Winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Children’s Music Awards have been announced, with Christchurch-based Loopy Tunes breaking records as winners in a three categories, including the Tūī for Best Children’s Music Artist.

This is the first Aotearoa Children’s Music Awards win for the sibling music duo of Siu Williams-Lemi and Leah Williams-Partington, who released their first recordings for children in 2019. Bringing a super-fun vibe to the children’s music world, they create waiata reo rua / bilingual Māori and Pasifika children’s music, sung in their own harmonious style. With Māori and Tongan ancestry, Loopy Tunes’ kaupapa is to normalise the use of Māori and Pacific languages in everyday life, through music. 

Also from Ōtautahi, Michal Bush, who performs under the name Music with Michal (and previously won the Best Children’s Artist Tūī in 2022), won the APRA Best Children’s Song – Primary with Shapes and Colours.

Recorded Music NZ Te Manu Taki Kerekahu o te Tau | Best Children’s Music Artist:
Loopy Tunes Preschool Music for ‘Kahurangi – Little Treasures’

APRA Best Children’s Song – Primary | He Pī Ka Rere:
Shapes and Colours written by Michal Bush, performed by Music with Michal

NZ On Air Best Children’s Music Video | He Manu Tūtei:
The Maui Dolphin by Loopy Tunes Preschool Music, animation by Ross Payne

APRA Best Children’s Song – Preschool | He Manu Pīpī:
Lele Means Run written by Siu Williams-Lemi, performed by Loopy Tunes Preschool Music

Otara-based Sistema Aotearoa, who provide free, high-quality music education to tamariki in South Auckland, were honoured as 2025 recipients of the Baysting Prize for Children’s Champion. Operating since 2011, Sistema Aotearoa focus on building strong communities through collective music-making. The award is presented in honour of the late Arthur Baysting.

Also presented was the Kōkako Award, nurturing our young performers in their endeavours, won by 11-year-old Emery Goodwin of Dunedin. Emery will have their performance of their mother’s original song, Enjoy the Ride, arranged by the Auckland Philharmonia – performing it live on stage with the orchestra later this year.