The finalists for the 2026 Pacific Music Awards were announced mid-June at the Mangere Arts Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau. This year 33 artists have been recognised as finalists across 13 categories, highlighting the depth and diversity of Pacific music talent in Aotearoa and across the Moana.

Leading the way each with five nominations are Porirua vocal trio A.R.T and PMA frequent flyer, R&B artist /producer Sam V – both acts claiming two awards last year. The double tap of A.R.T’s March 2026 EP, ‘Blank Canvas’ and its 2024 predecessor ‘Nana’s Garage’ sees them finalists for Best Pacific Music Album, Best Pacific Group, Best Pacific Language, Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist and Best Pacific Music Video for Over Now, directed by Michael Hunt. 

Sam V is a finalist for Best Pacific Music Album with his 2025 release ‘Take A Chance On V: Deluxe’, Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist, Best Producer (along with EDY and Astro) and Best Pacific Song for his December ’25 single Small Taste which also features vocals by Jaedyn Randell.

Hip hop legend Scribe stands up as a four-time nominee; finalist for Best Pacific Music Album with ‘Scribe is Dead’, Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist, and Best Pacific Song for the single Glowstick first released in November 2023.

Ladi6 also returns to the Pacific Music Awards with nominations as Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Music Album for ‘Le Vā’, Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist, and the producers of her album, Brent Park-Tamati and Brandon Haru, also finaists.

Iva Lamkum is another with three nominations including Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Song as well as Best Pacific Music Video for Don’t Mind If I Do,  the video directed by David Truasheim.

Junior Soqeta also receives three nods including Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Language, and Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist. Tree features three times in the Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Language and Best Pacific Gospel Artist categories for her album ‘The Rose Era’.

Not to be left out, Three Houses Down are also three-way finalists in 2026; for Best Pacific Group, Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist and Best Pacific Music Video for Turn Around.

This year’s Niu FM Best International Pacific Artist finalists represent music from around the globe, with finalists Jaro Local, etu, JAHBOY, Wameblood and the late Fiji.

Voting for the SunPix People’s Choice Award is open now, with all artists nominated for the 2026 Pacific Music Awards eligible. The winner will be decided entirely by public vote, which can be cast through the voting poll on the PMA website. Voting will close on Wednesday 22 July.

The 2026 Pacific Music Awards winners will be announced and celebrated on August 12, at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau. Listen to the official PMA 2026 finalist playlist here. 

2026 Pacific Music Awards finalists:

Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist

•  Iva Lamkum – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’
•  Kenzie From Welly – Greenstone Door
•  Ladi6 – Le Vā
•  LOU’ANA – Disco Witch
•  Talia Perese – Talia Perese
•  Tree – The Rose Era

NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist

•  Junior Soqeta – So Amazing, Girl I Surrender, Sweet Sensation etc.
•  Lepani – Young Gun, Feel It, Never Meet Your Dreams etc.
•   MELODOWNZ – ‘Melo & Bass’ (EP), Same As Before, Kavafied feat. Revus
•   RNZŌ – ‘RNZŌ SZN’
•   Sam V – ‘Take A Chance On V: Deluxe’
•   Scribe – ‘Scribe is Dead’

Flava Best Pacific Group

• A.R.T – ‘Nana’s Garage’ (EP), ‘Blank Canvas’ (EP)
• Brotherhood Musiq – Amazing Love, Got It Right
• Signature Choir – ‘Reach the Sky’ EP
• Three Houses Down – ‘Lovers Roots’ EP
• Village 90 – On My Way, All I Want

Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album

• A.R.T – ‘Blank Canvas’
• Ladi6 – ‘Le Vā’
• Sam V – ‘Take A Chance On V: Deluxe’
• Scribe – ‘Scribe is Dead’

Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language

• A.R.T – ‘Nana’s Garage’ (EP), ‘Blank Canvas’ (EP)
• Glen JXN Jackson – ‘Niue 1976’
• Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing, Girl I Surrender, Sweet Sensation etc.
• Taonepuna Lakatani, Malcolm Lakatani & Pacific Kids Learning – Ulihega, Vevela Mai He Lā
• Tree – ‘The Rose Era’

531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

• Brotherhood Musiq – Amazing Love, Got It Right
• Punialava’a – Sauaga i Aiga, Samoa Ua Potopoto, Aiga Sa Petaia etc.
• Signature Choir – ‘Reach the Sky’ EP
• Tree – ‘The Rose Era’

ONErpm Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

• Diggy Dupé & choicevaughan – ‘Brown Velvet’ (EP)
• Kenzie From Welly – ‘Greenstone Door’
• MELODOWNZ – ‘Melo & Bass’ (EP)
• Scribe – ‘Scribe is Dead’

Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist

•  A.R.T – ‘Nana’s Garage’ (EP), ‘Blank Canvas’ (EP)
• Ladi6 – ‘Le Vā’
•  Myshaan – Missed Your Chance, Inside My Head, Pacific Beauty ft Kennyon Brown etc.
•  Sam V – ‘Take A Chance On V: Deluxe’,

Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

• Fejoint, Switch.E & Folau – Oiaue
• Island Vibes – Remember Who You Are, Umu, Samoa O Oe Le Penina etc
• Junior Soqeta – So Amazing, Girl I Surrender, Lomaloma etc.
• Shane Walker – Mama, Waima Girl, Whakapara Girl
• Three Houses Down – ‘Lovers Roots’ EP

APRA Best Pacific Song

Island Vibes – Tonga Tu Ketau Tue – written by Island Vibes
Iva Lamkum – Don’t Mind If I Do – written by Iva Lamkum, Diaz Grimm, Josh Fountain, James Newman
Lepani – Young Gun – written by Lepani Tuifagalele
Sam V – Small Taste – written by Sam Verlinden, Edward Liu, Jaedyn Randall, Sam Nakamura
Scribe – Glowstick – written by Malo Luafutu, Zac Harding

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

A.R.T – Over Now – director Michael Hunt
Brandn Shiraz – Youngin from Kuki II – director Esther Mauga
Iva Lamkum – Don’t Mind If I Do – director David Truasheim
Shepherds Reign – Samoa Mo Samoa – director Twayne Laumua
Three Houses Down – Turn Around – director Three Houses Down
Vallé – Hold Me – director John Ross

MPG Aotearoa/SAE Creative Media Institute Best Producer

Brent Park-Tamati & Brandon Haru – ‘Le Vā’, Ladi6
EDY, Astro, Sam V – ‘Take A Chance On V: Deluxe’, Sam V
Josh Fountain – ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’, Iva Lamkum
Nathan Judd – ‘Disco Witch’, LOU’ANA