Latest news with #TamiNeilson
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The Detail: How New Zealand is falling in love with country music
Tami Neilson has been recording with country icon Willie Nelson. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Once considered niche, and tucked away in dusty record stores or rural community halls, country music in New Zealand is enjoying something of a golden moment. From chart-topping Kiwi artists to two dedicated radio stations in the past 18 months, the genre is striking a heartfelt chord with more people than ever before. RNZ Nashville Babylon host Mark Rogers grew up listening to country music, from Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash to Marty Robbins, and told The Detail that it's all about the storytelling. "As a kid, the songs and storytelling caught my imagination," he said. "The songs have no fat on them, they cut to the chase straight away, they are pretty simple. "There's nothing too complicated about them, you know exactly where you are and the classic country songs have something in them that will appeal to just about everyone. They hit home, they are easy to get and understand, people can identify with them. "It's rare that they are talking about big flash cars or billion-dollar jewellery. It's the workingman's music - that's been its appeal for many, many decades and that will continue to ring true." It seems Kiwis are falling more in love with the genre and over the last 18 months, this has prompted the launch of not one, but two dedicated country music radio stations in New Zealand. First, broadcaster Mike Puru started Southern Cross Country, found on digital platforms. Then this month, NZME launched iHeartCountry NZ, offered on the iHeartRadio app and selected FM frequencies around the country. There are no presenters, just pre-programmed country music. Both stations showcase global legends and local voices. Among those voices, one name stands out - Tami Neilson. The Canadian-born, NZ-based powerhouse has been a trailblazer for years and has just won the inaugural Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa, recognising her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the scene. "What Tami is doing at the moment is astounding," Rogers said. "She has been teaming up with Willie Nelson over in the States, which is a dream come true for her. "It's incredible and I'm super proud of what she is achieving. I would like to think she will get on the [mainstream radio] playlists, because what she is doing is absolutely fantastic. "The songs are great and radio loves a good song, so there is no excuse not to play Tami." Neilson competes for airtime with unlikely country singers, including Beyonce and Post Malone, who have swapped pop and rap respectively for country beats. "This has just exploded and I think it's a good thing,'' Rogers says. "Admittedly, I'm not a massive fan of some of it, but I'm a big fan of others. "I don't think it's cheapened the genre at all - it's just music developing." Clearly, Kiwis want more of it, proving country music in New Zealand isn't just surviving - it is thriving. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Aotearoa Music Awards 2025: All the entertainment and winners
The biggest names in New Zealand's music industry walked the red carpet at the Viaduct Events Centre, including Lorde who arrived after surprising fans with a new music video. Other guests are Anna Coddington, CHAII, Kaylee Bell, Lorde, MOKOTRON , Stan Walker, Tami Neilson and Troy Kingi. Fazerdaze, Lorde, Stan Walker and Earth Tongue took out the top awards - see the full list of winners here . For a play-by-play recap, follow how the night went down on our liveblog: Grammy-award winning Kiwi singer Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, told fans at her exclusive YMCA party last night she was in town for the Aotearoa Music Awards. This year marks the 60th anniversary of music awards in New Zealand.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Watch Aotearoa Music Awards 2025 live: All the entertainment and winners
The biggest names in New Zealand's music industry walked the red carpet at the Viaduct Events Centre, including Lorde who arrived after surprising fans with a new music video. Other guests are Anna Coddington, CHAII, Kaylee Bell, Lorde, MOKOTRON , Stan Walker, Tami Neilson and Troy Kingi. Persian-New Zealand rapper CHAII and Walker are leading the pack with five nominations each. Grammy-award winning Kiwi singer Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, told fans at her exclusive YMCA party last night she was in town for the Aotearoa Music Awards, which will be livestreamed on RNZ from 6pm. This year marks the 60th anniversary of music awards in New Zealand. Follow all the updates from the show in our blog above.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Watch Aotearoa Music Awards 2025 live: Stars arrive on the red carpet
Grammy-award winning Kiwi singer Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, told fans at her exclusive YMCA party last night she was in town for the Aotearoa Music Awards, which will be livestreamed on RNZ from 6pm. The biggest names in New Zealand's music industry are set to arrive on the red carpet at the Viaduct Events Centre from about 4.30pm. Among the expected guests are Anna Coddington, CHAII, Kaylee Bell, Lorde, MOKOTRON , Stan Walker, Tami Neilson and Troy Kingi. Persian-New Zealand rapper CHAII and Walker are leading the pack with five nominations each. This year marks the 60th anniversary of music awards in New Zealand. Follow all the updates from the show in our blog above.
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Winners Announced At Country Music Honours
23 May 2025 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award winner – Holly Arrowsmith MLT Songwriting Award winner – Nicola Mitchell, Em-Hayley Walker & Byllie-Jean Zeta Tami Neilson recipient of inaugural award Top country music artists from across Aotearoa gathered in Gore this evening for the prestigious Country Music Honours, celebrating finalists and winners with the presentation of the 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award, Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting award and the inaugural Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. The glamorous red-carpet event marked the official opening of the Bayleys Tussock Country Music Festival — a 10-day celebration of all things Tussock Country. The audience was treated to performances by special guest Tami Neilson, alongside finalists Holly Arrowsmith, Mel Parsons, and Nicola Mitchell and more. APRA Best Country Music Song Award winner Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting Award Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa Tami Neilson South Island songwriter Holly Arrowsmith was presented as the winner of the 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award for the title track from the 2024 critically acclaimed album ' Blue Dreams '. Having won first in 2019 with ' Slow Train Creek', and most recently in 2024 with ' Desert Dove', the Aotearoa Music Award finalist & Taite Music Prize nominee, won with the moving song ' Blue Dreams ', that delves into life as a first-time parent, surviving those early days of chronic exhaustion while managing the huge burden of responsibility, bringing life into such a turbulent world. The prestigious Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting Award, which celebrates unreleased original songs from Aotearoa, was awarded to Nicola Mitchell, Byllie-Jean Zeta, and Em-Hayley Walker (Theia, Te Kaahu) for their waiata 'Wā/Time' performed by Nicola Mitchell. All three are wāhine Māori with distinctive musical styles. Their collaboration on 'Wā/Time' reflects a powerful fusion of their unique voices and a shared cultural vision. Lachie Hayes was named runner-up for his heartfelt song 'A Short Time', earning recognition for his songwriting talent in a highly competitive field. In a special addition to this year's awards, audiences witnessed the emotive debut of the Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. The inaugural recipient of this award was the acclaimed Tami Neilson, recognised for her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the country music scene in Aotearoa New Zealand - with particular focus on the opportunities Tami has selflessly created for the emerging artists around her. As Neilson stood on stage to receive the surprise Honour, a video celebrating her career moved many in the theatre to tears — featuring audio tributes from Jesse Mulligan (RNZ), fellow New Zealand country artists, her Canada-based brother Todd Neilson, and Willie Nelson.
