA TOP 20 SHORTLIST

Aroā written by Emily Rice*, Charles Looker*, Te Kuru Dewes performed by Aro(*Songbroker Limited)
Can’t Fake It written by Jessica Bourke*, Maarten Bokma**, Max Oude Weernink^, Bart Possemis~ performed by JessB (*Concord Music Publishing, **Warner Chappell Music Australia Pty Ltd, ^Origin Music Publishing Pty Ltd, ~Sony Music Publishing (Australia) P/L)
Desert Dove written and performed by Holly Arrowsmith
Don’t Go Back written by Marlon Williams*, Mark Perkins*, performed by Marlon Williams (*Concord Music Publishing)
Expert In A Dying Field written by Elizabeth Stokes*, Jonathan Pearce, Benjamin Sinclair, Tristan Deck performed by The Beths (*Carpark Music Publishing via Gaga Music PTY LTD)
foolish thinking written by Kimbra Johnson*, Ryan Lott performed by Kimbra ft. Ryan Lott (*Warner Chappell Music Australia PTY LTD)
Friday Night @ The Liquor Store written by Tom Scott, Christopher James performed by Avantdale Bowling Club
Green Honda written by Stella Bennett*, Luka Kloser**, Elvira Anderfjard** performed by BENEE (*Sony Music Publishing, **Kobalt Music Publishing Australia)
i just can’t wait written by Sean James Donnelly performed by SJD (Concord Music Publishing)
Kingmaker written and performed by Tami Neilson
Layla written by Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson performed by Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Mushroom Music PTY LTD)
Live Wires written by Shannon Fowler performed by Tom Lark (Concord Music Publishing)
My Baby’s Like A Hurricane written by Whaanga arahi Main-Baillie performed by Arahi
Smooth It Over written by Ash Wallace, Gabriel Everett, Sophie Mashlan, Anton Rundberg*, Julia Karlsson* performed by Foley (*The Very Good Music Publishing obo Sony Music Publishing Scandinavia AB)
Something written by Oscar Mein, Henry Francis, Conor Feehly, Max Holmes, Tom Healy performed by Soaked Oats
Take My Hands At Night written and performed by Ebony Lamb
Te Atarau written by Mohi Allen, Daniel Martin, Rukuwai Allen performed by Mohi
The Crab / Waterbaby written by Hollie Fullbrook performed by Tiny Ruins (Kobalt Music Publishing)
Travel With Me written by Deva Mahal, Marika Hodgson performed by Deva Mahal
You Are written by Naomi Ludlow performed by Ny Oh
The APRA Maioha Award Top 5 shortlist was decided by a panel of judges selected for their knowledge and understanding of waiata reo Māori/waiata reo rua and the current landscape of Māori composition and songwriting: Hēmi Kelly, Maisey Rika, Nadia Marsh, Ruth Smith.

All APRA members are now invited to vote for their Top 3 waiata, which will determine the finalists and winner who will be presented with the Tohu Maioha on Wednesday 4 October at Spark Arena.

APRA MAIOHA AWARD TOP 5 SHORTLIST

Don’t Rush written by Te Kuru Dewes, Anna Coddington, Jordyn Rapana, Daniel Martin, performed by Te Kuru Dewes, Anna Coddington, Jordyn with a Why
E tama written by Hamiora Tuari, Ani Piki Tuari, Tame Tuari, Tatana Tuari and Matt Sadgrove performed by Tuari Brothers
Me Pēhea Rā written by Mohi Allen, Hēmi Kelly, Amy Boroevich, Noema Te Hau III performed by MOHI
Nui te Aroha written by Eugene Temara performed by O.R.A (Origin Roots Aotearoa)
Raumati written by Jordyn Rapana translated by Te Kuru Dewes, performed by Jordyn with a Why
You can listen to a Spotify playlist of all top 20 Silver Scroll songs and top five Maioha Award waiata HERE.