The 2025 APRA Silver Scroll and Maioha Award shortlists have landed, spotlighting some of Aotearoa’s most vital songwriting voices, from rising stars to enduring legends.
Announced today by APRA AMCOS Aotearoa, the Top 20 songs contending for the prestigious Silver Scroll Award | Kaitito Kaiaka cut across genres and generations, while the Top 10 waiata in the APRA Maioha Award | Tohu Maioha celebrate excellence in te reo Māori songwriting.
It’s now up to APRA’s New Zealand members — the songwriters themselves — to vote on the best of the past year, ahead of the awards ceremony on October 29th at Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal.
Among the standout contenders for the Silver Scroll is “Boudoir” by Erny Belle, the haunting, cinematic track written by Aimee Renata and Semisi Ma’ia’i, which has resonated deeply since its release. Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “Boys With The Characteristics Of Wolves”, written by Ruban Nielson, brings the band’s genre-blurring vision into the fold, while Fazerdaze’s infectious “Cherry Pie” — penned by Amelia Murray, Gareth Thomas and Leroy Clampitt — cements her comeback as one of Aotearoa’s sharpest pop auteurs.
Other nominees include Nadia Reid’s “Baby Bright”, a luminous solo effort, and “Power” by JessB, a politically charged collaboration co-written with Sampa the Great and others. Marlon Williams also appears twice — once with the solemn and soaring “Aua Atu Rā”, co-written with Te Pononga Tamati-Elliffe, and again in the Maioha shortlist for “Korero Māori”.
The full Silver Scroll Top 20 also features music from Mousey, Emily C. Browning, Aaradhna, There’s A Tuesday, Womb, Ladi6, and Lips (joined on “The Wolf” by Eels’ Mark Oliver Everett), offering a diverse lens on the current state of Kiwi songwriting.
The Maioha shortlist, meanwhile, is a powerful showcase of Māori musical expression and innovation. Highlights include “Tātarakihi” by TAWAZ X MOHI, nominated in both categories, alongside “Whakarongo Rā” by Te Rawhitiroa Bosch and “Ki Taku Awa” by Stan Walker. Anna Coddington, a previous Silver Scroll finalist, also appears for “Te Taumata Ike”.
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This year’s Silver Scroll judging panel brought together a cross-section of the music community: Andy Morton (Submariner), Gin Wigmore, Julia Deans, Sam Trevethick (Shapeshifter), Ria Hall, and others. The Maioha panel included cultural heavyweights like Whirimako Black and Tiki Taane.
Voting is open now, with members selecting their Top 5 Silver Scroll and Top 3 Maioha picks by midnight on Thursday, July 25th. The night itself will also see the presentation of the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, Best Original Music in a Feature Film and Series, and the annual induction into the NZ Music Hall of Fame.
Full playlists are available now on Spotify.
