The 2018 Music Managers Awards finalists shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone following the success of our local talent here and overseas over the last year or so.

Ahead of the 14th MMF Awards music industry judges voted in a bid to honour the achievements of the people pulling the business strings for local musicians, or in some cases their own career.

The finalists for this year’s awards are:

Recorded Music NZ Manager of the Year

• Alastair Burns (Marlon Williams)
• James Southgate (Devilskin)
• Julie Foa’i (Te Vaka, Opetaia Foa’i, Olivia Foa’i)

Emerging Manager of the Year

• Chris Chetland & Callum McDougal (Rei)
• Milly Tabak (The Miltones)
• Pennie Blair (Hex, Echo Ohs)

Breakthrough Manager of the Year

• Niel de Jong (Alien Weaponry)
• Nicole Thomas and Paula Yeoman (Theia, Andrew Papas, Chores)
• Rikihana Douglas (Sachi, Montell2099, Matthew Young, LA Women)

NZ Music Commission International Achievement

• Alastair Burns (Marlon Williams)
• Julie Foa’i (Te Vaka, Opetaia Foa’i, Olivia Foa’i)
• Niel de Jong (Alien Weaponry)

APRA AMCOS Self-Managed Artist of the Year

• Mel Parsons
• Nick Atkinson (Hopetoun Brown)
• Tana Tupai and Avina Kelekolio (Tomorrow People)

Best Independent Tour

• Diaz Grimm – Diaz Grimm ‘All Together’ NZ Tour
• Mel Parsons  – ‘NZ Tour w/ Full Band’
• Nick Atkinson – ‘Round The Horn’ Tour (Hopetoun Brown)

Best Small Venue

• Neck of the Woods, Auckland
• Leigh Sawmill, Leigh
• The Tuning Fork, Auckland

Best Large Venue

• The Civic, Auckland
• The Powerstation, Auckland
• Villa Maria, Auckland

Achievement Award

• Diaz Grimm
• Kendall Elise Todd
• Pennie Blair – (Hex, Echo Ohs)

The NZ Music Managers Awards will be held at The Tuning Fork in Auckland on May 9.