New Zealand Music Award for Best Solo Artist


Best Solo Artist is a New Zealand 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)

YearWinnerOther finalists
1978John Rowlesrowspan="6"
1978Sharon O'Neill-
1979Rob Guest-
1979Sharon O'Neill-
1980Jon Stevens-
1980Sharon O'Neill-
1981Dave McArtney
1981Suzanne Prentice
  • Jenny Morris
  • Tina Cross
    • 1982Dave Dobbyn
  • Malcolm McNeill
  • Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay
    • 1982Patsy Riggir
  • Suzanne Prentice
  • Trudi Green
    • 1983Dave Dobbyn
  • Malcolm McNeill
  • Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay
    • 1983Suzanne Prentice
  • Trudi Green
  • Patsy Riggir
    • 1984Jordan Luck
  • Andy Dickson
  • Andrew Fagan
    • 1984Patsy Riggir
  • Jodi Vaughan
  • Suzanne Prentice

    • Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (1985 to 2003)

    Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist (2004 to 2016)

    YearWinnerAlbumOther finalists
    2004ScribeThe Crusader
    2004Brooke FraserWhat to Do with Daylight
  • Bic Runga - Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony
  • Hayley Westenra - Pure
    • 2005P-MoneyMagic City
  • Savage – Moonshine
  • SJD – Southern Lights
    • 2005YuliaInto the West
  • Debbie Harwood – Soothe Me
  • Jordan Reyne – Passenger
    • 2006Dave DobbynAvailable Light
  • Don McGlashan - Warm Hand
  • Che Fu - Beneath the Radar
    • 2006Bic RungaBirds
  • Aaradhna - I Love You
  • Anika Moa - Stolen Hill
    • 2007Tim FinnImaginary Kingdom
  • Paul McLaney - EDIN
  • Greg Johnson - Anyone Can Say Goodbye
    • 2007Hollie SmithLong Player
  • Brooke Fraser - Albertine
  • Hayley Westenra - Treasure
    • 2008Liam FinnI'll Be Lightning
  • SJD - Songs From a Dictaphone
  • Tiki Taane - Past, Present, Future
    • 2008Anika MoaIn Swings the Tide
  • Aaradhna - Sweet Soul Music
  • Annabel Fay - Annabel Fay
    • 2009SavageSavage Island
  • Don McGlashan - Marvellous Year
  • Dave Dobbyn - Anotherland
    • 2009LadyhawkeLadyhawke
  • Boh Runga - Right Here
  • Ladi6 - Time Is Not Much
    • 2010Dane RumbleThe Experiment
  • Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into the Snat
  • J. Williams - Young Love
    • 2010Anika MoaLove in Motion
  • Gin Wigmore - Holy Smoke
  • Hollie Smith - Humour and the Misfortune of Others
    • 2011Tiki TaaneIn the World of Light
  • David Dallas – The Rose Tint
  • Stan Walker – From the Inside Out
    • 2011Ladi6The Liberation Of...
  • Brooke Fraser – Flags
  • Julia Deans – Modern Fables
    • 2012Ruban Nielson Unknown Mortal Orchestra
  • Bulletproof – Dub Me Crazy
  • Seth Haapu – Seth Haapu
    • 2012KimbraVows
  • Gin Wigmore – Gravel & Wine
  • Ladyhawke – Anxiety
    • 2013Lawrence ArabiaThe Sparrow
  • Ruban Nielson – II
  • Willy Moon – Here's Willy Moon
    • 2013AaradhnaTreble & Reverb
  • Iva Lamkum - Black Eagle
  • Jamie McDell - Six Strings and a Sailboat
    • 2014David DallasFalling Into Place
  • Liam Finn – The Nihilist
  • Stan Walker – Inventing Myself
    • 2014LordePure Heroine
  • Ladi6 - Automatic
  • Tiny Ruins - Haunts
    • 2015Marlon WilliamsMarlon Williams
  • Stan Walker – Truth & Soul
  • Ruban Nielson – Multi-Love
    • 2015Gin WigmoreBlood to Bone
  • Brooke Fraser - Brutal Romantic
  • Anika Moa - Queen at the Table
    • 2016MaalaComposure
  • Avalanche City – We are for the Wild Places
  • Dave Dobbyn – Harmony House
  • Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth
    • 2016AaradhnaBrown Girl
  • Tami Neilson - Don't Be Afraid
  • Ladyhawke - Wild Things
  • Hollie Smith - Water of Gold

    • Best Solo Artist (2017 to present)

    YearWinnerOther finalists
    2017