All the winners at the 2026 Pacific Music Awards

Multi-award winning musician Sam V, who rose to fame after uploading videos to YouTube at the age of nine, wins Pacific Soul/RnB artist for the fifth year running.

The multi-award winning musician (Cook Island Māori – Mangaia, Dutch, New Zealand European) rose to fame after uploading videos to YouTube at the age of nine.

He went into Wednesday night's awards leading with five nominations. Along with his RnB win, Sam V bagged best male artist and best Pacific song for his single 'Small Taste' with Jaedyn Randell.

To take the prize, Scribe beat his cousin, Ladi6. However, Ladi's production team Brent Park-Tamati & Brandon Haru won best producers for the RnB singer’s 'Le Vā', released last year.

Three Houses Down were named best Pacific roots/reggae artist and five-piece Samoan metal band, Shepherds Reign, won music video of the year for their single ‘Samoa Mo Samoa’ directed by Twayne Laumua.

Cook Island musical pioneer Will Crummer was presented with the Pacific people’s lifetime achievement award honouring his career spanning more than six decades and his enduring contribution to Pacific music.

Born in Rarotonga and raised in the village of Turangi, Crummer grew up surrounded by Cook Islands music and language. From his early recordings with Viking Records to the later revival of his Rarotongan repertoire, his work helped preserve and share the music of the Cook Islands with audiences across generations.

2026 Pacific Music Awards full winners list

Best Pacific Female Artist

Iva Lamkum – ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ - **WINNER **

Kenzie From Welly – Greenstone Door

Ladi6 – Le Vā

LOU'ANA – Disco Witch

Talia Perese – Talia Perese

Tree – The Rose Era

Best Pacific Male Artist

Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, ‘Small Taste’, ‘Pay No Mind’ **WINNER **

Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’

Lepani – ‘Young Gun’, ‘Feel It’, ‘Y’, ‘Never Meet Your Dreams’, ‘Young Gun (Acoustic)’

MELODOWNZ – Melo & Bass (EP), ‘Same As Before’, ‘Kavafied feat. Revus’

RNZŌ – RNZŌ SZN

Scribe – Scribe is Dead

Best Pacific Group

A.R.T – Nana's Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP) **WINNER **

Brotherhood Musiq – ‘Amazing Love’, ‘Got It Right’

Signature Choir – Reach the Sky EP

Three Houses Down – Lovers Roots EP

Village 90 – ‘On My Way’, ‘All I Want’

Best Pacific Language

Taonepuna Lakatani, Malcolm Lakatani & Pacific Kids Learning –‘Ulihega’, ‘Vevela Mai He Lā’ **WINNER **

A.R.T – Nana's Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP)

GLEN JXN JACKSON – Niue 1976

Junior Soqeta –‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’

Tree – The Rose Era

Best Pacific Gospel Artist

Signature Choir – Reach the Sky EP **WINNER **

Brotherhood Musiq –‘Amazing Love’, ‘Got It Right’

Punialava'a – ‘Sauaga i Aiga’, ‘Samoa Ua Potopoto’, ‘Aiga Sa Petaia’, ‘Lo'u Alofa Afulumemea’, ‘Manatua le Mananoa’, ‘Le Lalolagi Fa'atalitali’

Tree – The Rose Era

Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist

Kenzie From Welly – Greenstone Door **WINNER **

Diggy Dupé & choicevaughan – Brown Velvet (EP)

MELODOWNZ – Melo & Bass (EP), ‘Same As Before’, ‘Kavafied feat.Revus’

Scribe – Scribe is Dead

Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist

Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, ‘Small Taste’, ‘Pay No Mind’ **WINNER **

A.R.T – Nana's Garage (EP), Blank Canvas (EP)

Ladi6 – Le Vā

Myshaan –‘Missed Your Chance', 'Inside My Head', 'Pacific Beauty ft Kennyon Brown', 'Angel', 'Paint Them With You'

Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist

Three Houses Down – Lovers Roots EP **WINNER **

Fejoint, Switch.E & Folau – ‘Oiaue’

Island Vibes – ‘Remember Who You Are’, ‘Umu’, ‘Samoa O Oe Le Penina’, ‘Tonga Tu ketau Tue’, ‘Hiki Nima’, ‘Sunshine’

Junior Soqeta – ‘So Amazing’, ‘Girl I Surrender’, ‘Lomaloma’, ‘i daulomani (etu feat. Junior Soqeta)’, ‘All Over Again’, ‘Sweet Sensation’

Shane Walker- ‘Mama’, ‘Waima Girl’, ‘Whakapara Girl’

Best Pacific Song

Sam V – ‘Small Taste’ Written by: Sam Verlinden, Edward Liu, Jaedyn Randall, Sam Nakamura **WINNER **

Island Vibes – ‘Tonga Tu Ketau Tue’ Written by: Island Vibes

Iva Lamkum – ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ Written by: Iva Lamkum, Diaz Grimm, Josh Fountain, James Newman

Lepani – ‘Young Gun’ Written by: Lepani Tuifagalele

Scribe – ‘Glowstick’ Written by: Malo Luafutu, Zac Harding

Best Pacific Music Video

Shepherds Reign – ‘Samoa Mo Samoa’ Director: Twayne Laumua **WINNER **

A.R.T – ‘Over Now’ Director: Michael Hunt

Brandn Shiraz – ‘Youngin from Kuki II’ Director: Esther Mauga

Iva Lamkum – ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ Director: David Truasheim

Three Houses Down – ‘Turn Around’ Director: Three Houses Down

Vallé – ‘Hold Me’ Director: John Ross

Best Producer

Brent Park-Tamati & Brandon Haru – Le Vā, Ladi6 **WINNER **

EDY, Astro, Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe, Sam V

Josh Fountain –‘Don't Mind If I Do’, Iva Lamkum

Nathan Judd – Disco Witch, LOU'ANA

Best Pacific Music Album

Scribe – Scribe is Dead WINNER

A.R.T – Blank Canvas

Ladi6 – Le Vā

Sam V – Take A Chance On V: Deluxe

Best International Pacific Artist

Fiji – ‘Daydream’ **WINNER **

Etu – SUNFLOWER

JAHBOY –Rockstar EP

Jaro Local – ‘Aburongo’, ‘Olbaut Olbaut (remix)’

Wameblood – ‘Puki’, ‘Kumul Fly’, ‘Batchiba’

People’s Choice Award – Best Pacific Artist

Signature Choir

Radio Airplay Award

Shane Walker – 'Coasty Girl'

Streaming Award

Shane Walker – 'Coasty Girl'

Most Promising Pacific Artist

Talia Perese

Creative New Zealand Award

Anne Filimoehala

Lifetime Achievement Award

Will Crummer

Independent Music Award

Letoa

Special Recognition Award

Signature Choir