When Mosaic Music songwriter Simon Hayward reflects on 2014, he says it has been a 'surreal” year for the band.

The Mount Maunganui church group's album ‘You Surround' is a finalist in the 2014 Vodafone NZ Music Awards being held in Auckland on Thursday.

Mount Maunganui church group Mosaic Music is a finalist in the Gospel category of next week's 2014 Vodafone NZ Music Awards. Photo: Supplied

Mosaic Music is also the only Tauranga act to be named as a finalist at the national awards, colloquially known as ‘The Tuis'.

'It's a surreal thing,” says Simon. 'When you undertake projects you do them for your own reasons so to be nominated is one of those unexpected, cool things.”

'When we released the album in April it reached number one on the NZ iTunes worship chart and third in the Top 40 charts for all genres.”

'That was real cool and exciting. People just seemed to really love the album.”

‘You Surround', which was recorded last year at Revolver Studio, with additional recording earlier this year in Waiuku, features the work of 10 musicians from the church.

Within that group there are three principle songwriters – Simon, his wife Kelly Hayward and Josh Turner – who work collaboratively to create the music and lyrics.

For live shows the songwriters are joined on stage by fellow musicians Jared Harper, Logan Skerrett, Linden Cunninghame, Alice Cunninghame, Hannah Wanhill, Georgia Lines and Kelly Macnamara.

'They are all really, really great musicians,” he says, 'and they play with us at church or at events, which is great.”

The members of the band are currently juggling their music and family commitments but were all looking forward to getting back up on stage soon.

Their next gig will be during Festival One at Mystery Creek in Hamilton, which replaces the cancelled Parachute Festival, held on the last weekend of January next year.

They will follow that show up a week later with a slot at Hydrate - a worship event being held in Raglan.

Simon says they can't wait for next week's Tui Awards and a win would certainly be the cherry on the cake for Mosaic Music.

'Being nominated as a finalist in the Gospel category at the awards is just a really cool way to finish a really fun project,” he adds.

'On behalf of Mosaic Music I just want to thank everyone who's bought our music, connected with it and supported us. It's them as well as us which is really cool.”

For more information about Mosaic Music and to purchase copies of ‘You Surround' visit: www.yousurround.com