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Stan Walker, CHAII, Georgia Lines and more are in the running as global voting opens ahead of the AMA 2025 winner reveal later this month.
Image: Stan Walker Credit: Jayy Slays
Voting is now open for the Aotearoa Music Awards Tā te Iwi/ People’s Choice Award, the only Tūī decided entirely by the public.
In 2024, Hori Shaw took it out. This year, he’s in the running for Te Iti Rearea o te Tau/Breakthrough Artist of the Year at AMA 2025.
Every AMA 2025 finalist in a recording artist category is eligible, though artists can opt out if they choose. Fans across the globe can have their say, just head to peopleschoice.aotearoamusicawards.co.nz, click on your favourite, and follow the steps. Voting wraps at 5pm NZT on Tuesday, May 27th.
The winner will be revealed at the Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday, May 29th.
Stan Walker and CHAII are leading the pack this year, notching up five nominations apiece ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Tūī.
Hot on their heels are Kaylee Bell, Aaradhna, Georgia Lines, and MOKOTRON, each scoring four nods across key categories.
AMA 2025 takes place on Thursday, May 29th at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
The show will be livestreamed from 6pm via RNZ at rnz.co.nz and on RNZ’s social platforms. If you miss the live event, you can catch the full replay on TVNZ+ from Friday, May 30th.
The full list of 2025 AMA finalists is below.
NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
CHAII – Safar
Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Jordan Rakei – The Loop
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
L.A.B – L.A.B VI
Mel Parsons – Sabotage
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson
Troy Kingi – Leatherman and the Mojave Green
Spotify Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year
Cassie Henderson – “Seconds To Midnight (11.59)”
CHAII – “We Be Killing It”
Fazerdaze – “Cherry Pie”
Georgia Lines – “The Letter”
JessB – “Power” (feat. Sister Nancy & Sampa the Great)
Kaylee Bell – “Cowboy Up”
Lorde – “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” (Charli xcx, Lorde)
MOKOMOKAI – “KUPE” feat. MELODOWNZ
Reb Fountain – “Come Down”
Stan Walker – “Māori Ki Te Ao”
Theia – “BALDH3AD!”
Troy Kingi – “Silicone Booby Trap”
Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group
Corrella – Skeletons
DARTZ – Dangerous Day to Be a Cold One
Earth Tongue – Great Haunting
Foley
L.A.B – L.A.B VI
SKILAA – Tiger in the River
Spotify Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Stan Walker
Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
Haami Tuari – Taku Kaenga
Jordyn With a Why – “Reia”
Stan Walker – “Māori Ki Te Ao”
TAWAZ – “Tātarakihi” (feat. MOHI)
Tuari Brothers – “Higher”
Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
Corrella – Skeletons
Jordyn with a Why – Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice
MOHI
Stan Walker
TAWAZ
Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist
Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn
Louisa Nicklin – The Big Sulk
Vera Ellen – heartbreak for jetlag
Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist
Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked
Justin DeHart – Towards Midnight: NZ Percussion Vol 2
Michael Houstoun – The Well-Tempered Clavier
Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist
Barry Saunders and Delaney Davidson – Happiness Is Near
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson
Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist
CHAII – Safar
Lee Mvtthews – EXIT
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist
Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams
Kerryn Fields – The Folk Singer
Mel Parsons – Sabotage
Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist
David Dallas – Vita
Jujulipps – Superstar
RNZŌ
Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist
Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics
Thabani Gapara – Dzindza
Umar Zakaria – Family Music
Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist
Cassie Henderson – The Yellow Chapter
Frankie Venter
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist
DARTZ – Dangerous Day to Be a Cold One
Devilskin – Surfacing
Troy Kingi – Leatherman and the Mojave Green
Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist
Christoph El Truento – Dubs From the Neighbourhood
Corrella – Skeletons
Lomez Brown
Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Sam V
Stan Walker
Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork
Emma Hercus – Sabotage (Mel Parsons)
Matt Sinclair – Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson)
Natalie King, Chris Schmelz – Uneven Ground (Death and the Maiden)
Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer
Emily Wheatcroft-Snape, Amelia Murray – Soft Power (Fazerdaze)
Nic Manders – The Rose of Jericho (Georgia Lines)
Simon Gooding – Safar (CHAII)
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content
CHAII – “Night Like This” (CHAII)
Night Watch – “Nightshift” (Jujulipps)
Oscar Keys, Ezra Simons, Kristin Li – “Paradise” (DARTZ)
Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer
CHAII, Frank Keys – Safar (CHAII)
Nic Manders – The Rose of Jericho (Georgia Lines)
Rory Noble
Finalists and recipients in the following categories are still to be announced:
Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year (TBA in May)
Tā te Iwi | People’s Choice (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
Te Manu Mātārae (recipients TBA at AMA 2025)
In This Article: Aotearoa Music Awards, People’s Choice Award
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