Lorde, Benee and More Shortlisted for Inaugural Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards

With two nominations each, Lorde, Benee and Broods are well-positioned for the inaugural Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards, set to take place this August in Auckland.

Lorde’s “Solar Power” is shortlisted for best single, and the homegrown superstar is up for the Rolling Stone Global Award, an a-list category that also features global exports Benee, Six60, L.A.B, Crowded House and Broods.

ARIA Hall of Famers Crowded House, stadium-fillers Six60 and soul singer Teeks are also two-time nominees, while Gin Wigmore, Ladyhawke, Stan Walker and Aldous Harding are among the top-notch Kiwi artists in with a single chance.

Four categories will be presented — best record, best single, best new artist and the global award — with the winners announced Aug. 31 during an invite-only party at the Glasshouse.

The Rolling Stone Global Award will be judged by Rolling Stone’s international editors, a panel that previously crowned winners in this category for the Australian edition of the awards, won by Tame Impala (2021) and The Kid LAROI (2022).

“There has never been a more exciting time to celebrate Kiwi music. New Zealand is a hotbed for global export talent and that’s been proven time and time again as NZ artists punch well above their weight on the global stage,” comments Poppy Reid, editor-in-chief of The Brag Media, publisher of Rolling Stone Australia and New Zealand.

“I can’t wait to acknowledge the artists and records that helped get us through a difficult time for every industry, but especially our music industry.”

The first annual ceremony follows the expansion of RS in Aotearoa earlier this year, and the presentation of the 2022 Rolling Stone Australia Awards in Sydney.

Placing NZ “music front-and-centre with some of the world’s best music observers is an exciting opportunity our local industry,” Reid adds.

2022 Panhead Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards Nominees:

Best Record
Stan Walker – Te Arohanui
BENEE – Lychee
Ladyhawke – Time Flies
Yumi Zouma – Present Tense
L.A.B – L.A.B V
Reb Fountain – IRIS
Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting

Best Single
Gin Wigmore – “Hand Over Heart”
Teeks – “Younger”
Lorde – “Solar Power”
Six60 – “Pepeha”
Rob Ruha & Ka Hao – “35”
Lilbubblegum – “Billie Eilish”
BROODS ft. Tove Lo – “I Keep”
Mitch James – “Be Somebody”

Best New Artist
Goodwill
CHAII
Teeks
TE KAAHU
There’s a Tuesday
Muroki
Rory Noble
Reuben Fleetwood

Rolling Stone Global Award
Lorde
BENEE
Six60
L.A.B
Crowded House
BROODS

Written by Billboard