The national 2021 Waiata Māori Music Awards will be held in Hastings on September 10 and the finalists across the 10 categories have been announced. Previous award winners Troy Kingi, Stan Walker, L.A.B and Tipene Harmer, as well as Anna Coddington and Mara TK are among the artists featuring as finalists in multiple categories. 2021 is the awards’ 14th outing.

WMMA 2021 Finalists

Best Māori Hip Hop Album:  

• Adam Tukiri – ‘Son’
• Kings – ‘Raplist’
• Tipene Harmer – ‘Heritage Trail’
• Vayne – ‘Gutta Girl’

Best Māori RnB Album:

• Louis Baker – ‘Love Levitates’
• Mara TK – ‘Bad Meditation’
• Mistee K – ‘The Next Chapter’
• Troy Kingi – ‘The Ghost of Freddie Cesar’

Best Māori Roots/Reggae Album:            

• Grove Roots – ‘Iwi’
• NLC – ‘Trouble’

Best Māori Pop Album:

• Anna Coddington – ‘Beams’
• L.A.B – ‘L.A.B IV’
• Teeks – ‘Something to Feel’
• Troy Kingi – ‘The Ghost of Freddie Cesar’

Best Māori Tāne Solo Artist:          

• Mara TK
• Teeks
• Tipene Harmer
• Troy Kingi

Best Māori Wāhine Solo Artist:                

• Ainslee Allen
• Anna Coddington
• Mistee K
• Paige

Best Māori Group:

• IA
• L.A.B
• Morse Gang
• Tomorrow People

Best Single By a Māori Artist:

• Hani Dread – Kōkiri
• Hawkins – Can’t Leave It Alone
• L.A.B – Why Oh Why
• Stan Walker – Bigger
• Tipene Harmer – Tūrangawaewae

Best Māori Songwriter:

• L.A.B – Why Oh Why
• Mara TK – Te Kete Aronui
• Teeks – Remember Me
• Tipene Harmer – Tūrangawaewae
• Troy Kingi – All Your Ships Have Sailed 

Best Music Video by a Māori Artist:

• Grove Roots – Atua Māori 
• L.A.B – Why Oh Why
• Stan Walker – Bigger
• Teeks – Younger
• Troy Kingi – First Take Strut