The 2019 Children’s Music Awards were presented at a family-friendly event at Auckland’s Tuning Fork on Sunday May 5.

Hosted by Suzy Cato, guests of all ages were treated to performances by Anna van Riel who was a finalist for all three categories, Levity Beet, Craig Smith and Marian Burns and kids. 

APRA Best Children’s Song winner

Cy Winstanley: Marley Sitting on a Pumpkin Seed

Recorded Music NZ Best Children’s Artist winner

Craig Smith: ‘Not Just For Kids 2’

NZ On Air Best Children’s Music Video winner

Suzy Cato and Kath Bee: Sprinkle A Little Sunshine (video by Raymond McGrath)

Cy Winstanley, songwriter and frontman of Tui Award-winning duo, Tattletale Saints recorded Marley Sitting on a Pumpkin Seed in his current home of Nashville. Cy’s first foray into Children’s Music was inspired by the birth of his niece Marley, saying he wanted to create something that captured the surreal beauty of her home in central Otago and also teach her about the crazy banjos and mandolins that have become part of his life in Tennessee.

Craig Smith is a two-time Best Children’s Song Award winner, two-time International Songwriting Competition finalist (children’s section), NZ Post children’s book award winner (children’s choice), and now a #1 best selling author with The Wonky Donkey, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The song went viral online mid last year thanks to a very amused “Scottish granny”. 

Kath Bee and Suzy Cato are two very well known faces in children’s musical entertainment. Suzy was a Tui finalist in 1996 for ‘You & Me Songbook’ while Kath won the Best Music Video Award for Individuality in 2010, and Dragons Under My Bed in 2014. Their video for Sprinkle A Little Sunshine is made by animation director, animator, illustrator, designer and writer Raymond McGrath.