PACIFIC MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS (2025): The sounds of our South Pacific

The finalists for the 2025 Pacific Music Awards were announced last week at the Mangere Arts Centre in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. This year’s celebration of Pacific music marks the 21^st anniversary of the event. 

And this year there are a record 34 finalists across 13 categories.

Among the finalists are 15 first-time nominees - a testament to the incredible depth of talent and the vibrant growth within the Pacific music community, as a new wave of artists rise into the spotlight.

Leading the pack with four nominations are Shane Walker and Aaradhna.

Cook Island and Māori songwriter who began his career with his uncle Rahui "Brother Love" Vaka and Father Dion DHarp Paekau, Shane Walker has now built his own distinct sound.

Walker is up for NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist, 531pi Best Gospel Artist, Pacificast Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist, and APRA Best Pacific Song for ‘Believe’.

Soul/R&B singer Aaradhna is also nominated for four awards including Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist, RNZ Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist, and Recorded Music Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui a Kiwa o te Tau | Best Pacific Music Album for Sweet Surrender.

She’s also nominated for NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video for ‘Mango Tree’, directed by Prasenjit Das.

Onehunga hip hop group SWIDT have received three nods at the 2025 Pacific Music Awards for FLAVA Best Pacific Group, ONErpm Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist, and Recorded Music Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui a Kiwa o te Tau | Best Pacific Music Album for Taking Care of Business.

Jordyn Rapana - aka Jordyn with a Why - draws inspiration from her Māori and Samoan heritage in creating her bilingual, 1980s tinged music.

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This year’s Pacific Music Award winners will be celebrated on Thursday 21^st August 2025, at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau.

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2025 Pacific Music Awards finalists:

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 - ‘Coasty Girl’,‘Maori in Me’, ‘Iesu’, ‘Let Me Be Your Man’, ‘The Lord is Watching You’, Believe’

Flava Best Pacific Group

• Adeaze - ‘Forever I Am Yours’

• A.R.T - ‘When He Was Mine (Pele Fo'i Mai)’, ‘Easy’

• SWIDT - Taking Care of Business

• Village 90 - ‘U & Me’

Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language

• A.R.T - ‘When He Was Mine (Pele Fo'i Mai)’, ‘Easy’

• Junior Soqeta - 'Moni 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’, ‘We’re Back (Te Vaka version), ‘Nuku O Kaiga’

• Tree - ‘Tupulaga Samoa ft Wayno’

• Wayno - ‘Siva Samoa 2K24 (Reggae Version)’, ‘Siva Samoa 2K24’, ‘Fafine Faitala’, ‘Tama O Le Faifaiaso’

531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

• Brotherhood Musiq - 'Open The Eyes of My Heart'

• Saia Frank Sola - 'E 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', Oute Le Ma i Le Mativa', Tofa La'u Feagaiga'

• SHANE WALKER - ‘Iesu’

• Sire - 'Temporary'

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

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’

Pacificast Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

• Lomez Brown - UNDER-RATED

• Rubi Du - ‘Calling’, ‘Day Dreaming’

• SHANE WALKER - ‘Let Me Be Your Man’, ‘The Lord is Watching You’

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

• Aaradhna - 'Mango Tree'

  • Director: Prasenjit Das

• Haanz Fa'avae-Jackson - ‘Mavehe’

  • Directors: Mario Faumui & Ben Mikha

• Shepherds Reign – ‘Ala Mai’

  • Director: Bahador Borhani

• Tha Movement - ’The Lecture’

  • Director: Samson Rambo

• TheWesternGuide – ‘Bottom of the Bed’

  • Director: Esther Mauga

MPGNZ/SAE Creative Media Institute Best Producer

• Astro and EDY - ‘90's Fine’, ‘Rolling Your Eyes’, Sam V

• Canaan Ene - ‘The Way It Is’, ‘Handyman’, ‘You've Got A Friend’, ‘Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You, ‘Selfish’, ‘Lately’, Canaan Ene 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

APRA Best Pacific Song

• Fejoint, Lomez Brown, Switch.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 and Joyce Lonise Toleafoa

NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist

• Jaro Local - ‘Aghe Kula’

• KUKI – ‘What's Up’, ‘Fijian Lewa’, ‘Au Na Vuka Yani’, Noqu Vanua (EP),

• Paradise Rootz - ‘Galili’, ‘Liwa Donu Tu’, ‘AJI ft The Gang’

• Seven Suns - Many Feathers

• The 046 - ‘Music is Everything’, ‘Lifetime’, ‘Young Free & Reckless’, ‘Hustle Hard’ ‘All In’

Recorded Music NZ Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui a Kiwa o e Tau | Best Pacific Music Album

• Aaradhna - Sweet Surrender

• Jordyn with a Why - Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice

• Lomez Brown - UNDER-RATED

• SWIDT - Taking Care of Business

For more information: https://www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz/