Best Solo Artist () is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours solo artists for outstanding work. The award can either apply to solo performers or a singer who performs with a band.
The award was originally divided by gender, with separate prizes going to male and female artists. The awards were first presented in 1978 at the relaunched New Zealand Music Awards. The awards were then called Top Male Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist. In 1985 they became Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist, then in 2004 they were renamed Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist. In 2017, following a revamp of the awards, the two awards were amalgamated into the one award called Best Solo Artist.
Dave Dobbyn has won the award six times and been nominated a further six times. Bic Runga has won the award four times and been nominated once more. Jon Toogood of Shihad has won the award three times and been nominated a further six times. The award has also been won by three members of the same family: brothers, Neil Finn and Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House and Neil's son Liam Finn.
Winners
Top Male Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist (1978 to 1984)
Year Winner Other finalists 1978 John Rowles rowspan="6" Sharon O'Neill 1979 Rob Guest Sharon O'Neill 1980 Jon Stevens Sharon O'Neill 1981 Dave McArtney (Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos) Deane Waretini Hammond Gamble Suzanne Prentice Jenny Morris Tina Cross 1982 Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) Malcolm McNeill Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay (Monte Video and the Cassettes) Patsy Riggir Suzanne Prentice Trudi Green (The Neighbours) 1983 Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) Malcolm McNeill Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay (Monte Video and the Cassettes) Suzanne Prentice Trudi Green Patsy Riggir 1984 Jordan Luck (Dance Exponents) Andy Dickson (The Narcs) Andrew Fagan (The Mockers) Patsy Riggir Jodi Vaughan Suzanne Prentice
Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (1985 to 2003)
Year Winner Album Other finalists 1985 Andrew Fagan (The Mockers) rowspan="12" Malcolm Black (Netherworld Dancing Toys) Pat Urlich (Peking Man) Margaret Urlich Patsy Riggir Jacqui Fitzgerald 1986 Pat Urlich (Peking Man) Malcolm McNeill Sonny Day Margaret Urlich Betty Monga Annie Crummer 1987 Dave Dobbyn Charlie Tumahai (Herbs) Martin Phillipps (The Chills) Shona Laing Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) Patsy Riggir 1988 Dave Dobbyn Charlie Tumahai (Herbs) Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) Shona Laing Aishah Annie Crummer 1989 Tim Finn Howard Morrison Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) Margaret Urlich Moana Jackson Aishah 1990 Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) John Grenell Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) Margaret Urlich Patsy Riggir Aishah 1991 colspan="4" 1992 Jordan Luck (The Exponents) rowspan="20" Mikey Havoc (Push Push) Shayne Carter (Straitjacket Fits) Fiona McDonald (Headless Chickens) Moana Ngaire 1993 Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) Jordan Luck Paul Ubana Jones Annie Crummer Patsy Riggir Shona Laing 1994 Shayne Carter (Straitjacket Fits) Jon Toogood (Shihad) Chris Matthews (Headless Chickens) Fiona McDonald (Headless Chickens) Annie Crummer Shona Laing 1995 Dave Dobbyn David Kilgour Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) Jon Toogood (Shihad) Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople) Emma Paki Stephanie Tauevihi 1996 Jon Toogood (Shihad) Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) Dave Dobbyn Teremoana Rapley Sulata Jan Hellriegel 1997 Che Fu Jeremy Eade (Garageland) Jon Toogood (Shihad) Bic Runga Emma Paki Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople) 1998 Jon Toogood (Shihad) Greg Johnson Booga Beazley (Head Like a Hole) Bic Runga Sulata Annie Crummer 1999 Neil Finn Dave Dobbyn James Reid (The Feelers) Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) Sulata Foai (Te Vaka) Alesha Siosiua (Urban Pacifika) 2000 Jon Toogood (Shihad) Dave Dobbyn Don McGlashan (The Mutton Birds) Boh Runga (Stellar) Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) Zara Clark (Deep Obsession) 2001 Nathan King (Zed) Jon Toogood (Shihad) Dave Dobbyn Julia Deans (Fur Patrol) Renee Brennan (Tadpole) Libby Huirua (The Parachute Band) 2002 Che Fu Navigator Neil Finn - One Nil Tiki Taane (Salmonella Dub) - Inside the Dub Plates Anika Moa Thinking Room Boh Runga (Stellar) - Magic Line Hayley Westenra - Hayley Westenra 2003 Che Fu "Misty Frequencies" Jon Toogood (Pacifier) - Pacifier Te Awanui Pine Reeder (Nesian Mystik) - "For the People" Bic RungaBeautiful Collision Anika Moa - "Falling In Love Again" Kirsten Morrell (Goldenhorse) - Riverhead
Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist (2004 to 2016)
Year Winner Album Other finalists 2004 Scribe The Crusader Greg Johnson - Here Comes the Caviar Nathan Haines - Squire For Hire Brooke Fraser What to Do with Daylight Bic Runga - Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony Hayley Westenra - Pure 2005 P-Money Magic City Savage – Moonshine SJD – Southern Lights Yulia Into the West Debbie Harwood – Soothe Me Jordan Reyne – Passenger 2006 Dave Dobbyn Available Light Don McGlashan - Warm Hand Che Fu - Beneath the Radar Bic Runga Birds Aaradhna - I Love You Anika Moa - Stolen Hill 2007 Tim Finn Imaginary Kingdom Paul McLaney - EDIN Greg Johnson - Anyone Can Say Goodbye Hollie Smith Long Player Brooke Fraser - Albertine Hayley Westenra - Treasure 2008 Liam Finn I'll Be Lightning SJD - Songs From a Dictaphone Tiki Taane - Past, Present, Future Anika Moa In Swings the Tide Aaradhna - Sweet Soul Music Annabel Fay - Annabel Fay 2009 Savage Savage Island Don McGlashan (Don McGlashan & The Seven Sisters) - Marvellous Year Dave Dobbyn - Anotherland Ladyhawke Ladyhawke Boh Runga - Right Here Ladi6 - Time Is Not Much 2010 Dane Rumble The Experiment Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into the Snat J. Williams - Young Love Anika Moa Love in Motion Gin Wigmore - Holy Smoke Hollie Smith - Humour and the Misfortune of Others 2011 Tiki Taane In the World of Light David Dallas – The Rose Tint Stan Walker – From the Inside Out Ladi6 The Liberation Of... Brooke Fraser – Flags Julia Deans – Modern Fables 2012 Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) Unknown Mortal Orchestra Bulletproof – Dub Me Crazy Seth Haapu – Seth Haapu Kimbra Vows Gin Wigmore – Gravel & Wine Ladyhawke – Anxiety 2013 Lawrence Arabia The Sparrow Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) – II Willy Moon – Here's Willy Moon Aaradhna Treble & Reverb Iva Lamkum - Black Eagle Jamie McDell - Six Strings and a Sailboat 2014 David Dallas Falling Into Place Liam Finn – The Nihilist Stan Walker – Inventing Myself Lorde Pure Heroine Ladi6 - Automatic Tiny Ruins - Haunts 2015 Marlon Williams Marlon Williams Stan Walker – Truth & Soul Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) – Multi-Love Gin Wigmore Blood to Bone Brooke Fraser - Brutal Romantic Anika Moa - Queen at the Table 2016 Maala Composure Avalanche City – We are for the Wild Places Dave Dobbyn – Harmony House Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth Aaradhna Brown Girl Tami Neilson - Don't Be Afraid Ladyhawke - Wild Things Hollie Smith - Water of Gold
Te Tino Reo o te Tau - Best Solo Artist (2017 to present)
Year Winner Album Other finalists 2017 Lorde Melodrama Aldous Harding – Party Kings – Kings EP Nadia Reid – Preservation 2018 Marlon Williams Make Way for Love Julia Deans – We Light Fire Kimbra – Primal Heart Tami Neilson – Sassafrass! 2019The BethsFuture Me Hates Me Beastwars - IV Broods – Don't Feed the Pop Monster L.A.B. – L.A.B. II2020BeneeStella & Steve JessB – New Views Nadia Reid – Out of My Province Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain2021TEEKSSomething to Feel Anna Coddington – Beams BENEE – Hey U X Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar 2022Tami NeilsonKingmaker Lorde – Solar Power Reb Fountain – IRIS Rob Ruha – Preservation of Scenery2023 colspan="4" 2024Marlon Williams Avantdale Bowling Club Fazerdaze Kaylee Bell Princess Chelsea Stan Walker2025FazerdazeSoft Power Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho Kaylee Bell – Nights Like This Mokotron – Waerea Stan Walker
References
External links
New Zealand Music Awards - Best Male Solo Artist