2022 Silver Scroll Awards announced

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This year's top Kiwi songs for were announced last night at a special ceremony at Spark Arena. About 500 people attended, with many more watching it online. This was the first full-scale event to take place in over 3 years, due to Covid-19 disruptions.

Each year a different musical director takes care of the performances - this year being Rob Ruha and Cilla Ruha.

The APRA Silver Scroll Awards, which celebrates Aotearoa's songwriters and composers, is an annual event.  Members of APRA AMCOS, which takes care of musical royalties, were able to vote in the awards. 

This year's winner was the song '35' by Rob Ruha and an East Coast youth choir.  he song is named after a State Highway that loops around Te Tairāwhiti, the East Coast.

Members of APRA AMCOS, which takes care of musical royalties, were able to vote in the awards.

The released version was performed by Tairāwhiti youth choir Ka Hao with Rob Ruha, and was written by Rob Ruha, Kaea Hills, Te Amorutu Broughton, Ainsley Tai, Dan Martin, Whenua Patuwai.

"The feel-good local anthem gained international recognition late last year after going viral on TikTok, proudly putting Māoritanga and the East Coast on the map," the APRA statement said.

"The coming together of Rob Ruha and Ka Hao is seamless, as a project to promote and revitalise te reo Māori, the group's name refers to the proverb ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi (as the old fishing net is worn, a new one is made), referring to youth growing up and entering adulthood."

The song was performed at last night's performance by Stan Walker and Hamo Dell.

Maioha Award for a te reo Māori waiata

Aja Ropata, Byllie-Jean Zeta and Chris Wethey took out the Maioha Award for an exceptional waiata in te reo, for their song 'Te Iho'.

"'Te Iho' praises the essence of powerful wāhine Māori, using poetic language to express the importance of women. [It] is a potent waiata about whakapapa and the DNA passed down from atua wāhine," APRA said.

SOUNZ Award winner inspired in Paris

Reuben Jelleyman won the SOUNZ Contemporary Award for his orchestral work called 'Catalogue'.  He has been nominated for the award twice previously.

The composition is described as: "a chaotic collision of Jelleyman's musical exploration", created whilst Jelleyman was studying at the Conservatoire national Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris (and  written for the performance ensemble Multilatérale).

Compositions for film and television

The award for original music used in a film was scooped up by Dana Lund and Horomona Horo for their score for Whina, a story about the legacy left by Dame Whina Cooper.

And the award for music used in a TV series was won by Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi and Stephen Atutolu for the soundtrack to TV Mini series 'The Panthers', about the history of the Polynesian Panthers and the Dawn Raids.

Here is the full list of finalists:

2022 APRA Silver Scroll award finalists

WINNER: '35' written by Rob Ruha, Kaea Hills, Te Amorutu Broughton, Ainsley Tai, Dan Martin, Whenua Patuwai, performed by Ka Hao and Rob Ruha

'Beyond the Stars' written by Tami Neilson and Delaney Davidson performed by Tami Neilson and Willie Nelson (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

'Girl At Night' written by Natalie Hutton, Minnie Robberds, Joel Becker, Angus Murray, performed by There's A Tuesday (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

'He Ōrite' written by Troy Kingi*, Iraia Whakamoe, Ryan Prebble, James Coyle, performed by Troy Kingi and The Nudge (*LOOP Publishing Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing)

'My Boy' written and performed by Marlon Williams (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

APRA Maioha Award finalists, celebrating exceptional waiata featuring te reo Māori

WINNER: 'Te Iho' written by Aja Ropata, Byllie-Jean Zeta, Chris Wethey, performed by AJA & Byllie-Jean

'E Hine Ē' written by Em-Haley Walker, performed by TE KAAHU

'Rangatira/Owner' written and performed by Ria Hall translated by Teraania Ormsby (published by LOOP Publishing Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing)

SOUNZ Contemporary Award finalists, celebrating excellence in contemporary composition

WINNER: 'Catalogue' by Reuben Jelleyman

'more full of flames' and voices by Neville Hall

'Manaaki' by Phil Brownlee, Liane Taikao (Ariana Tikao)

APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award finalists

WINNER: Dana Lund and Horomona Horo for Whina

Karl Steven for The Justice of Bunny King

Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Night Raiders

APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award finalists

WINNER: Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi, Stephen Atutolu for The Panthers

Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Wellington Paranormal

Claire Cowan for One Lane Bridge

2022 NZ Music Hall of Fame Inductees: Te Kumeroa "Ngoingoi" Pēwhairangi QSM, Tuini Moetū Haangū Ngāwai

For the full story, go to the APRA Website