Three artists who have already been exclusively profiled by SPASIFIKmag.com are up for three awards each at this month’s Pacific Music Awards, after finalists were announced in Manukau.
The finalists for the 2008 S3 (pron.: ess-cubed) Pacific Music Awards have been announced with 3 Houses Down, Cydel and Scribe each named in three categories.
Altogether 11 artists and groups have been announced as finalists at a Civic Reception at Manukau City, on Thursday, 1 May, hosted by Manukau City Mayor Len Brown.
Built on a strong choral tradition, Tongan reggae group 3 Houses Down is a finalist for its debut album ‘Dreadtown’ in the S3 Best Pacific Music Album and the Radio 531pi Best Pacific Group categories. The album track ‘Dandyman’ is a finalist for the APRA Best Pacific Song Award.
Cydel’s unique sound fused from RnB, Blues, Reggae and Polynesian mixed with striking soulful harmonies have earned the south Auckland duo three finals berths. The album ‘Soul Finder’ is up for the Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artist, the Radio 531pi Best Pacific Group and the Tui Award for S3 Best Pacific Music Album.
After an absence of two years, Scribe makes a welcome return to the awards finals with three slots too. Named for his trusty rhyme book, the album of the same name secures Scribe finals spots in NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist and Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artist. The ‘Rhyme Book’ single ‘Say It Again’ is up for the APRA Best Pacific Song Award.
The only other finalist with more than one slot is Te Vaka which is up for Radio 531PI Best Pacific Group and S3 Best Pacific Music Album awards for the group’s fifth album ‘Olatia’.
The awards are in their fourth year and winners are to be announced at an event celebrating and honouring Pacific music and artists at Manukau City’s TelstraClear Pacific venue on May 31.
A new People’s Choice Award has also been introduced to the line-up for the Best Pacific Artist. All category finalists are eligible for this award with the public able to cast their vote by logging onto www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz
“The S³ Pacific Music Awards 2008 finalist list is a mix of previous winners and finalists with fresh new entrants covering a variety of music from new reggae sounds and traditional Pacific language music to Pasifika hip hop,” says Pacific Music Awards Trust spokesperson Rev. Mua Strickson-Pua.
“We welcome our naming rights sponsor - S3 - a project dedicated to the survival of our young people on the roads of Aotearoa and a positive message that the Pacific Music Awards Trust is delighted to support.”
"The Recording Industry Association of NZ is proud to have the S3 Pacific Music Awards as the home of the Tui Award for Best Pacific Music Album,” says RIANZ CEO Campbell Smith.
“The S3 event is going from strength to strength, and this is reflected in the record number of nomination entries we have received for the Tui Award this year.”
The full list of finalists for the 2008 S3 Pacific Music Awards is:
Counties Manukau District Health Board – smokefree BEST PACIFIC FEMALE ARTIST
Delani “Butterflies”
Lole ‘The Movement’
Zeisha Fremaux ‘Secret Game’
NZ MUSIC COMMISSION BEST PACIFIC MALE ARTIST
Scribe ‘Rhyme Book’
Kas Futialo ‘Lokokasi’
Vaniah Toloa ‘E Le Galo Oe’
NIU FM BEST PACIFIC URBAN ARTIST
Cydel ‘Soul Finder’
PNC “PN Whoa”
Scribe ‘Rhyme Book’
RADIO 531PI BEST PACIFIC GROUP
3 Houses Down ‘Dreadtown’
Cydel ‘Soul Finder’
Te Vaka ‘Olatia’
APRA BEST PACIFIC SONG
3 Houses Down “DandyMan” (Puriri/Pome'e)
Ill Semantics feat Adeaze “Take It Slow” (Arona/Moore/Tupa'i/Tupa'i/N Holmes)
Scribe “Say It Again” (Luafutu/Hammond/Iusitini/Iusitini/Mushroom Music Publishing)
S³ BEST PACIFIC MUSIC ALBUM (Tui Award)
3 Houses Down ‘Dreadtown’
Cydel ‘Soul Finder’
Te Vaka ‘Olatia’
