TAITE MUSIC PRIZE 2021 – NA NOISE WIN AUCKLAND LIVE BEST INDEPENDENT DEBUT AWARD

Indie fuzz-pop duo Na Noise have been named winner of the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award at the Taite Music Prize awards ceremony, for their debut album, Waiting For You.

The duo was on hand to collect their award, presented by Auckland Live’s programme development manager Georgina Cervin, at the ceremony held at Tāmaki Makaurau’s Q Theatre on Monday night.

As part of the award, Na Noise receive a cash prize of $2000 and a partnership with Auckland Live to promote or support them through performing or technical upskilling.

Auckland-based Reb Fountain was named winner of the 2021 Taite Music Prize for her 2020 self-titled album, taking the prize ahead of some of New Zealand’s finest musicians including Nadia Reid, L.A.B, Tami Neilson The Beths, and last year’s winner Troy Kingi.

Na Noise performed a cover of Fountain’s ‘Faster’ at the event, while Troy Kingi and Patea Māori Club also performed to a packed audience.

Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of Aotearoa’s most respected music journalists, the Taite Music Prize recognises outstanding creativity for an album. 

The ceremony also included the presentation of the Independent Music NZ Classic Record Award to Patea Māori Club for their iconic 1983 single ‘Poi E’. 

Pete Rainey and Glenn Common of Smokefree Rockquest were awarded The Independent Spirit Award in recognition of their contribution to music through 33 years of working and supporting young musicians to develop their talent, creativity, musicianship, and performance.

The evening was hosted by 95bFM's Sarah Thomson, and was attended by 400 industry, media, and artists from around Aotearoa in a celebration of creative works made in Aotearoa.

The Taite Music Prize: 
Presented by: Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ)
Founding Partner: Recorded Music NZ
Official Partners: NZ On Air / The Taite Family
Award Partners: Auckland LiveHI Sarag
Event Partners: Q Theatre / ACOM
Supporting Partners: NZ Music Commission / APRA AMCOS / Te Mangai Paho / College Hill Productions / Tone Deaf / Media Arts Lawyers / Red Bull Studios Auckland / Commotion Ltd. / McCarthy DesignMedia Partners: RNZ Music / 95bFM
Charity Partners: MusicHelps

Previous winners of The Taite Prize:
2010 – Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling (Honorary Bedouin Records)]
2011 – Ladi6 - The Liberation Of (What? Music)
2012 – Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Seeing Records)
2013 – SJD - Elastic Wasteland (Round Trip Mars)
2014 – Lorde - Pure Heroine (Universal Music NZ)
2015 – Jakob – Sines (Shoot The Freak)
2016 – Silicon - Personal Computer (Weird World/Domino Recordings)
2017 – Street Chant - Hauora (Arch Hill Recordings)
2018 – Aldous Harding - Party (Flying Nun Records / 4AD)
2019 – Avantdale Bowling Club  - Avantdale Bowling Club (Years Gone By)
2020 – Troy Kingi – Holy Colony Burning Acres (Triple A Records)

Previous Winners of the Independent Music NZ Classic Record:
2013 – Gordons – Gordons (Flying Nun)
2014 – Various Artists – AK79 (Ripper Records)
2015 – Herbs – What’s Be Happen? (Warrior Records)
2016 – Upper Hutt Posse – E Tū (Jayrem Records)
2017 – The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle (Flying Nun)
2018 – Headless Chickens - Stunt Clown (Flying Nun)
2019 – Moana and the Moahunters - Tahi (Southside)
2020 – Shona Laing – South (Pagan Records)

Previous Winners of the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut:
2017 – Merk - Swordfish  (self-released)
2018 – The Miltones - The Miltones (Self-released)
2019 – Alien Weaponry - Tū (Self-released)
2020 – Repulsive Woman – Relief (Independent) 

Independent Spirit Award 
2019 – Bernie Griffin
2020 – Murray Cammick