2026 award recipients are highlighted
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Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist

• WINNER: Iva Lamkum – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’
• Kenzie from Welly – Greenstone Door
• Ladi6 – Le Vā
• LOU'ANA – Disco Witch
• Talia Perese – Talia Perese
• Tree – The Rose Era

NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist

• WINNER: Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, ‘Small Taste’, ‘Pay No Mind’
• Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’
• Lepani – ‘Young Gun’, ‘Feel It’, ‘Y’, ‘Never Meet Your Dreams’, ‘Young Gun (Acoustic)’
• MELODOWNZ – Melo & Bass (EP), ‘Same As Before’, ‘Kavafied Ft Revus’
• RNZŌ – RNZŌ SZN
• Scribe – Scribe is Dead

FLAVA Best Pacific Group

• WINNER: A.R.T – Nana’s Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP)
• Brotherhood Musiq – ‘Amazing Love’, ‘Got It Right’
• Signature Choir – Reach the Sky EP
• Three Houses Down – Lovers Roots EP
• Village 90 – ‘On My Way’, ‘All I Want’

Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language

• WINNER: Taonepuna Lakatani, Malcolm Lakatani & Pacific Kids Learning – ‘Ulihega’, ‘Vevela Mai He Lā’
• A.R.T – Nana’s Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP)
• Glen JXN Jackson – Niue 1976
• Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’
• Tree – The Rose Era

APRA Best Pacific Song

• WINNER: Sam V – ‘Small Taste’
  • Written by Sam Verlinden, Edward Liu, Jaedyn Randall, Sam Nakamura
• Island Vibes – ‘Tonga Tū Ketau Tue’
  • Written by Island Vibes
• Iva Lamkum – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’
  • Written by Iva Lamkum, Diaz Grimm, Josh Fountain, James Newman
• Lepani – ‘Young Gun’
  • Written by Lepani Tuifagalele
• Scribe – ‘Glowstick’
  • Written by Malo Luafutu, Zac Harding

531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

• WINNER: Signature Choir – Reach the Sky EP
• Brotherhood Musiq – ‘Amazing Love’, ‘Got It Right’
• Punialava'a – ‘Sauaga i Aiga’, ‘Samoa Ua Potopoto’, ‘Aiga Sa Petaia’, ‘Lo’u Alofa Afulumemea’, ‘Manatua le Mananoa’, ‘Le Lalolagi Fa’atalitali’
• Tree – The Rose Era

ONErpm Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

• WINNER: Kenzie from Welly – Greenstone Door
• Diggy Dupé & choicevaughan – Brown Velvet (EP)
• MELODOWNZ – Melo & Bass (EP), ‘Same As Before’, ‘Kavafied Ft Revus’
• Scribe – Scribe is Dead

Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist

• WINNER: Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, ‘Small Taste’, ‘Pay No Mind’
• A.R.T – Nana’s Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP)
• Ladi6 – Le Vā
• Myshaan – ‘Missed Your Chance’, ‘Inside My Head’, ‘Pacific Beauty ft Kennyon Brown’, ‘Angel’, ‘Paint Them With You’

Big Village Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

• WINNER: Three Houses Down – Lovers Roots EP
• Fejoint, Switch. E & Folau – ‘Oiaue’
• Island Vibes – ‘Remember Who You Are’, ‘Umu’, ‘Samoa O Oe Le Penina’, ‘Tonga Tū Ketau Tue’, ‘Hiki Nima’, ‘Sunshine’
• Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’
• Shane Walker – ‘Mama’, ‘Waima Girl’, ‘Whakapara Girl’

NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist

• WINNER: Fiji – ‘Daydream’
• Etu – SUNFLOWER
• JAHBOY – Rockstar EP
• Jaro Local – ‘Aburongo’, ‘Olbaut Olbaut (remix)’
• Wameblood – ‘Puki’, ‘Kumul Fly’, ‘Batchiba’

MPG Aotearoa / SAE Creative Media Institute Best Producer

• WINNER: Brent Park-Tamati & Brandon Haru – Le Vā, Ladi 6
• EDY, Astro, Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, Sam V
• Josh Fountain – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’, Iva Lamkum
• Nathan Judd – Disco Witch, LOU'ANA

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

• WINNER: Shepherds Reign – ‘Samoa Mo Samoa’
  • Director: Twayne Laumua
• A.R.T – ‘Over Now’
  • Director: Michael Hunt
• Brandn Shiraz – ‘Youngin from Kuki II’
  • Director: Esther Mauga
• Iva Lamkum – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’
  • Director: David Truasheim
• Three Houses Down – ‘Turn Around’
  • Director: Three Houses Down
• Vallé – ‘Hold Me’
  • Director: John Ross

Recorded Music NZ Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui A Kiwa O Te Tau | Best Pacific Music Album

• WINNER: Scribe – Scribe is Dead
• A.R.T – Blank Canvas
• Ladi6 – Le Vā
• Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe

​Ministry for Pacific Peoples Lifetime Achievement Award

• Will Crummer

Matai Special Recognition Award

• Signature Choir

NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award

• Shane Walker – ‘Coasty Girl’

NZ On Air Streaming Award

• Shane Walker – ‘Coasty Girl’

 
SunPix People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist

• Signature Choir

Phillip Fuemana Award – Most Promising Pacific Artist

• Talia Perese

Creative New Zealand Award

• Anne Filimoehala

Arch Angel Independent Music Award

• Letoa