2026 APRA Silver Scroll Finalists Announced

The finalists for the 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka have been revealed, bringing together established names and first-time contenders from across Aotearoa’s songwriting and composition community.

Aldous Harding and Troy Kingi are among the artists returning to the Silver Scroll top five, while Deva Mahal, LEAO and Fazed on a Pony have each landed their first finalist spots for the coveted songwriting award.

This year’s awards will also introduce a new category recognising kapa haka songwriting, with the winners across all categories to be announced at Auckland’s Aotea Centre on October 14th as APRA marks its centenary.

Harding, who won the Silver Scroll in 2019 for “The Barrel”, returns to the top five with “One Stop”, the first single from her recently released album Train on the Island. Previous winner Kingi is nominated alongside Maarire Brunning-Kouka, aka MĀ, for “Afters”, taken from Kingi’s Night Lords.

Deva Mahal has made the final five for the first time after four previous shortlist appearances, earning a nomination alongside Chris Wethey for “Someone’s Daughter”. First-time finalists LEAO are recognised for “LALELEI”, the first song written and performed entirely in gagana Samoa to reach the Silver Scroll top five, while Peter McCall’s Fazed on a Pony rounds out the category with “Wrong Party”.

“This year’s finalists are a celebration of us — our stories, our languages, our communities and the many different ways music is made and shared across Aotearoa,” Head of APRA AMCOS Aotearoa Anthony Healey said.

“They remind us of the depth, diversity and heart of New Zealand music, and the extraordinary people who bring it to life."

Elsewhere, TAWAZ and Professor Rangi-Ānehu Mātāmua are finalists for the APRA Maioha Award | Tohu Maioha with “Mānawa Maeia Matariki”, alongside Aro’s “Puna Ora” and Geneva AM’s “Toitū Te Tiriti”.

This year also introduces the Te Tihi o te Maunga Tito | Kapa Haka Songwriting Award, a new category recognising original compositions in te reo Māori. Its inaugural finalists include Dr Hinurewa Poutū and TAWAZ for “Ka Mutu Te Aroha”, Rob Ruha for “Te Tapuni”, and Tā Derek Lardelli, Te Rauhuia Ngata, Ani Piki Tuari and Hamiora Tuari for “Wai Ka Tuku Wai Ka Hono”.

The SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha finalists are Ihlara McIndoe for curio, Dylan Lardelli for Light Lines, Michael Norris and Nicholas Denton Protsack for Partial Forms, and Samuel Holloway for Soft Logic.

The awards will also recognise screen composition, with Jonathan Crayford, Karl Steven and Rob Thorne among the feature film finalists. Claire Cowan, Lachlan Anderson and Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper are nominated in the series category for their work on Bust Up, Crackhead and Tangata Pai, respectively.

The 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka will take place at the Aotea Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau on Wednesday, October 14th.

2026 APRA Silver Scroll Award nominees: 

APRA Silver Scroll Award | Kaitito Kaiaka
“Afters” — written by Troy Kingi and Maarire Brunning-Kouka, performed by Troy Kingi feat. MĀ
“LALELEI” — written by David Feauai-Afaese, Navakatoa Tekela-Pule, Levi Gemmell and Larsen Taylor, performed by LEAO
“One Stop” — written by Hannah Topp, performed by Aldous Harding
“Someone’s Daughter” — written by Deva Mahal and Chris Wethey, performed by Deva Mahal
“Wrong Party” — written by Peter McCall, performed by Fazed on a Pony

APRA Tohu Maioha | Maioha Award
“Mānawa Maiea Matariki” — written by Tawaroa Kawana and Rangi-Ānehu Mātāmua, performed by TAWAZ, Stan Walker, Hera, Hone, Nepia, Rani and Hops
“Puna Ora” — written by Charles Looker and Emily Looker, performed by Aro
“Toitū Te Tiriti” — written by Geneva Alexander-Marsters and Eric Scholes, performed by Geneva AM

Te Tihi o te Maunga Tito | Kapa Haka Songwriting Award
“Ka Mutu Te Aroha” — written by Dr Hinurewa Poutū and Tawaroa Kawana, performed by Te Whare Haka o Te Puku
“Te Tapuni” — written by Rob Ruha, performed by Te Taumata o Apanui (TOA)
“Wai Ka Tuku Wai Ka Hono” — written by Tā Derek Lardelli, Te Rauhuia Ngata, Ani Piki Tuari and Hamiora Tuari, performed by Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti

SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha
curio — Ihlara McIndoe
Light Lines — Dylan Lardelli
Partial Forms — Michael Norris and Nicholas Denton Protsack
Soft Logic — Samuel Holloway

APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award | Tohu Paerangi
Claire Cowan — Bust Up
Lachlan Anderson — Crackhead
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper — Tangata Pai

APRA Best Original Music in a Film Award | Tohu Pūmanawa
Jonathan Crayford — Caterpillar
Karl Steven and Rob Thorne — Mārama
Karl Steven — Pike River