Two powerhouse artists are leading the charge at this year’s Aotearoa Music Awards (AMA), with iconic performer Stan Walker and genre-blending visionary CHAII racking up five nominations apiece ahead of the 60th anniversary celebration of the Tūī.
Announced today, the 2025 AMA finalists represent a bold cross-section of Aotearoa’s sonic landscape, from established chart-toppers to emerging underground forces.
CHAII lands nominations for her debut album Safar, including Album of the Year, Single of the Year (“We Be Killing It”), Best Electronic Artist, Best Music Video (for the self-directed “Night Like This”), and Best Producer alongside Frank Keys.
Meanwhile, Walker is recognised for his long-standing commitment to reo Māori music, with nods across Best Solo Artist, Single of the Year (“Māori Ki Te Ao”), Best Soul/RnB Artist, Best Māori Artist, and Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo, which recognises albums or singles with at least 50% te reo Māori content.
Close behind are country-pop trailblazer Kaylee Bell, soul siren Aaradhna, pop dynamo Georgia Lines, and electronic innovator MOKOTRON, each securing four nominations across major and genre categories.
The 2025 finalists are a testament to the diversity of Aotearoa’s music scene.
In the Album of the Year race, CHAII is joined by the likes of Soft Power by Fazerdaze, The Rose of Jericho by Georgia Lines, and WAEREA by MOKOTRON.
Soul is having a moment, with Aaradhna’s Sweet Surrender in the mix alongside the latest genre-shifting release from Troy Kingi, Leatherman and the Mojave Green.
Lorde receives a nomination for her Charli XCX collaboration, “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde”, bringing heat to the Single of the Year category along with Theia, JessB, Reb Fountain, and Troy Kingi.
They are also joined by pop newcomers like Cassie Henderson and alt-electronic duo MOKOMOKAI with MELODOWNZ.
Breakthroughs continue to shine in the group categories, with indie punks DARTZ, psych-rockers Earth Tongue, and genre-fusers SKILAA joining AMA mainstays L.A.B, Foley, and Corrella – the latter returning after last year’s wins in the Roots and Breakthrough Single categories.
Other notable nominations include David Dallas making a return to form with Vita in the Best Hip Hop category, Anna Coddington for her bilingual album Te Whakamiha, and rising star Jujulipps, whose breakout single “Nightshift” is up for Best Video.
The 2025 AMAs not only spotlight the present but pay homage to six decades of Tūī history. The ceremony, set for Thursday, May 29th at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau, will close out Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | NZ Music Month and be streamed via RNZ and TVNZ+.
The full list of 2025 AMA finalists is below.
2025 Aotearoa Music Awards Finalists
NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
CHAII – Safar
Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Jordan Rakei – The Loop
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
L.A.B – L.A.B VI
Mel Parsons – Sabotage
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson
Troy Kingi – Leatherman and the Mojave Green
Spotify Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year
Cassie Henderson – “Seconds To Midnight (11.59)”
CHAII – “We Be Killing It”
Fazerdaze – “Cherry Pie”
Georgia Lines – “The Letter”
JessB – “Power” (feat. Sister Nancy & Sampa the Great)
Kaylee Bell – “Cowboy Up”
Lorde – “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” (Charli xcx, Lorde)
MOKOMOKAI – “KUPE” feat. MELODOWNZ
Reb Fountain – “Come Down”
Stan Walker – “Māori Ki Te Ao”
Theia – “BALDH3AD!”
Troy Kingi – “Silicone Booby Trap”
Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group
Corrella – Skeletons
DARTZ – Dangerous Day to Be a Cold One
Earth Tongue – Great Haunting
Foley
L.A.B – L.A.B VI
SKILAA – Tiger in the River
Spotify Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Fazerdaze – Soft Power
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Stan Walker
Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
Haami Tuari – Taku Kaenga
Jordyn With a Why – “Reia”
Stan Walker – “Māori Ki Te Ao”
TAWAZ – “Tātarakihi” (feat. MOHI)
Tuari Brothers – “Higher”
Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist
Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
Corrella – Skeletons
Jordyn with a Why – Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice
MOHI
Stan Walker
TAWAZ
Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist
Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn
Louisa Nicklin – The Big Sulk
Vera Ellen – heartbreak for jetlag
Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist
Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked
Justin DeHart – Towards Midnight: NZ Percussion Vol 2
Michael Houstoun – The Well-Tempered Clavier
Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist
Barry Saunders and Delaney Davidson – Happiness Is Near
Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This
Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson
Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist
CHAII – Safar
Lee Mvtthews – EXIT
MOKOTRON – WAEREA
Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist
Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams
Kerryn Fields – The Folk Singer
Mel Parsons – Sabotage
Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist
David Dallas – Vita
Jujulipps – Superstar
RNZŌ
Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist
Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics
Thabani Gapara – Dzindza
Umar Zakaria – Family Music
Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist
Cassie Henderson – The Yellow Chapter
Frankie Venter
Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho
Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist
DARTZ – Dangerous Day to Be a Cold One
Devilskin – Surfacing
Troy Kingi – Leatherman and the Mojave Green
Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist
Christoph El Truento – Dubs From the Neighbourhood
Corrella – Skeletons
Lomez Brown
Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
Sam V
Stan Walker
Artisan Awards
Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork
Emma Hercus – Sabotage (Mel Parsons)
Matt Sinclair – Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson)
Natalie King, Chris Schmelz – Uneven Ground (Death and the Maiden)
Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer
Emily Wheatcroft-Snape, Amelia Murray – Soft Power (Fazerdaze)
Nic Manders – The Rose of Jericho (Georgia Lines)
Simon Gooding – Safar (CHAII)
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content
CHAII – “Night Like This” (CHAII)
Night Watch – “Nightshift” (Jujulipps)
Oscar Keys, Ezra Simons, Kristin Li – “Paradise” (DARTZ)
Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer
CHAII, Frank Keys – Safar (CHAII)
Nic Manders – The Rose of Jericho (Georgia Lines)
Rory Noble
Finalists and recipients in the following categories are still to be announced:
Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year (TBA in May)
Tā te Iwi | People’s Choice (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year (winner TBA at AMA 2025)
Te Manu Mātārae (recipients TBA at AMA 2025)
