Top 20 Finalists for the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Award & Top 5 finalists for the APRA Maioha Award

It’s our pleasure to announce the Top 20 finalists for the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Award | Kaitito Kaiaka and the Top 5 finalists for the 2023 APRA Maioha Award. New Zealand APRA members are now invited to vote for their top songs/waiata in each category.

A selection of prizes is up for grabs for members who submit their votes in both categories before 11:59pm Monday 24 July. More details below.

Voting has now closed.

“New Zealand has long been confident in its capacity to create world-class songwriters and the shortlist of APRA Silver Scroll and Maioha Award nominees continues to grow increasingly competitive each year” says Bic Runga, APRA NZ’s Writer Director.

“Voting for Aotearoa's best songs is a difficult task for APRA members - a song's power is subjective, its magic impossible to measure. But there's no doubting the aroha, lyricism, and musical skill that has gone into each one of these high-quality works. This is a fantastic shortlist of masterpieces and future classics that demonstrate the vibrancy and good health of songwriting in New Zealand today.”

The Silver Scroll Top 20 list was decided by a carefully curated panel of APRA members who are also well-respected songwriters, producers, and performers. They spent 3 weeks listening to more than 350 entries before joining an in-person judging meeting to decide on the shortlist.

Judges this year were: Alex Freer, Chelsea Jade, Dianne Swann, Ladi6, Mara TK, Marika Hodgson, Mark Vanilau, Nadia Reid, Rizván Tu’itahi, Sam Taylor.

APRA SILVER SCROLL AWARD KAITITO KAIAKA TOP 20 SHORTLIST

• Aroā written by Emily Rice*, Charles Looker*, Te Kuru Dewes performed by Aro (*Songbroker Limited)
• Can’t Fake It written by Jessica Bourke*, Maarten Bokma**, Max Oude Weernink^, Bart Possemis~ performed by JessB (*Concord Music Publishing, **Warner Chappell Music Australia Pty Ltd, ^Origin Music Publishing Pty Ltd, ~Sony Music Publishing (Australia) P/L)
• Desert Dove written and performed by Holly Arrowsmith
• Don't Go Back written by Marlon Williams*, Mark Perkins*, performed by Marlon Williams (*Concord Music Publishing)
• Expert In A Dying Field written by Elizabeth Stokes*, Jonathan Pearce, Benjamin Sinclair, Tristan Deck performed by The Beths (*Carpark Music Publishing via Gaga Music PTY LTD)
• foolish thinking written by Kimbra Johnson*, Ryan Lott performed by Kimbra ft. Ryan Lott (*Warner Chappell Music Australia PTY LTD)
• Friday Night @ The Liquor Store written by Tom Scott, Christopher James performed by Avantdale Bowling Club
• Green Honda written by Stella Bennett*, Luka Kloser**, Elvira Anderfjard** performed by BENEE (*Sony Music Publishing, **Kobalt Music Publishing Australia)
• i just can’t wait written by Sean James Donnelly performed by SJD (Concord Music Publishing)
• Kingmaker written and performed by Tami Neilson
• Layla written by Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson performed by Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Mushroom Music PTY LTD)
• Live Wires written by Shannon Fowler performed by Tom Lark (Concord Music Publishing)
• My Baby’s Like A Hurricane written by Whaanga arahi Main-Baillie performed by Arahi
• Smooth It Over written by Ash Wallace, Gabriel Everett, Sophie Mashlan, Anton Rundberg*, Julia Karlsson* performed by Foley (*The Very Good Music Publishing obo Sony Music Publishing Scandinavia AB)
• Something written by Oscar Mein, Henry Francis, Conor Feehly, Max Holmes, Tom Healy performed by Soaked Oats
• Take My Hands At Night written and performed by Ebony Lamb
• Te Atarau written by Mohi Allen, Daniel Martin, Rukuwai Allen performed by Mohi
• The Crab / Waterbaby written by Hollie Fullbrook performed by Tiny Ruins (Kobalt Music Publishing)
• Travel With Me written by Deva Mahal, Marika Hodgson performed by Deva Mahal
• You Are written by Naomi Ludlow performed by Ny Oh

The APRA Maioha Award Top 5 shortlist was decided by a panel of judges selected for their knowledge and understanding of waiata reo Māori/waiata reo rua and the current landscape of Māori composition and songwriting: Hēmi Kelly, Maisey Rika, Nadia Marsh, Ruth Smith.

All APRA members are now invited to vote for their Top 3 waiata, which will determine the finalists and winner who will be presented with the Tohu Maioha on Wednesday 4 October at Spark Arena.

APRA MAIOHA AWARD TOHU MAIOHA TOP 5 SHORTLIST

• Don’t Rush written by Te Kuru Dewes, Anna Coddington, Jordyn Rapana, Daniel Martin, performed by Te Kuru Dewes, Anna Coddington, Jordyn with a Why
• E tama written by Hamiora Tuari, Ani Piki Tuari, Tame Tuari, Tatana Tuari and Matt Sadgrove performed by Tuari Brothers
• Me Pēhea Rā written by Mohi Allen, Hēmi Kelly, Amy Boroevich, Noema Te Hau III performed by MOHI
• Nui te Aroha written by Eugene Temara performed by O.R.A (Origin Roots Aotearoa)
• Raumati written by Jordyn Rapana translated by Te Kuru Dewes, performed by Jordyn with a Why

Voting closes midnight Monday 24 July.

You can listen to a Spotify playlist of all top 20 Silver Scroll songs and top five Maioha Award waiata HERE

Want to know more about the judging process for the Silver Scroll Award Kaitito Kaiaka and Maioha Award? LEARN MORE HERE

PRIZES

To be eligible for these prizes you must be a New Zealand APRA member and vote in both categories (Silver Scroll Award and Maioha Award) before midnight Monday 24th July.

Prize #1: Two seats at the invite-only APRA Silver Scroll Awards ceremony held at Spark Arena on Weds 4 October.

Prize #2: Two seats at the invite-only APRA Silver Scroll Awards ceremony plus one night's accommodation on the night of the event, Weds 4 October.

Prize #3: Free studio hire for one day at Big Fan in Morningside, Auckland. The booking date will be organised by the winner and Big Fan.

The APRA Silver Scroll Award and APRA Maioha Award will be presented at Spark Arena on Wednesday 4 October. The other awards presented on the night are:

• SOUNZ Contemporary Award Te Tohu Auaha
• APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award
• APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award
• NZ Music Hall of Fame Induction Te Whare Taonga Puoro O Aotearoa

You can watch past award presentations and performances HERE.