Country Music Awards Finalists 2021 From right: Tami Neilson, Jody Direen, Ryan Fisherman.
Photo: supplied
The award recognises outstanding contributions to the Aotearoa country music scene in the last year.
Current country music Queen Tami Neilson leads the nominations, as a finalist in both te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Music Artist for her album
CHICKABOOM, and APRA Best Country Music Song for ‘Queenie Queenie’.
Joining Neilson in Best Country Music Artist category is former winner Jody Direen for her album Smokin’ Ashes and Christchurch/ Ōtautahi newcomer Ryan Fisherman for his debut album
Vibe.
In the APRA Best Country Music Song category, Neilson is joined by Delaney Davidson for ‘Sleep’ and Kendall Elise Todd for ‘Between Hello and Goodbye’.
Multi-instrumentalist
singer-songwriter
Nadia Reid will be
performing Friday 12 February.
Part wandering
minstrel, part traveling salesman, Delaney Davidson has
lived his life with one foot on the stage and one in the
road.
With over fifteen years of tireless touring and
nine studio albums under his belt, Delaney is a distinctive
figure in Aotearoa’s music scene.
In 2020 he
received the Tui for Best Country Music Artist from Recorded
Music New Zealand and has collaborated with artists like
Troy Kingi, Tami Neilson and Marlon Williams as he continues
to search for challenges and adventure in both music and his
own expression.