09 Aug 2022
Creative New Zealand is delighted to acknowledge Shepherds Reign as the inaugural winners of the Creative New Zealand Award at the 2022 Pacific Music Awards.
Shepherds Reign has a unique and genre-bending approach to creating their music and indigenous lyrics. With their cultural roots straddling Sāmoa, Aotearoa, Asia and Europe, the group is proud of its diverse make-up.
The South Auckland band are taking their ‘Kiwi metal’ and Pacific sounds around world; their hit, ‘Le Manu’, sung in Samoan, has introduced the language to new international audiences.
Shepherds Reign received $5000 with the award. Music is a vital and important part of the Pasifika community and Creative New Zealand hopes to encourage new, contemporary and innovative works with this award.
The new annual award and partnership is an initiative under the Pacific Arts Strategy 2018 – 2023.
Caren Rangi, Chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (our governing body) was proud to present the award on Thursday 4 August, pictured here with Shepherds Reign and Makerita Urale, Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager, Pacific Arts.
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