Te Vaka and Scribe have taken double honours at the S ³ Pacific Music Awards 2008 announced on Saturday night in Manukau City.

Te Vaka was honoured with the Radio 531pi Best Pacific Group award and the coveted Tui for the S ³ Best Pacific Music Album for 'Olatia'. It's the second Best Pacific Album award for the 11-piece band whose music is inspired by the Pacific Islands. Te Vaka took out the Tui award in 2004 for 'Tutuki'.Te Vaka and Scribe have taken double honours at the S ³ Pacific Music Awards 2008 announced on Saturday night in Manukau City.

Te Vaka was honoured with the Radio 531pi Best Pacific Group award and the coveted Tui for the S ³ Best Pacific Music Album for 'Olatia'. It's the second Best Pacific Album award for the 11-piece band whose music is inspired by the Pacific Islands. Te Vaka took out the Tui award in 2004 for 'Tutuki'.To acknowledge the band's Tui win, Te Vaka will also be honoured at the New Zealand Music Awards in October.

New Zealand's leading hip hop artist, Scribe has taken out the NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist Award for his second album 'Rhyme Book'.

Malo Luafutu (a.k.a Scribe) is also a co-winner with Tyra Hammond, Aaron Iusitini and Jordan Iusitini for 'Say It Again' (published by Mushroom Music) which has prevailed in the APRA Best Pacific Song category.

Pacific Music Awards chairperson the Rev Mua Strickson Pua says the S ³ Pacific Music Awards 2008 acknowledges the contribution of Pacific Music to the economies of New Zealand and our Pacific nations.

"Pacific music has been a trail blazer for race relations, social responsibility, and expressing human joy in Aotearoa and through out the Pacific region. Our music continues to be the fresh face of Aotearoa New Zealand for the global economy."

RIANZ CEO Campbell Smith says RIANZ is proud to support the Pacific Music Awards as the home of the Tui for Best Pacific Music Album.

"It has been another amazing year for Pacific music and this year's results reflect a growing diversity in the Pacific fraternity which in turn makes for a very healthy music industry."

The fourth annual Pacific Music Awards were held at Manukau City's TelstraClear Pacific venue and celebrate Pacific music and artists.

The audience was treated to dynamic live performances by Pacific music stalwarts and newcomers alike including Nesian Mystik, Three Houses Down, Cydel, Lole Usoalii, Julie Ta'ale, Kas Futialo and Vaniah Toloa.

Winners and Finalists for the 2008 S ³ (pron: ess-cubed) Pacific Music Awards

Counties Manukau District Health Board - smokefree BEST PACIFIC FEMALE ARTIST
Winner: Lole 'The Movement'
Finalists:
Delani "Butterflies"
Zeisha Fremaux 'Secret Game'

NZ MUSIC COMMISSION BEST PACIFIC MALE ARTIST
Winner: Scribe 'Rhyme Book'
Finalists:
Kas Futialo 'Lokokasi'
Vaniah Toloa 'E Le Galo Oe'

NIU FM BEST PACIFIC URBAN ARTIST
Winner: Cydel 'Soul Finder'
Finalists:
PNC "PN Whoa"
Scribe 'Rhyme Book'

RADIO 531PI BEST PACIFIC GROUP
Winner: Te Vaka 'Olatia'
Finalists:
Cydel 'Soul Finder'
Three Houses Down 'Dreadtown'

APRA BEST PACIFIC SONG
Winner: Scribe "Say It Again" (Luafutu/Hammond/Iusitini/Iusitini/Mushroom Music Publishing)
Finalists:
Three Houses Down "DandyMan" (Puriri/Pome'e)
Ill Semantics feat Adeaze "Take It Slow"
(Arona/Moore/Tupa'i/Tupa'i/N Holmes)

S ³ BEST PACIFIC MUSIC ALBUM (Tui Award)
Winner: Te Vaka 'Olatia'
Finalists:
Three Houses Down 'Dreadtown'
Cydel 'Soul Finder'

MANUKAU CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD - BEST PACIFIC ARTIST
Three Houses Down

MINISTRY OF PACIFIC ISLAND AFFAIRS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Sione Aleki

PHILLIP FUEMANA AWARD
Matthew Salapu Faiumu

01/06/08