Jody Direen said she is honoured to have won the Best Country Album of the Year Tui Award at the 43rd annual New Zealand Country Music Awards, presented in Gore last Thursday (June 1).

Jody, who grew up in Wanaka and attended Mount Aspiring College, won the award for Shake Up, her third album. This year’s nomination was her second for nomination Best Country Music Album, and Shake Up is her first album to win a Tui.

The first single off the album, ‘Gimme The Beat’, reached number one on the New Zealand Heat Seekers Chart. Jody shot the video for the song last year in a hangar at Wanaka Airport; she worked with local stylist Trudie Millar, Wanaka makeup artist Janine Joseph and hair stylist Shannon Vanwalt van Praag for the shoot.

The other finalists finalists for Best Country Music Album were Hamilton County Bluegrass Band for the album These Old Hands and Phil Doublet for Endless Highway.

Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughn said New Zealand country music like Jody’s is some of the best in the world. "New Zealand produces an incredible amount of quality country music. Year in and year out the talent at the Country Music Awards continues to impress. Shake Up is an absolutely fantastic album and Jody Direen truly deserves this Tui,” he said.

Jodi said she’ll be shooting a video for her next single soon, and is asking fans to let her know which song off Shake Up it should be. To have your say, visit Jody’s Facebook page (click on MORE below).

The New Zealand Country Music Awards are hosted by the New Zealand Songwriters Trust as part of Gore’s Gold Guitar week, which attracts more than 5000 fans.

PHOTO: Wanaka App