Cook Island music legend to receive major award at the Vodafone Pacific Music Awards

The Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Rahui Vaka aka Brother Love at the upcoming Vodafone Pacific Music Awards on 1 June.

Alongside celebrating our Pacific Music Award winners, there will be live performances from Aaradhna, Kings, Kylie Auldist, SWIDT, Tommy Nee, La Coco, and Three Houses Down. There will also be special performances by SUPA (Saintzup Performing Arts Trust) and Lifetime Achievement recipient Brother Love.

Brother Love is best known for his 1996 classic ‘Ruketekete Te Mamae (aka The Roimata Song’). He has been endeared across the Pacific for this song and for his skills as both vocalist and percussion musician.

He developed a unique sound, which first became known through a string band competition started in the early 1990s by at the legendary Banana Court bar.

His influence encouraged a new sound, which was rawer and stripped-back, reflecting the true sound of the Cook Islands. He has worked with Heimana Music for the last 30 years to promote Cook Island music to the world and off a glimpse of paradise through song.

He has also seen success as a founding member of Sunset Special, as well as performing with The Commodores when they toured Australia and The Herbs during their New Zealand tour.

In 2014, Rahui Vaka was inducted into the Cook Islands Music Hall of Fame.  He will now join a prestigious line up of past recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Award, including Bill Sevesi, The Yandall Sisters, Ardijah and Tigilau Ness.

The awards will be held at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau, Auckland on 1 June and are now in their 13th year. Tickets to the ceremony will be available through www.ticketdirect.co.nz.

Vodafone Pacific Music Awards finalists:

Virgin Australia Best Pacific Female Artist Award:

• Aaradhna – Brown Girl
• La Coco – Love & Other Things
• Olivia Foa’i – ‘Tulou Tagaloa’

NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist Award:

• KINGS – KINGS EP
• Savage – ‘Zooby Doo’
• Tommy Nee – Colorblind

Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artist Award:

• KINGS – KINGS EP
• SWIDT – SWIDT vs EVERYBODY
• Three Houses Down feat. General Fiyah – ‘Love & Affection’

Radio 531pi Best Pacific Group Award:

• Three Houses Down feat. General Fiyah – ‘Love & Affection’
• Tomorrow People – ‘Writings on the Wall’
• Unity Pacific – Blackbirder Dread

NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video Award:

• Aaradhna – ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ (Directed by Sophie Findlay)
• Parri$ – ‘Friday’ (Directed by Parris Goebel)
• Three Houses Down feat. General Fiyah – ‘Love & Affection’ (Directed by Samson Rambo)

APRA Best Pacific Song Award:

• Aaradhna – ‘Brown Girl’ (Written by Aaradhna Patel)
• KINGS – ‘Don’t Worry Bout’ It’ (Written by Kings)
• Opetaia Foa’i – ‘We Know The Way’ (Written by Opetaia Foa’i and Lin-Manuel Miranda)

SunPix Best Pacific Language Award:

• Annie Grace – ‘Loimata o le Fiafia’
• Olivia Foa’i – ‘Tulou Tagaloa’
• Vai Mahina/Sulata Foa’i-Amiatu, Matthew Ineleo – ‘An Innocent Warrior’

Best Pacific Gospel Artist Award:

• Annie Grace – ‘Unchangeable Love’
• La Coco – Love & Other Things
• Revere – ‘Groove Thing’

Flava Best International Pacific Artist Award:

• J Boog – Rose Petals
• Kylie Auldist – Family Tree
• CRSB – Evolution of Love

Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album Award:

• Aaradhna – Brown Girl
• KINGS – KINGS EP
• Unity Pacific – Blackbirder Dread

MAINZ Best Producer Award:

• KINGS – KINGS EP (Produced by Kings)
• La Coco – Love & Other Things (Produced by Dee Letoa)
• SWIDT – SWIDT vs EVERYBODY (Produced by SmokeyGotBeatz)