Stream The Taite Music Prize 2020 Presentation

Aotearoa's music community continues to be massively impacted by our nationwide lockdown, which prompted a wave of live event postponements and cancellations which has only started to abate, along with a blossoming series of streaming events helping fill the gap in the meantime. Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), the organisers of the coveted Taite Music Prize, have announced the 11th annual presentation ceremony will go ahead as an entirely online affair, streamed direct to digital devices across the nation on Tuesday 5th May from 6.30pm.

You can dress up and recreate the glitz, glamour and cheeky audience banter of the prestigious event in your own home, while the winners of the main prize, Auckland Live Best Independent Debut, Independent Music NZ Classic Record – this year presented to Shona Laing for her synth-soaked 1987 album South (released via Pagan Records) – and the Independent Spirit Award each receive their awards. We're thrilled to host the livestream on the UTR site, watch via the YouTube player below and scroll downwards for a refresher on who's in the running for this year's awards...

The ten finalists the the Taite Music Prize 2020 are:

Aldous Harding - Designer (Flying Nun Records/4AD)
Beastwars - IV (Destroy Records)
JessB - New Views (JessB/The Orchard)
L.A.B. - L.A.B. III (Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa)
Lawrence Arabia - Lawrence Arabia’s Singles Club (Honorary Bedouin Records)
Louis Baker - Open (Louis Baker Music/Ditto Music)
Mermaidens - Look Me In The Eye (Flying Nun Records)
Miss June - Bad Luck Party (Miss June/Frenchkiss Records/The Orchard)
Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls (Ursa Minor)
Troy Kingi - Holy Colony Burning Acres (Triple A Records)

The three finalists for the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut are:

Tom Ludvigson & Trevor Reekie - Roto (Jazzscore)
Repulsive Woman - Relief (Independent)
Mousey - Lemon Law (Independent)

Press release:

Today, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) confirm details of the Taite Music Prize awards ceremony taking place Tuesday, May 5th at 6:30 pm. Alongside the main Taite Music Prize, winners of the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut, Independent Music NZ Classic Record and the Independent Spirit Award will accept their awards via live stream at the following media outlets: 95bFM, APRA AMCOS, Auckland Live, IMNZ, Native Tongue, NZ Music Commission, NZ Music Month, NZ On Air Music, Radio NZ, Recorded Music NZ, Red Bull Studios AKL, The Label NZ, Undertheradar.

Save the date and celebrate the 11th annual Taite Music Prize with some of New Zealand's finest musicians. You won't want to miss it!