Rob Ruha, Ka Hoa, L.A.B, Lorde among 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards finalists

Rob Ruha is the frontrunner at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards, leading with six nominations.

The '35' singer is up for Album of the Year for his third album, Preservation of Scenery; Single of the Year for 'That's Where I'll Be' along with Best Solo Artist, Best Māori Artist, Best Solo /RnB Artist and the Te Māngai Paho Mana Reo award. 

Tira waiata Ka Hao are nominated for five Tūī including Single of the Year and Te Māngai Paho Mana Reo award for '35' (featuring Rob Ruha) as well as Best Group, Best Roots Artist, and Best Māori Artist for their debut album Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice.

L.A.B have been nominated again after having won four Tūī in 2021.

This year the band is up for the same four awards they won in 2021 - Album of the Year, Single of the Year for 'Mr Reggae', Best Group and Best Roots Artist.

Lorde has been nominated for Album of the Year for Solar Power, Best Solo Artist and Best Pop Artist.

Tami Neilson is up for four awards: Album of the Year for Kingmaker, Best Solo Artist and Best Country Music Artist. She's also been nominated for Best Producer for her work on her own album.

Four new artists have emerged for 2022's breakthrough artist of the year category: Coterie, Georgia Lines, Jordan Rakie and There's a Tuesday have been nominated.

The awards will be handed out on November 10.

The full list of 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards finalists is as follows:

Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year

  • Aldous Harding - Warm Chris
  • L.A.B - L.A.B V
  • Lorde - Solar Power
  • Reb Fountain - IRIS
  • Rob Ruha - Preservation of Scenery
  • Tami Neilson - Kingmaker

Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year

  • Ka Hao - '35' (ft. Rob Ruha)
  • L.A.B - 'Mr Reggae'
  • Marlon Williams - 'My Boy'
  • Reb Fountain - 'Lacuna'
  • Rob Ruha - 'That's Where I'll Be'
  • The Beths - 'Silence is Golden'

Te Roopu Toa | Best Group

  • Alien Weaponry - Tangaroa
  • Fat Freddy's Drop - WAIRUNGA
  • Ka Hao - Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
  • L.A.B - L.A.B V

Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist

  • Lorde - Solar Power
  • Reb Fountain - IRIS
  • Rob Ruha - Preservation of Scenery
  • Tami Neilson - Kingmaker

Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year

  • COTERIE - 'Cool it Down'
  • Georgia Lines - 'Human'
  • Jordan Rakei - 'What We Call Life'
  • There's a Tuesday - 'Boy Scout'

Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

  • Ka Hao - '35' (ft Rob Ruha)
  • Rob Ruha - 'Preservation of Scenery'
  • Troy Kingi - 'Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura'

Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist

  • Ka Hao - Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
  • Rob Ruha - Preservation of Scenery
  • Stan Walker - Te Arohanui

Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist

  • BENEE - 'Lychee'
  • Georgia Lines - 'Human'
  • Lorde - 'Solar Power'

Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist

  • Ben Woods - 'Dispeller'
  • Te Kaahu - 'Te Kaahu O Rangi'
  • Vera Ellen - 'It's Your Birthday'

Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist

  • Jackson Owens - 'For The Better EP'
  • Jordan Rakei - 'What We Call Life'
  • Rob Ruha - 'Preservation of Scenery'

Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist

  • CHAII - 'Pineapple Pizza'
  • Christoph El Truento and Lucky Lance - 'The 25th January Tape'
  • Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith - 'The Panthers OST'

Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Music Artist

  • Jenny Mitchell - 'Tug of War'
  • Kaylee Bell - 'Silver Linings'
  • Tami Neilson - 'Kingmaker'

Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist

  • Ka Hao - Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice
  • L.A.B. - L.A.B V
  • The Black Seeds - Love & Fire

Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist

  • Julien Dyne - 'MODES'
  • LEAPING TIGER - 'Soulsleep'
  • TALI - 'Future Dwellers'

Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist

  • Alien Weaponry - Tangaroa
  • Shihad - Old Gods
  • Sit Down In Front - Fuelling My Rage

Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist

  • Bridget Douglas and Al Fraser - Silver Stone Wood Bone
  • NZTrio - Merge
  • Robert Ashworth & Sarah Watkins - Moonstone

2022 Artisan Award Finalists

Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Album Artwork

  • Barny Bewick & Lewis de Jong - Tangaroa (Alien Weaponry)
  • Chelsea Jade Metcalf - Soft Spot (Chelsea Jade)
  • Maria Francesca Melis  - Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

Massey University Te Kaiwhakaputa Toa | Best Producer

  • CHAII, Frank Keys, Rory Noble - 'Pineapple Pizza' (CHAII)
  • choicevaughan, Diggy Dupé & P Smith - 'The Panthers OST '(Diggy Dupé choicevaughan, & P Smith)
  • Tami Neilson - 'Kingmaker' (Tami Neilson)

Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer

  • Dr Lee Prebble and Ara Adams-Tamatea L.A.B V (L.A.B)
  • Simon Gooding - IRIS (Reb Fountain)
  • Simon Gooding - Kingmaker (Tami Neilson)

NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content

  • Alyx Duncan 'Kingmaker' (Tami Neilson)
  • Joel Kefali and Ella Yelich-O'Connor  - 'Secrets from a Girl' (Who's Seen It All) (Lorde)
  • Nicole Horan, Marara Katipa, Dahnu Graham, Hayden Aull, Thomas Rose, Huhana Ruri-Panapa, Xavier Horan  - 'Black Sea Golden Ladder: The Visual Album' (Troy Kingi)

Additional Tūī presented in 2022

Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist

  • Winner: Troy Kingi - Black Sea Golden Ladder

Miles Calder - Autopilot Life

We Mavericks - Grief's a Gardener

Recorded Music Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album 

  • Winner: Tomorrow People - 21   

Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan & P. Smith - The Panthers OST

Kings - Raplist

Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist

  • Winner: Myele Manzanza - Crisis & Opportunity Vol.1 

Devil's Gate Outfit - Jazz From The Underground Nightclubs Of Aotearoa Volume 5

Jake Baxendale & Jasmine Lovell-Smith -Sanctuary

Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children's Artist

  • Winner: Music With Michal - 'Summer Days'

Itty Bitty Beats - Itty Bitty Bubbles

Levity Beet - Levity Beet's Bamboo Banger Collection