The NZ Music Managers Forum has announced the finalists for the 2018 Music Managers Awards.

Now in its 14th year the NZ Music Managers Awards continues to celebrate the importance of the people who are shaping the careers of New Zealand’s artists, working hard to strategise and build an artist’s career in the ever changing and evolving landscape of the modern music industry, whether they are behind the scenes or self managing.

Judged by a panel of over 50 NZ music industry personal, the awards honour not only our experienced managers and self managed artists but also the up and coming managers who are the future of our industry. Categories include NZ Manager of the Year, Emerging Manager of the Year, Breakthrough Manager of the Year, International Achievement, Self-Managed Artist of the Year, Best Independent Tour.

Also awarded on the night is the Industry Champion Award, Best Small Venue and Best Large Venue as voted for by MMF members, as well as the Mentoring Achievement Award as voted for by the MMF Mentors.

The NZ Music Managers Awards will be held at The Tuning Fork in Auckland on Wednesday 9 May.

The finalists for this year’s awards are:

Recorded Music New Zealand Manager of the Year

Alastair Burns (Marlon Williams, Julia Jacklin, The Weather Station, Phantastic Ferniture)

James Southgate (Devilskin)

Julie Foa’i(Te Vaka, Opetaia Foa’i, Olivia Foa’i)

Emerging Manager of the Year

Chris Chetland & Callum McDougal (Rei)

Milly Tabak (The Miltones)

Pennie Black (Hex, Echo Ohs)

Breakthrough Manager of the Year

Niel de Jong (Alien Weaponry)

Nicole Thomas and Paula Yeoman (Theia, Andrew Papas, Chores)

Rikihana Douglas (SACHI, Montell2099, Matthew Young, LA Women)

NZ Music Commission International Achievement

Alastair Burns (Marlon Williams, Julia Jacklin, The Weather Station, Phantastic Ferniture)

Julie Foa’i (Te Vaka, Opetaia Foa’i, Olivia Foa’i)

Niel de Jong (Alien Weaponry)

APRA AMCOS Self-Managed Artist of the Year

Mel Parsons (Mel Parsons)

Nick Atkinson (Hopetoun Brown)

Tana Tupai and Avina Kelekolio (Tomorrow People)

JLT Best Independent Tour

Diaz Grimm ‘All Together’ NZ Tour (Diaz Grimm)

Mel Parsons ‘NZ Tour w/ Full Band’ (Mel Parsons)

Nick Atkinson ‘Round The Horn’ Tour (Hopetoun Brown)

Best Small Venue

Neck of the Woods, Auckland

Leigh Sawmill, Leigh

The Tuning Fork, Auckland

Best Large Venue

The Civic, Auckland

The Powerstation, Auckland

Villa Maria, Auckland

Achievement Award

Diaz Grimm - self managed

Kendall Elise - self managed

Pennie Black - HEX, Echo Ohs

Also presented on the night is the Shure/NSL Industry Champion Award.