Three Samoan songwriters or groups are up for a 2020 Silver Scroll, New Zealand’s prestigious song-writing award, to be announced in October in Auckland.

Steve Tofa, rap duo Church & AP and Team Dynamite are among the Top 20 finalists, chosen by a panel of ten out more than 200 entries. 

Samoan born Steve was nominated for his song Bone Dat Needs Pickin’ from his album The Barefooted Beast. It was released in 2018, and this year is his first time being nominated for a music award. 

Bone Dat Needs Pickin’ is a bluesy track, with Tofa performing the lead, backing vocals and guitar on his own. 

Auckland rappers Church & AP (Elijah Manu and Albert Purcell along with Rory Noble) are nominated for their track War Outside, featuring Neko Newman on a catchy, hip hop hook. It was released in April, their second single of the year. 

“We’ve been steadily carving out our lane in this industry and setting the tone in our scene,” the pair said at the time.

“This song is a proclamation that we’re war ready. Nothing can get in the way of what we’re about to do.”

Lance Fepuleai, known as Lucky Lance, from Team Dynamite is up for an award for Team Dynamites collaboration with Diggy Dupé for their track Who, by Fepuleai, Tony Tz and Harry Huavi.

It is a dark hip hop record that opens by asking ‘who gonna kill me, when?’

As well as the Silver Scrolls, New Zealand will learn the winners of the Maioha Award for songs in  or featuring te reo Maori, the SOUNZ contemporary award, and the best original music in a feature film and best original music in a series awards. 

The Silver Scrolls is the song-writing award of the Australasian Performing Right Association (A.P.R.A.), and have been running since 1965.

The last three winners of the Silver Scroll Award are Aldous Harding for The Barrel, Marlon Williams for Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore and Lorde for Green Light.

Samoan New Zealander Malo Luafutu or Scribe won in 2004 for his song Not Many.

The entire Top 20:

• Lisa Crawley - ‘Best Thing In The Room’ (written by Lisa Crawley and Robert Kleiner)
• Steve Tofa - ‘Bone Dat Needs Pickin’ (written by Steve Tofa)
• Reb Fountain - ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am’ (written by Reb Fountain)
• Nadia Reid - ‘Get The Devil Out’ (written by Nadia Reid)
• BENEE - ‘Glitter’ (written by Stella Bennett, Joshua Fountain and Djesian Suskov)
• Lips - ‘Guilty Talk’ (written by Stephanie Brown and Fen Ikner)
• Belladonna - ‘Hands’ (written by Bella Cook and Shannon Fowler)
• Mermaidens - ‘I Might Disappear’ (written by Gussie Larkin, Lily West and Abraham Hollingsworth)
• L.A.B. - ‘In The Air’ (written by Arapekanga Hayden Adams-Tamatea, Brad Donald Kora, Hiriini Stuart Kora, Joel Shadbolt, and Miharo Boaz Gregory)
• King Sweeties - ‘Let’s Just Stay In Bed’ (written by Cass Mitchell and Bic Runga)
• Troy Kingi - ‘Mighty Invader’ (written by Troy Kingi) 
• Hamerkop - ‘Remote’ (written by Annabel Alpers)
• Terrible Sons - ‘Ruffle’ (written by Matthew Barus and Lauren Barus)
• Chelsea Jade - ‘Superfan’ (written by Chelsea Jade Metcalf and Leroy Clampitt)
• Carnivorous Plant Society - ‘Take’ (written by Finn Scholes, Tam Scholes, Siobhanne Thompson, Cass Mitchell and Alistair Deverick)
• CHAII - ‘Trouble’ (written by Mona Sanei and Frank Eliesa, performed by CHAII)
• Ria Hall - ‘Walk’ (written by Ria Hall)
• Church & AP - ‘War Outside’ (written by Elijah Manu, Albert Purcell and Rory Noble)
• Team Dynamite ft. Diggy Dupe - ‘Who?’ (written by Lance Fepuleai, Tony Tz, Harry Huavi)
• Tami Neilson - ‘You Were Mine’ (written by Tamara Neilson and Joshua Neilson)