15 April 2026

AMA finalists announced for Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo & Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau Tūī

Celebrating a landmark year for waiata reo Māori.

The Aotearoa Music Awards is proud to announce a standout group of finalists for the 2026 Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist Tūī.

2025 was a landmark year for waiata reo Māori: New Zealanders streamed music with te reo Māori lyrics more than 69 million times, up from 64 million in 2024, and sales of albums in te reo Māori tripled on the previous year. Furthermore, of all the Aotearoa music played on radio in 2025, more than 20% of it was waiata reo Māori.

Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī recognises recordings with at least 50% te reo Māori content. Singles, albums and other bundles of recordings such as EPs are all eligible.

The finalists for the 2026 Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī are:

  • Hamo Dell (Ngāti Porou) for ‘Tā Roha’
  • Marlon Williams (Kāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) for Te Whare Tīwekaweka
  • MOHI (Te Tai Tokerau, Tauranga Moana, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) for ‘Ka Rea’ (feat. Pare)
  • Nikau Grace (Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) for ‘He AhaTe Aha’(feat. Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue)
  • Rob Ruha (Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Rongowhakaata, Ngā Ariki), Troy Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau ā Apanui) and Kaylee Bell for ‘Matariki Hunga Nui’
  • Stan Walker (Tūhoe, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Tahu) for ‘Mō Āke Tonu’ (feat. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke)

The main judging criterion for the Mana Reo Tūī is that the music aims to grow the interest and appeal of te reo and te ao Māori in and through commercially released recorded music. Artistic merit, the regularity of releases that prioritise reo Māori, and commercial success are also taken into account.

The finalists for the 2026 Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau Tūī are:

  • Hori Shaw (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou)
  • MĀ (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) for Blame It On The Weather
  • Marlon Williams for Te Whare Tīwekaweka
  • Stan Walker
  • TAWAZ (Ngāti Rangitāne)
  • Te Wehi (Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Porou)

The award for Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau honours an artist that has whakapapa Māori and whose music reflects a unique Māori identity and/or is an expression of te ao Māori.

Following the release of his first fully te reo Māori album Te WhareTīwekaweka , Marlon Williams is a finalist for both Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau for the first time. Te Whare Tīwekaweka debuted at #1 on the Top 40 Albums Chart, one of only three local albums to do so in 2025 – and the first album of original waiata reo Māori by a solo artist to top the tiketike (chart) ever. Williams is also up for NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of The Year; Spotify Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year – for ‘Aua Atu Rā’; and Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist.

2025 Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist winner Stan Walker is a finalist once more in both categories, as well as NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content alongside co-director Abe Mora for ‘Mō Āke Tonu’ feat. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke.

Rob Ruha, Troy Kingi and Kaylee Bell came together in May 2025 to record a collaborative Matariki anthem, ‘Matariki Hunga Nui’. The track sees the trio – all of whom are past Tūī winners – collectively up for Mana Reo. Kingi is also a finalist for Best Solo Artist and Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist for his Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords project, and Bell also has two additional nominations.

2024 JD Sports Tā te Iwi | People’s Choice and 2025 Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year winner Hori Shaw is a finalist for Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau for the first time and also receives nominations for Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist, and Single of the Year alongside frequent collaborator Te Wehi for their local chart-topper ‘Ready To Ride’. Te Wehi is also up for Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau and Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau.

Hamo Dell (‘Tā Roha’), MOHI (‘Ka Rea’ feat. Pare) and Nikau Grace (‘He Aha Te Aha’ feat. Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue) complete the nominations for the 2026 Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī.

2024 Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau winner TAWAZ and MĀ receive nominations for Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau Tūī. MĀ is also a finalist for NZ On Air Album of the Year and Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist.

Te Māngai Pāho Hautū Te Hua Waihanga Nadia Marsh (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Rarawa) says:

“Te Māngai Pāho is proud to sponsor the Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau Tūī awards, intended to uplift waiata reo Māori and Māori artists. It is exciting to see the diversity and growth of commercially released waiata reo Māori, across all formats and reaching wide and new audiences.”

Recorded Music NZ CEO Jo Oliver says:

“With more waiata reo Māori being commercially released and listened to than ever before, the 2026 finalists for Mana Reo and Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau reflect the incredible depth of Māori talent making music across many genres in Aotearoa.

“Many thanks to Te Māngai Pāho for sponsoring these Tūī, and for the organisation’s continued support of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Recorded Music is proud to contribute to the ongoing mahi to amplify and platform Māori artists and waiata reo Māori, both at home and on the global stage.”

The 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards will take place on Thursday 28 May at The Civic in Tāmaki Makaurau. The event will be livestreamed via AMA Official Media Partner RNZ. The broadcast is brought to our screens with the invaluable support of sponsorship and broadcast partner Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air  and Te Māngai Pāho.

Find details of all other 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards finalists here

About Aotearoa Music Awards
The Aotearoa Music Awards is the annual showcase event for the music industry, celebrating artists and music from Aotearoa. The event recognises the biggest musical successes of the year while also providing a platform to promote emerging artists. Grounded in 60 years of history, the Aotearoa Music Awards has evolved to reflect our unique cultural identity. It has launched music careers, told artists’ stories and created memorable moments.

Recorded Music NZ produces the Aotearoa Music Awards and acts as its kaitiaki – preserving our musical heritage, celebrating the hits of today and paving the way for the artists of tomorrow.

For more, please visit aotearoamusicawards.co.nz

Code of Conduct
Aotearoa Music Awards is committed to a safe and inclusive environment for everyone involved. All participants, including nominees, are required to abide by the AMA Code of Conduct

AMA 2026 Partners
Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, Spotify, RNZ, Auckland Live, JD Sports, BurgerFuel, 5GUM, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori | Māori Language Commission.

View all AMA 2026 partner information here

Please direct media enquiries to
Lauren Went, Pead
lauren.went@pead.co.nz
027 363 0291