Dunedin singer Melissa Partridge has been nominated for best country music album for her debut album, Melissa and Gore singer Jackie Bristow for her second album, Crazy Love.
"I'm really chuffed to be nominated," Partridge told the Otago Daily Times.
"It's my first album, so it's really exciting."
The other finalist in the best album category is The Cattlestops, of Wellington, for Back to Rosetta Road.
Partridge (21), who is a former Gold Guitars award winner, has also been nominated in the best country song award, with co-writer Gordon Jones, for I'll Be On My Way.
Partridge and Jones perform together in Dunedin band U4EYA.
The single has been acclaimed in the United States.
"I must say it's as good and, in my opinion, much better than most of our contemporary country music in the USA right now," an American National Traditional Country Music Association reviewer said.
The other two song-writing finalists are Red McKelvie, of Christchurch, for Ridin' On Trains and Bruce Dennis, of Hamilton, with Ain't Gonna Run.
Bristow was born in Gore and is now based in Los Angeles.
Her album, Crazy Love, which was released during a New Zealand tour last year, has featured on Air New Zealand international flights and the television programme Outrageous Fortune.
The quality of the nominees showed the strength of country music in New Zealand, New Zealand Music Awards spokesman Campbell Smith said.
"It's fantastic to be able to present our Tui at the biggest country music festival in New Zealand. It's a great occasion which draws well deserved attention to our local and offshore-based country artists," he said.
The winners will be announced at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in Gore on May 30.
