At Precise, we’ve been fortunate to work alongside our Pacific artists and partners for many years. Their stories, cultures, languages and experiences have helped shape some of the most memorable music to come out of this country, while opening doors for those coming through behind them.

This year’s finalists reflect the breadth of Pacific music being created today. From hip hop and soul to reggae, gospel and Pacific language music, the nominations highlight the many different ways Pacific artists continue to tell their stories and connect with audiences.

We’re incredibly proud to see a number of artists from the Precise whānau recognised this year.

Congratulations to A.R.T, Junior Soqeta, Three Houses Down, MELODOWNZ, Island Vibes, Brotherhood Musiq, Signature Choir, Myshaan, Village 90, Fejoint, Switch.E & Folau, and Etu, whose nominations reflect another outstanding year for Pacific music.

One nomination that will mean a great deal to many people is Fiji’s recognition in the Best International Pacific Artist category.

As we approach the first anniversary of his passing, his influence remains impossible to measure. His songs continue to be played in homes, cars, churches, family celebrations and community gatherings throughout the Pacific and around the world. For many people, Fiji’s music is woven into the very fabric of their lives. To see him recognised once again feels like a fitting tribute to a legacy that continues to endure.

While we’re incredibly proud of the artists connected to Precise, this moment is really about the wider Pacific music community. Every finalist represents years of hard work, sacrifice and support from the people around them. Families, friends, producers, songwriters, managers, musicians and fans all share in these achievements.

Congratulations to every finalist. To be recognised among your peers is an achievement in itself and a reflection of the work, commitment and creativity that has gone into your music over the past year.

We wish all of this year’s worthy finalists the very best of luck for the awards in August.

The 2026 Pacific Music Awards will be held on Wednesday 12 August at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau, Auckland.

Precise finalists:

A.R.T
Flava Best Pacific Group
Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language
Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video
Recorded Music NZ Te Tino Pukaemi Moana Nui a Kiwa o te Tau | Best Pacific Music Album

Junior Soqeta
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist
Pacific Media Network Best Pacific Language
Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

Three Houses Down
Flava Best Pacific Group
Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video

MELODOWNZ
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist
ONErpm Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

Island Vibes
Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist
APRA Best Pacific Song

Brotherhood Musiq
Flava Best Pacific Group
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

Signature Choir
Flava Best Pacific Group
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist

Myshaan
Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist

Village 90
Flava Best Pacific Group

Fejoint, Switch.E & Folau
Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

Etu
NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist

Fiji
NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist

His new single Native Worldwide captures that feeling.

The track is the first release from his upcoming Native Links collaboration album and brings together artists from three countries in a song that is equal parts celebration and statement. It’s uplifting, bold and made to move people, but underneath the beat is something deeper – a reflection on shared histories and the bonds that can form through them.

The idea first came together in Vancouver during a writing session with Canadian artist TALON, who is Cree. The pair had met earlier that year in Melbourne and kept crossing paths at Indigenous events around the world.

“We were buzzing out at how international we were,” Rei says. “It felt crazy that we kept running into each other in different countries through Indigenous spaces. That’s where the idea for the song came from.”

Those conversations eventually became Native Worldwide, a song that draws inspiration from Pow Wow Step, the Indigenous Canadian electronic genre that blends traditional Pow Wow vocals with modern production.

Rei wanted to acknowledge that sound while bringing pieces of his own world into the music too.

Pow Wow vocal samples sit alongside the call of the Māori pukaea and the deep drone of the didgeridoo, creating a track shaped by Indigenous traditions from three different nations.

It also felt important to include an artist from Australia.

While in Sydney recently, Rei performed at the EP release party of First Nations artist Akala Newman, who he had worked with previously. Getting her involved in Native Worldwide felt like an obvious next step.

“I knew she’d kill a verse on the track,” he says, laughing. “And she absolutely did. It’s probably the dopest verse on the song.”

For Rei, collaborations like this have become an important part of his creative journey.

Over the years he has built a reputation for weaving te reo Māori, kapa haka and taonga pūoro through hip hop, pop, R&B and electronic music. More than 15 million Spotify streams, seven Waiata Māori Music Awards and multiple Aotearoa Music Award nominations have followed.

His 2025 album Moisturise and Decolonise debuted at number four on the Aotearoa Albums Chart, while recent single Ancestor NRG with Vancouver producer Handsome Tiger has gained strong support across Canada, including regular play on SiriusXM and a place on the Indigenous Music Countdown.

This August he’ll head back to Canada for a six-date tour across Ontario and Quebec, continuing relationships that have grown naturally through music and community.

And that’s probably what sits at the centre of Native Worldwide.

Not the streams or the milestones.

Just the idea that Indigenous artists from different corners of the world can find each other, share stories and create something that feels familiar to all of them.

Listen here

Produced by Phil Crown of Seven Suns, Superstar carries the infectious energy and rootsy authenticity that fans have come to expect from Rebel Souljahz, while showcasing the group’s continued ability to craft music that resonates across generations of reggae listeners.

The release comes on the back of a landmark 2025 for the group. Their hit single Back 2 My Roots proved to be one of their most successful outings to date, amassing over 4 million streams on Spotify and 5.7 million views on the official music video — numbers that speak to both their dedicated fanbase and their growing global reach.

With Superstar now out, Rebel Souljahz appear poised to build on that momentum and make 2026 another standout year. The single is available now on all major streaming platforms.

Listen here

‘not a dancer’ explores the feeling of being fundamentally out of step with life while everyone around you seems to move with an effortlessness out of reach. It twists and turns around the idea that “life is a dance”, a philosophy often associated with surrender, presence and trust. But instead of a blind romanticism of the concept, ‘not a dancer’ questions what happens when the steps don’t come naturally. What happens when survival has taught you rigidity instead of ease? When movement feels heavy instead of graceful?

“For a long time, I felt like everyone else knew how to exist naturally, how to move through relationships, happiness, confidence, spontaneity and everyday life with ease, while I remained stuck inside my own overthinking, fear, grief and self-doubt. I didn’t know how to just ‘be’. The song came from that disconnect: the feeling of being close to life, but never fully inside it,” Laeky shares.

Rather than resolving those feelings neatly, the song finds peace in something smaller and more human: continuing to move anyway. There’s a beauty in the tension between softness and survival. The track became less about learning how to dance correctly and more about accepting that awkward, imperfect movement is still movement, and that surviving at all can sometimes be its own kind of dance. Never perfectly, nor elegantly. Just honestly.

‘not a dancer’ carries comfort in the existential akin to the artistry of Phoebe Bridgers, paired with the humanity of Ethel Cain and the imagery of Lorde’s lyricism. The waltz of the verses spins into a whirlwind that rides the personification of “carry-on luggage”, “bottles full of rage” and a “hole in my pocket”.

Laeky opens up about how “a lot of the lyrics came directly from journal entries and fragmented thoughts about feeling disconnected from life, struggling to move forward… watching other people seem to navigate the world so effortlessly while I remained emotionally stuck.”

“Writing the song became less about songwriting in the traditional sense and more about documenting an internal conversation I had been having with myself for years.”

A few months later, Laeky revisited the track with her producer, Ben Woolford, and together they slowly began shaping it into the piece you’ll hear out in the world.

“There was never a rush with this song. It evolved gradually over the course of around eight months, with each session uncovering more emotional depth, texture and intention within it.”

‘not a dancer’ is a safety blanket of sorts, expertly weaving a net to catch you in a room full of people, no matter how out of step you’re feeling in your journey. It’s also the first glimpse of her forthcoming EP, ‘adjacent’, due later this year. The project continues her thoughtful approach to songwriting, exploring memory, identity and the messy, often complicated process of understanding yourself. Through intimate storytelling and atmospheric production, Laeky creates a sense of connection that resonates far beyond her own experiences.

Listen to ‘not a dancer’ here.

It’s a question that sits at the heart of ‘@kateshepp_1893’, the new single from Kirikiriroa artist Lehali, and one that feels as relevant now as ever.

Blending infectious electronic pop with thoughtful social commentary, the track reflects on the ongoing conversation around women’s rights and the gap that can sometimes exist between the progress we celebrate and the realities many women still face today.

For Lehali, the song was inspired by revisiting the legacy of one of Aotearoa’s most influential historical figures and wondering how she might respond to the challenges and debates unfolding around the world in 2026.

The result is a track that manages to be both reflective and uplifting. While the subject matter carries weight, ‘@kateshepp_1893’ never loses its sense of energy, combining vibrant production with the confident songwriting that has become a hallmark of Lehali’s music.

Co-produced by Lehali alongside Frank Keys, the single also highlights her continued growth as an artist, producer and storyteller. Drawing on her Ni-Vanuatu and Māori heritage, Lehali has built a reputation for creating music that sits comfortably between contemporary pop and purposeful storytelling, using her platform to explore identity, culture and the experiences of young Indigenous people in Aotearoa.

‘@kateshepp_1893’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for the 21-year-old artist, serving as the first release from Lifting the Veil, a forthcoming four-track collection that will roll out over the coming weeks. The project will eventually lead into her highly anticipated visual album Hear Our Voices, due later this year.

If this first release is anything to go by, listeners can expect a project that is both unafraid to ask important questions and committed to celebrating the voices and stories that deserve to be heard.

For now, ‘@kateshepp_1893’ stands confidently on its own – a catchy, thought-provoking reminder that progress is worth celebrating, but also worth protecting.

@kateshepp_1893 is available now on all major streaming platforms.

In fact, she wasn’t planning on making an album at all.

The New Zealand artist’s debut release, This Wasn’t Planned, takes its name from exactly that reality. What began as a week of songwriting with producer Noema Te Hau III quickly turned into something much bigger.

“On day two, after our first coffee, Noema looked at me and said, ‘I don’t want to scare you, but I think we’re writing an album,'” Greta recalls.

Up until then, neither of them had set out to create a full-length project. But as the songs kept coming, it became clear there was a bigger story unfolding.

“I think I had a lot of stories I was ready to tell.”

Those stories sit at the heart of This Wasn’t Planned. Across the album, Greta explores love, ambition, identity, heartbreak and change through songs that blend Americana, indie-pop and soft rock influences. Fans of artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus and Ella Langley will find plenty to connect with here.

The spirit of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours was never far away during the making of the record either.

“It felt like Stevie Nicks was following us around,” Greta laughs. “Everywhere we went there seemed to be a quote or a picture of her.”

That influence can be heard throughout the album, not in imitation, but in its commitment to honest storytelling and songs that aren’t afraid to wear their emotions openly.

For those familiar with Greta’s work outside music, the move into songwriting might seem unexpected. Before stepping fully into music, she built a career as an actress and stunt performer, working on productions including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Time Bandits. Her song “Road to Hell” was also featured in the television series Territory, further connecting her worlds of screen and songwriting.

That cinematic background naturally finds its way into the music. The songs on This Wasn’t Planned feel vivid and visual, unfolding like scenes from a film rather than simple snapshots in time.

What makes the album particularly compelling, though, is how unforced it feels. There’s no grand concept or carefully manufactured origin story behind it. Just a songwriter discovering she had something to say, and a collection of songs that refused to stay unwritten.

For a debut album that wasn’t supposed to exist, This Wasn’t Planned feels remarkably sure of itself.

Sometimes the best plans are the ones you never make.

This Wasn’t Planned is available now on all major streaming platforms.

The 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards was one of those nights.

From the moment the lights went down, there was a real sense that this was a celebration of something bigger than chart positions, streams or awards. It was a celebration of creativity, culture, community and the artists who continue to shape the sound of Aotearoa.

First and foremost, congratulations to every finalist, performer and winner recognised on the night. The talent coming out of Aotearoa right now is extraordinary, and this year’s awards reflected that across every category.

For everyone at Precise, it was also a night filled with pride.

Seeing artists we’ve had the privilege of working alongside recognised on one of the biggest stages in New Zealand music is always special. Not because of the awards themselves, but because of everything those moments represent – years of hard work, sacrifice, perseverance and a commitment to creating music that genuinely connects with people.

Among the highlights for our wider Precise whānau were:

Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist – TAWAZ

Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist – Te Wehi

Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Te Wehi

Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist – MĀ for Blame It On The Weather

Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist – Michael Norris for Rerenga

Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist – Louisa Williamson for Groundwork

We’re incredibly proud of every one of these artists and projects. Their success is richly deserved and reflects what can happen when great artists are supported by strong teams, trusted partnerships and a shared belief in the journey.

Few stories captured the spirit of the evening more than the rise of Te Wehi.

To see him recognised as both Best Roots Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year felt like a fitting acknowledgement of an artist who has connected with audiences right across the country. Watching his growth over the past year has been remarkable, and seeing that journey recognised on the AMA stage was a special moment for everyone involved.

One of the most inspiring aspects of the evening was seeing just how naturally te reo Māori now sits at the centre of New Zealand music.

Not as a trend or a moment, but as a living, growing and increasingly influential part of our creative identity.

The success of artists such as TAWAZ, Te Wehi, Stan Walker, Marlon Williams and Alien Weaponry reflects a music landscape that is richer, more diverse and more representative of who we are as a nation. Audiences are embracing music that speaks to culture, identity, language and whakapapa, and the impact that is having on Aotearoa music continues to grow.

Beyond the success of our own artists and partners, it was fantastic to see so many outstanding New Zealand artists recognised throughout the evening. Congratulations to Marlon Williams, Lorde, The Beths, Tom Scott, Tami Neilson and all those whose work was celebrated on the night.

There were also moments that reminded us how closely connected our music community is.

The tribute to the late Dame Jools Topp was one of them. Her contribution to New Zealand music, storytelling and public life is impossible to measure, and it was clear from the emotion in the room just how deeply she was loved and respected.

Another standout moment came with the induction of Che Fu into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. Few artists have shaped the sound and identity of contemporary New Zealand music as profoundly as Che Fu, and seeing him recognised for that contribution felt both overdue and entirely deserved.

Awards nights come and go, but what stays with you are the stories behind them – the artists finding their voice, the communities backing them, and the songs that connect us.

To every artist, manager, collaborator and partner recognised on the night, congratulations.

We’re incredibly proud to walk alongside you.

Ngā mihi to Recorded Music NZ, the Aotearoa Music Awards team, NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, and everyone who continues to invest in, support and champion music from Aotearoa.

Here’s to another year of great music, great stories and great artists from Aotearoa.

Kia kaha te puoro o Aotearoa.

Released May 15, the new single continues the momentum that has surrounded Tadpole since their return in 2024. But this doesn’t feel like nostalgia or a band revisiting old ground. Falling Into You sounds urgent, focused and alive – a reminder of why Tadpole became one of the defining names in New Zealand rock in the first place.

Driven by Chris Yong’s powerful guitar work, Lauren Marshall’s commanding vocal performance and a darker electronic undercurrent running beneath it all, the track hits with real intent. There’s tension in it, but also melody and restraint. It captures the feeling of falling unexpectedly into love – disorienting, consuming and impossible to stop once it takes hold.

The foundations of the song came together during a jam session between Yong and drummer Dean Lawton, sparked by a drum-and-bass inspired rhythm and improvised guitar riffs that quickly found momentum. From there, the track evolved naturally, with Marshall shaping the lyrics and melodies, while DJ Kritikl added the textures and scratches that help give the song its edge.

Most of Falling Into You was recorded at Old North Studios in Kumeū, the studio of Boh Runga and Troy McKubre, with additional bass tracks recorded in Greymouth while the band were performing at the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival. It feels fitting for a band that seem to be creating wherever the momentum takes them.

Mixed by Tiki Taane and mastered by Chris Chetland, the single balances raw energy with clarity and weight. Taane says working on the track was “a blast”, praising the balance between the band’s intensity and Marshall’s vocal presence. “Stoked to see Tadpole back and firing on all cylinders,” he says.

Formed in Auckland in 1994, Tadpole helped define an era of local rock through landmark releases The Buddhafinger and The Medusa. Their return has already seen packed anniversary shows and major festival appearances alongside Good Charlotte, Highly Suspect and Yellowcard at the Auckland Domain, proving the live energy hasn’t faded with time. If anything, it now lands with more confidence and purpose.

Falling Into You doesn’t sound like a band looking backwards. It sounds like a band fully locked into what comes next.

Falling Into You is available now on all major streaming platforms.

Released today, May 8, the track blends smooth R&B and soul influences with warm island production, creating a laid-back sound that feels intimate and familiar. But underneath the easy groove sits a message that feels increasingly rare in modern love songs – patience, understanding, and learning to move through life alongside someone rather than ahead of them.

Produced by Myshaan, Take Your Time explores the realities of marriage and long-term commitment, drawing from the lived experiences of both artists. Rather than leaning into grand declarations, the song focuses on the quieter moments that often matter most – supporting your partner through pressure, giving each other space to grow, and recognising that love doesn’t always need to move fast to be meaningful.

That authenticity comes through naturally. Both Myshaan and Lomez Brown are married, and their connection on the record feels grounded in shared experience rather than performance. The chemistry between the two artists gives the song warmth and credibility, letting the emotion land naturally.

Built on soulful melodies, relaxed rhythms and island textures, Take Your Time continues Myshaan’s growing reputation for music that balances culture, storytelling and real-life emotion. It’s a track that feels reflective, reassuring and deeply human – a reminder that sometimes the strongest relationships are built by slowing down and simply being present.

Take Your Time is available now on all major streaming platforms.

The Te Whanganui-a-Tara trio have always brought substance to their music, but Ready lands with added weight. It’s warm, soulful and grounded in lived experience – the sound of a band moving with real intent.

Comprised of vocalist Timmy Porter, multi-instrumentalist Adrian Win (Ngāti Hāua, Ngāruahine, Te Ātiawa), and producer/keyboardist Josh Parata (Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Rarawa), Shivers move easily through soul, roots reggae, dub, R&B and modern production touches without losing their centre. There’s a Wellington tradition in that kind of openness – heard in acts like Fat Freddy’s Drop and TrinityRoots – but Shivers are carving out their own identity within it.

What gives Ready its strength is the story behind it. For Porter, the song reflects his road back from traumatic brain injury and the rebuilding that followed. That experience gives the track real honesty. It doesn’t lean on hardship – it speaks instead to resilience, gratitude and being ready to move again.

There’s serious pedigree behind the release too, with production from Tiki Taane and Lee Prebble. Their touch is felt in the balance of the record: groove, space and clarity, while keeping the heart of the song intact.

Since forming in 2020, Shivers have built steady momentum through singles like Right of Way, Look at ‘Em Now and reo Māori waiata Tahuti. Ready feels like another step up.

This is the first taste of a new EP due later in 2026. On this evidence, there’s plenty more to come.

Ready is available now on all streaming platforms.