Aussie claws out for Ladyhawke

HIGH FLYER: Ladyhawke.

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Ladyhawke 'shocked' by awards

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Multi award-winning New Zealand singer Ladyhawke has ruffled feathers across the Tasman after being granted a solo performance slot on Australia's major music awards night.

Ladyhawke - aka Pip Brown - was last week nominated for five Australian Aria awards and is scheduled to perform live on the big night on November 26.

But management for her Australian rivals for the best female artists award - Sarah Blasko, Kate Miller-Heidke and Lisa Mitchell - appear miffed they will only "grace the stage in succession for a one-off performance".

And Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported industry commentators had called on organisers for evidence that Ladyhawke was eligible for the Arias, as Kiwis including the band Evermore and Neil Finn were ruled out in previous years.

Paul Piticco, who heads Blasko's label Dew Process, said that the Aria board needed to revisit the criteria for future awards.

"I think Ladyhawke has a great album and she deserves the accolades and if I was her label or management I would seize the opportunity," he told the Telegraph.

"I think the problem lies with the criteria set by Aria for who gets the performance slots, or qualifies for nomination - and that needs to be looked at."

Raised in Masterton and based in the UK, Ladyhawke dominated the New Zealand Music Awards this month by winning six gongs including album and single of the year.

In Australia she is nominated for Arias for best female artist, best pop release, and in the breakthrough artist - album and single of the year categories.

Her label Modular insisted she satisfied the criteria that you must be an Australian citizen or have "gained or applied for permanent residency in Australia and resided in Australia for six months during the eligibility period".

The Telegraph reported Ladyhawke has a lease on a Sydney flat in Kings Cross, but has been based in London for the past two years and calls Wellington home on her MySpace page.

Ladyhawke's debut album went gold in the UK, Australia and New Zealand and reached No 16 on the UK album chart.

- NZPA