'Big ups’ for Pacific Music Awards

14 December, 2004

'Big ups’ for Pacific Music Awards

Two new categories have been added to the 2005 Pacific Music Awards following an excellent response to the announcement of the inaugural Awards from the Pacific Island community.

The Pacific Music Awards Committee (PMAC) last month announced a stand-alone awards programme at Auckland City's 2005 Pasifika Festival in March.

With the addition of Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist and Best Pacific Song there are now six categories to the awards.

“There is very strong support for Pacific music in New Zealand and there has been a huge response to the announcement of the awards programme,” says PMAC spokesperson and Chair Reverend Mua Strickson-Pua.

“Since that announcement we have had positive feedback and that has enabled us to move ahead with enormous confidence and with support from artists, sponsors and the media.”

PMAC is also delighted to announce that the New Zealand Music Industry Commission (NZMIC) has joined forces with the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand as a supporter and category sponsor of the awards.

“This is a major boost on top of the excellent community support we have had since the announcement of the Pacific Music Awards. We’re all thrilled to have the support of the NZ Music Industry Commission in addition to our other quality sponsors.” says Strickson-Pua.

“The NZ Music Industry Commission is very excited to be involved in the inaugural Pacific Music Awards which we are sure will become an important event in the annual music industry calendar.

“The NZMIC is especially proud to sponsor an award that will spotlight some of the incredible talent displayed by Pacific artists in the NZ Music industry,” says Cath Andersen, chief executive officer of the NZMIC.

The six categories to be presented at the Pacific Music Awards at the 2005 Pasifika Festival in Auckland on March 11 are:

Best Pacific Music Album 531PI Best Pacific Music Group Niu FM Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist NZMIC Best Pacific Male Artist Best Pacific Female Artist APRA Best Pacific Song.

Even with the advent of their dedicated award programme, Pacific music artists are still eligible to enter the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards under any non-genre category.

About the 2005 Pacific Music Awards The 2005 Pacific Music Awards are proudly supported by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) and the NZ Music Industry Commission (NZMIC). Category sponsors include the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), Niu FM, 531 PI and the NZMIC. The award winners will be announced at Pasifika 2005 in Auckland on March 11 next year.

About Pasifika The 2005 Pasifika Festival, organised by Auckland City, is being held at Western Springs on 11 and 12 March. It starts on Friday with a spectacular opening night concert at the stadium, sponsored by Air New Zealand, and concludes on Saturday with a full day of performances, entertainment and festivities at the Stadium and adjacent park.

Next year’s Pasifika Festival will be the grand finale of a new week-long celebration of Pacific culture called ‘Celebrate Pasifika’. Celebrate Pasifika will include exhibitions and performances across film, theatre, arts and crafts.

ENDS

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