Kicking off this year’s music awards season, last Friday Māori musicians celebrated the 2016 Waiata Māori Music Awards in Hastings.

For the second time in three years Rob Ruha ruled the awards, taking home three trophies for his latest EP ‘Pūmau’. His awards were for Best Album, Best Songwriter and Best Song (Paremata Mene).

Wellingtonian newcomer Rei‘s exceptional reverse-action video for The Chief’s Speech won him and director Alex Hoyles the award for Best Video.

While adored by fans, Six60 often get overlooked by critics and ignored at the mainstream music awards, so they would have enjoyed seeing their year of domination of the NZ singles charts acknowledged with the Radio Airplay Song Of The Year Award (for White Lines). 

Last year’s big winner Ranea was this year back for more, winning Best Radio Airplay Song Of The Year By A Māori Artist In Te Reo for his song Tihei Mauri Ora.

2016 Waiata Maori Music Awards Results

The Best Māori Traditional Album

Rob Ruha – ‘Pūmau’

The Best Māori Pop Album

Kirsten Te Rito – ‘Āiotanga’

Radio Airplay Song Of The Year By A Māori Artist In Te Reo

Ranea – Tihei Mauri Ora

Radio Airplay Song Of The Year By A Māori Artist

Six60 – White Lines

The Best Music Video By A Māori Artist

Rei – The Chiefs Speech

Emerging Rangatahi Artists

Toikitauri

Emerging Artist

Rootz Konekt

The Best Māori Urban Roots Album

Israel Starr  – ‘Through The Ages And Forever’

The Best Māori Songwriter

Rob Ruha

The Best Māori Male Solo Artist

Maaka Fiso

The Best Māori Female Solo Artist

Amba Holly

The Best Song by a Māori Artist

Rob Ruha – Paremata Mene