Songstress Lorde has refused to accept a prestigious $10,000 New Zealand music award, instead choosing to split the winnings with the other nominees during the ceremony last night.

The 17-year-old new Zealander, who accepted the award via video form the US, asked to split the prize with her fellow nominees who “are in more need of the funds and exposure right now.”

“If you will accept it – the prize money and the studio time have been split between this year’s nominees,” the singer said. “If you don’t want it, that’s cool too.”

The Taite Music Prize is an award which honours New Zealand’s best local album each year. Lorde won the award for her multi-award-winning offering Pure Heroine, released last year.

The other finalists – Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sheep Dog & Wold and Jonathan Bree – will each take home $1666.66 if they accept Lorde’s offer.

The talented teen was yesterday announced as Teen Vogue’s latest cover star and has tweeted sneak peaks of the stunning shoot.

When sharing one picture Lorde, who is an outspoken advocate for natural beauty, accused the teen publication of giving her “a new nose.”

apart from the fact that i’m pretty sure this magazine gave me a new nose (:|), i really like this photo pic.twitter.com/Ehk9QMYPjf

— Lorde (@lordemusic) April 16, 2014