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2025 Pacific Music Awards Finalists Announced

2025 Pacific Music Awards Finalists Announced

Finalists for the 2025 Pacific Music Awards have been announced, with the ceremony for the 21st anniversary of the event scheduled to take place on Thursday 21st August, at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau.

With the highest ever number of entries to the awards, this year sees a record 34 finalists across 13 categories, with 15 of the finalists first-time nominees, alongside lots of regular faces. In most categories entrants could optionally submit singles or ‘albums’ released during 2024.

Leading the way with four nominations is Cook Island and Māori songwriter Shane Walker (pictured) who is a finalist for Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Gospel Artist, Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist, and Best Pacific Song for Believe.

Winner of the Best Soul/RnB Artist Tūī at the recent 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards (and a four-time PMA winner last year), Aaradhna is also a finalist in four categories: Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist and Best Pacific Music Album for ‘Sweet Surrender’, along with Best Pacific Music Video for Mango Tree, directed by Prasenjit Das. Jordan with a Why joins Aaradhna as a triple-finalist for Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist and Best Pacific Music Album for ‘Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice’.

David Dallas, who claimed the Best Hip Hop Artist Tūī, is also a finalist for the Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist award, while other 2024 Pacific Music Awards winners SWIDT and Sam V feature repeatedly again in 2025. Here’s the PMA 2025 Finalist Playlist. 

 

Finalists for the 2025 Pacific Music Awards are:

FLAVA Best Pacific Group

AdeazeForever I Am Yours
A.R.TWhen He Was Mine (Pele Fo’i Mai), Easy
SWIDT – ‘Taking Care of Business’
Village90 – U & Me

 

Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist

Aaradhna – ‘Sweet Surrender’
Jordyn with a Why – ‘Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice’
Kenzie from Welly – Hold Ya Head, Queendom

 

NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist

Diggy Dupé – Request Line
Melodownz – Broke, Calm and Chill, When I, High Vibration, MeloDub (828), Directions
Myshaan – Power of Love (Reggae), Carry My Heart, Wrapped, I Do
Sam V – 90’s Fine, Rolling Your Eyes
Shane Walker – Maori in Me, Iesu, Let Me Be Your Man, The Lord is Watching You, Believe, Coasty Girl

 

APRA Best Pacific Song

Fejoint, Lomez BrownSwitch.E Stay – Written by Fejoint, Norman, Brown Sione Eliesa
Shane Walker – Believe – Written by Shane Walker
T’NAY – Penina O Le Vasa ft Wayno – Written by Sililo Tapuitima
Tree – Tupulaga Samoa ft Wayno – Written by Juliana Sopoaga Lologa & Joyce Lonise Toleafoa

 

Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album

Aaradhna – ‘Sweet Surrender’
Jordyn with a Why – ‘Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice’
Lomez Brown – ‘Under-Rated’
SWIDT – ‘Taking Care of Business’

 

RNZ Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist

Aaradhna – ‘Sweet Surrender’
Jordyn with a Why – ‘Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice’
Sam V – 90’s Fine, Rolling Your Eyes

 

ONErpm Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

David Dallas – ‘Vita’
Kenzie from Welly – Hold Ya Head, Queendom
Melodownz – Broke, Calm and Chill, When I, High Vibration, MeloDub (828), Directions
SWIDT – ‘Taking Care of Business’

 

PacifiCast Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

Lomez Brown – ‘Under-Rated’
Rubi DuCalling, Day Dreaming
Shane WalkerLet Me Be Your Man, The Lord is Watching You

 

MPGNZ/SAE Creative Media Institute Best Producer

Astro and EDY – 90’s Fine, Rolling Your Eyes, Sam V
Canaan EneThe Way It Is, Handyman., You’ve Got A Friend, Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You and various artists
Feagaigafou Tupa’i, Logovi’i Tupa’i, Astro, EDY Forever I Am Yours, Adeaze
Ikon Music When He Was Mine (Pele Fo’i Mai), Easy, A.R.T

 

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

AaradhnaMango Tree – Director Prasenjit Das
Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson – Mavehe -Directors Mario Faumui & Ben Mikha
Shepherds Reign Ala Mai – Director: Bahador Borhani
Tha MovementThe Lecture – Director Samson Rambo
TheWesternGuideBottom of the Bed – Director Esther Mauga

 

531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

Brotherhood MusiqOpen These Eyes of My Heart
Saia Frank SolaE Le Galo Le Mativa (feat. DJ Twitch), Fai Oe Ma Leleiga, Sili Ai Lou Alu Eke Moe, E Le’o Se Mea Ta’alo Lo’u Alofa, Aisea, 
Shane WalkerIesu
SireTemporary

 

Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language

A.R.TWhen He Was Mine (Pele Fo’i Mai), Easy
Junior SoqetaMoni Meke, Senituli Oe Tau’ataina, Buna Na Isa Lei Buna
Opetaia Foa’i & Moana 2 Artists – Tulou Tagaloa (Sei e Va’ai Mai), My wish for you (Innocent Warrior), Finding the Way, Mana Vavau,
TreeTupulaga Samoa ft Wayno
WaynoSiva Samoa 2K24, Fafine Faitala, Tama O Le Faifaiaso

 

NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist

Jaro Local 
Kuki 
Paradise Rootz 
Seven Suns 
The 046 

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