Tauranga's Ria Hall is one of many Maori musicians to be walking away victorious at this year's Waiata Māori Music Awards.

The singer-songwriter who hails from all three Tauranga Moana tribes including Ngati Ranginui, Ngai te Rangi and Ngati Pukenga, was named Best Female Artist at the 11th Annual Waiata Māori Music Awards in Hastings on Friday night.

The awards ceremony celebrates excellence in Māori music and acknowledges and honours Māori artists from throughout the who continue to promote te reo and te ao Māori through the power of music.

The awards were established by the late composer, musician and teacher Tama Huata ONZM of Ngāti Kahungunu, a renowned leader and champion of the Māori Music and performing arts industry. They are now run by his daughter Ellison Huata.

A community choir, led by Ria Hall, opening last year's Tauranga Arts Festival.

Also cleaning up awards during last night's ceremony was East Coast singer-songwriter Rob Ruha who won four awards including Best Male Artist, Best Māori Traditional Album for Survivance, Best Urban Artist and Best Song for ‘Kalega'.

Teen thrash-metal band Alien Weaponry won Best Music Video for ‘Kai Tangata'; singer/songwriter Seth Haapu won Best Songwriter for his track ‘New Wave'; Troy Kingi took out Best Pop Album for Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way To Zygertron; and Tomorrow People were awarded Best Roots, Reggae for their album BBQ Reggae, which went number one earlier this year, knocking Ed Sheeran off the top of the Kiwi album charts.

For the second year in a row, Six60 took out Radio Airplay Song of the Year for single ‘Don't Give It Up' and Māori pop sensation Maimoa were awarded Radio Airplay Song of the Year in Te Reo Māori for their pop hit ‘Wairua'.

Two Emerging Artists were acknowledged at the awards this year: singer and rapper Ngatai Waretini won Emerging Artist award in the Under 25 category and Arona Maui was recognised in the Over 25 category.

Full list of 2018 Waiata Māori Music Awards winners:

Best Māori Traditional Album | Kōpae Mōteatea Hira
Rob Ruha – Survivance

Best Māori Pop Album | Kaipūoru Māori Autaia
Troy Kingi - Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron

Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist in Te Reo Māori Award | Kōpae-Irirangi Kaipūoru Reo Māori o te Tau
Maimoa – ‘Wairua'

Radio Airplay Song of the Year by a Māori Artist | Kōpae-Irirangi Kaipūoru Māori o te Tau
Six60 – ‘Don't Give It Up'

Best Music Video by a Māori Artist | Ataata Māori Hira o te Tau
Alien Weaponry – ‘Kai Tangata'

Best Māori Urban Artist or Artists | Kaipūoru Māori-Noho-Taone Autaia
Rob Ruha

Best Roots, Reggae | Kōpaeroa Autaia Roots, Reggae
Tomorrow People – BBQ Reggae

Best Māori Songwriter | Kaitito Waiata- Māori Autaia
Seth Haapu – ‘New Wave'

Best Māori Male Solo Artist | Manu Tīoriori Tāne Autaia
Rob Ruha

Best Māori Female Solo Artist | Manu Tīoriori Wahine Autaia
Ria Hall

Best Song by a Māori Artist | Waiata Māori Hira
Rob Ruha – ‘Kalega'

Keeper of Tradition | Kaitiaki Tikanga Pūoru
Derek Lardelli
Dame Georgina Kingi

Lifetime Contribution to Māori Music | Mauriora o Te Ao Pūoru Māori
Monty Cowan

Music Industry Award | Ahumahi Pūoru
Carl Perkins

Music Composers Award (Historical) | Te Puna o te ki o nehe
Ngatai Huata

- Additional reporting RNZ