Yesterday, Henry Oliver risked it all by predicting the winners of last night’s New Zealand Music Awards. Today he updates that post with the actual results and slightly jaded commentary.
Okay, last night actually went pretty well. By which I mean that, yes, it was a good show, I was sitting at a good table with nice people, and I had fun. But, more importantly, the predictions I made yesterday were over 50% accurate. AND I think I beat the Spotify algorithm. Let’s see…
All results are below. Winners are in bold. Where my prediction was correct, I’ve given myself a little tick ✔️. Where my prediction was wrong, I’ve struck it out and given myself a little cross✖️.
Album of the Year
Aldous Harding – Party
David Dallas – Hood Country Club
Fazerdaze – Morningside
LEISURE – LEISURE
Lorde – Melodrama ✔️
SWIDT – Stoneyhunga
Spotify: Lorde – Melodrama ✔️ (Spinoff: 1, Spotify: 1)
Update: As I said, this couldn’t not win. Historic achievement for a New Zealand artist… blah blah blah… the only thing that really matters is that Melodrama is a great album – the songwriting, the production, the sequencing, it just works from the first note to the last. If you haven’t given it much attention since everyone was buzzing about it on release, put it on and let it win you over.
Single of the Year
David Dallas – ‘Fit In’
Ladi6 – ‘Royal Blue’
Lorde – ‘Green Light’ ✔️
MAALA – ‘In My Head’
SWIDT – ‘Player Of The Day’
Theia – ‘Roam’
Spotify: MAALA – ‘In My Head’ ✖️ (Spinoff: 2, Spotify: 1)
Sorry MAALA but I don’t know what Spotify’s computers were thinking. This was always going to be ‘Green Light’, which, unsurprisingly, was amazing live on the night.
Best Group
Devilskin
LEISURE
Shapeshifter
SWIDT ✔️
SWIDT! They did it! Officially the Most Electrifying Rap Group in New Zealand Entertainment! Shapeshifter were never in this thing IMO.
Spotify: Shapeshifter ✖️ (Spinoff: 3, Spotify: 1)
Best Solo Artist
Aldous Harding
KINGS
Lorde ✔️
Nadia Reid
As above.
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Aldous Harding ✔️
Fazerdaze
Nadia Reid
TEEKS
The Spinoff, yesterday: This is a tough one. I think TEEKS is out of the running (no album, no extensive touring) and it’s a toss-up between the other three. This year, Aldous Harding became a cult star around the world, Nadia Reid kind of did something similar but via a different route (more UK than US, and more UNCUT than Interview), and Fazerdaze has had an amazing string of tours following her album release too. But, to make a pick, I’m going to go with Aldous Harding.
Spotify: Aldous Harding ✔️ (Spinoff: 4, Spotify: 2)
Best Rock Artist
Clap Clap Riot
Devilskin
Graham Brazier ✖️
Devilskin’s performance was really good – there was fire and everything! – but I still think Fazerdaze should have won.
Best Pop Artist
Lorde ✔️
Mitch James
Theia
Easy. She’s pop. She’s the best.
Best Alternative Artist
Aldous Harding
Fazerdaze✖️
Nadia Reid
The Spinoff, yesterday: I’ve raved about how great Party is a bunch. So it’s no slight on that record for me to say that it’s still weird for it to win this when Fazerdaze’s Morningside is an actual, no bones about it, alternative rock record. C’mon, not only has it got fuzzy guitars and power pop hooks, it was self-recorded in Amelia Murray’s flat! Still… Party is amazing, so it’s not all bad.
Best Soul/RnB Artist
Ladi6 ✔️
TEEKS
Tommy Nee
Yes! Was really happy about this one. Picked Ladi but actually thought it would go to Teeks.
Best Hip Hop Artist
David Dallas
KINGS
SWIDT ✔️
The Spinoff, yesterday: You heard it here first – SWIDT will win this one back-to-back.
Best Roots Artist
Israel Starr
Sons of Zion ✖️
Tomorrow People
Sure.
Best Electronic Artist
Chaos In The CBD ✖️
K+Lab
Truth
Okay. Do we need a New Zealand Skrillex though?
Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist
Alien Weaponry ✖️
Maisey Rika
TEEKS
I went in heavily on the narrative of Alien Weaponry, foolishly ignoring the power of TEEKS (who may have been the best-looking person there last night).
Best Worship Artist
Curate Music ✔️
Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg
Juliagrace
I gotta say, I loved getting this one right.
Best Classical Artist
Jenny McLeod ✖️
NZTrio
Te Kōkī Trio
Sure.
People’s Choice Award
Lorde
KINGS ✖️
MAALA
SWIDT
Theia
Damn. I thought I’d been a real smartypants with this one, but I overthought it. Sometimes the simplest option is the best option. In my defence, Kings did win the awards for highest selling single and most radio play, so it’s not a huuuuge leap to think he might have toppled Lorde in the People’s Choice.
Also, watch “Paula Bennett” on presenting this award with “Cindy” Ardern.
Spotify: Lorde ✔️ (Spinoff: 4, Spotify: 3)
Official tally
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️ (56.25%)
AND
The Spinoff: 4, Spotify: 3 ????
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