Music Commission News

Today, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) is very pleased to announce the finalists for the Taite Music Prize 2022 and the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award. These two prestigious awards will be awarded on Tuesday, April 20th, 2022 alongside the NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award, IMNZ Classic Record and the Independent Spirit Award recipients.

Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of New Zealand’s most respected music journalists, the coveted Taite Music Prize recognises outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained in one recording. The award highlights outstanding New Zealand albums released in the past year. The award is open to all genres of music and judged on artistic merit regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The prize winner will receive a cash prize of $12,500, thanks to founding partner Recorded Music NZ and supporting partner NZ Music Commission.

A voting academy of all current members of IMNZ, musicians, and music industry personnel voted to produce the shortlisted finalist albums. An independent panel debates and scrutinises the shortlisted albums to decide the winner. That panel comprises musicians, journalists, and music industry professionals with a wide variety of different professional backgrounds and personal tastes.

The ten albums in contention for the 2022 Taite Music Prize span genres from hip hop to alt-country to indie electro pop and include some of Aotearoa’s finest and pigeon hole defying musicians. The 2022 Taite Music Prize finalists are:

Anthonie Tonnon – Leave Love Out Of This (Slow Time Records)

Dianne Swann – The War On Peace of Mind (Bads Music)

French For Rabbits – The Overflow (AAA Records)

Lips – I Don’t Know Why I Do Anything (Independent)

Luke Buda – BUDA (Buda Records)

Reb Fountain – IRIS (Flying Nun Records)

Sheep, Dog & Wolf – Two-Minds (Aphrodite)

Team Dynamite – Respect The Process (Independent)

Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder (AAA Records)

Vera Ellen – It’s Your Birthday (Flying Nun Records)

The Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award celebrates the freshest talent of Aotearoa. The winner receives a $2000 cash prize plus a performance or technical upskilling opportunity thanks to Auckland Live.

The three albums nominated for the 2022 Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award are:

Adelaide Cara – How Does This Sound?

Jazmine Mary – The Licking of a Tangerine

Proteins of Magic – Proteins of Magic

The 2022 ceremony also includes the presentation of the inaugural NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award. IMNZ and NZ On Air look to celebrate a special individual who made a creative contribution and significant impact with coverage of Aotearoa music in 2021. A shortlist of finalists for this award will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Independent Music NZ Classic Record award acknowledges one New Zealand record released over 20 years ago on an independent label. These records, whether a 12”, a compilation, EP, or full-length album have become quintessential gold nuggets of our musical history.

Now in its fourth year, the Independent Spirit Award recognises and celebrates a New Zealander: someone who is passionate about NZ music; who’s ahead of the game in creativity, diversity, and imagination; and has dedicated themself to helping artists and the wider music community to grow and find their own unique pathways. The annual recipient is determined by the IMNZ Board.

IMNZ General Manager, Dylan Pellett says, “As we move through these crazy times, it’s still so heartening to hear fresh new music being made and released in Aotearoa. Congratulations to all this year’s finalists!”