Overview
The best New Zealand song from the last 12 months has been named.
Canadian-born country songwriter Tami Neilson and her brother Joshua walked away with this year's APRA Silver Scroll Award for their song 'Walk (Back Into Your Arms)', a country-soul number with retro appeal.
The duo beat out stiff competition to take home the prize, including sibling duo Broods with their breakout hit 'Bridges', Wellington soul man Louis Baker with 'Back On My Feet', Tiny Ruins with 'Me In The Museum, You In The Wintergardens', and The Phoenix Foundation with 'Bob Lennon John Dylan'.
Presented by royalty collection agency APRA, the award is the country’s most prestigious music award, celebrating the creative excellence of the nation’s songwriters. It is voted by the 10,000-strong APRA members. Since 1965 it has given two thumbs up (and a bag full of cash) to songwriters including Ray Columbus, Neil Finn, Don McGlashan, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Chris Knox, Brooke Fraser and The Naked and Famous.
Last year's winners Ella Yelich-O'Connor (aka Lorde) and Joel Little, took home two more awards this year, including the Most Performed Work In New Zealand for 'Team' and the Most Performed Work Internationally for 'Royals'.
The late classical and electronic music pioneer Douglas Lilburn was also inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame and awards were presented for the APRA Maioha - celebrating excellence in Maori music, the SOUNZ Contemporary - celebrating excellence in contemporary composition, the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film and the APRA Best Original Music in a Series.
See the full list of winners below,
APRA Silver Scroll Award – won by Tami Neilson and Joshua Neilson for 'Walk (Back to Your Arms)'
APRA Maioha Award – won by Robert Ruha for his song 'Tiki Tapu'.
SOUNZ Contemporary Award - won by Michael Norris for 'Inner Phases'.
APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film – won by Victoria Kelly for 'Field Punishment No 1'.
APRA Best Original Music in a Series – won by Tom McLeod for 'Girl vs. Boy (Season 2)'.
Most Performed New Zealand Work in New Zealand – won by Ella Yelich-O’Connor and Joel Little for 'Team'.
Most Performed New Zealand Work Internationally – won by Ella Yelich-O’Connor and Joel Little for 'Royals'.
New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductee – Douglas Lilburn
