After an album to remember, Jenn Grant just had a weekend for the books as well. The Lake Echo-based singer-songwriter is coming home to Nova Scotia with a pair of 2024 East Coast Music Awards, for “Song of the Year” (“Judy”) and “Songwriter of the Year.” She won both over the weekend in Charlottetown at the 36th annual ECMAs. It was a weekend of awards that came with a haul of silverware for Halifax artists: Sixteen different Haligonian musicians, media personalities, events and venues earned recognition over the weekend, with Grant leading the pack. Her two awards tied her for the second-biggest ECMA haul this year, after PEI indie-folk group The East Pointers won a trio of plaques for their 2023 album, Safe In Sound.
“I’m so proud to share [it] with my beautiful and talented friend, family, bandmate and CO-WRITER of ‘Judy,’ Kim Harris,” Grant wrote on Facebook. “Writing and performing this song with Kim about her life, and her mother, Judy, has been such an incredible gift … It means everything making this magic together.”
Wagmatcook First Nation’s Morgan Toney took home a pair of ECMAs for Indigenous Artist of the Year and Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year, while former Hey Rosetta! frontman Tim Baker earned a pair of wins for his album The Festival.
It was a special weekend for Halifax’s Kayo, who won his first-ever ECMA for his 2023 album, Trip.
“I’m still on a high,” the St. Lucian-turned-Haligonian tells The Coast. “Still in disbelief. Still exhausted from the weekend … but I think the common denominator of it—and I think many people would agree—is that just that feeling of community, that sense of camaraderie that was definitely felt over the weekend.
“Especially on the east coast of Canada, I think it’s something that we should be very proud of, is how supportive we are ... It’s unmatched.”
That was a sentiment echoed by Grant as well.
“This is an incredible community and part of the world, thick with the blood of talent, diversity and strength. I am so proud to be a part of it,” she wrote. “It’s time to make more magic. And to make the world a better place.”
Here’s a look at all the big winners from the weekend:
Music Awards
African Canadian Artist of the Year
Maggie Andrew
Halifax, NS
Album of the Year
Neon Dreams – Love Child Baby Dolphin
Halifax, NS
Blues Recording of the Year
Charlie A’Court – International Roots & Blues Kitchen Party
Truro, NS
Children’s Entertainer of the Year
The Swinging Belles
St. John’s, NL
Choral Recording of the Year
Luminos Ensemble – In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven
Charlottetown, PEI
Classical Composer of the Year
Andrew Staniland – Blackwood Sketches
St. John’s, NL
Classical Recording of the Year
Bill Brennan – Kaleidoscope: Music for Mallet Instruments
St. John’s, NL
Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Charlottetown, PEI
Country Recording of the Year
Jason Benoit – Time Traveller - the album
Fox Island River, NL
Dance Recording of the Year
Cloverdale – “Up To No Good”
Halifax, NS
Electronic Recording of the Year
Rich Aucoin – “Space”
Halifax, NS
Folk Recording of the Year
Tim Baker – The Festival
St. John’s, NL
Francophone Recording of the Year
Julie Aubé – Contentement
Memramcook, NB
Fusion Recording of the Year
Gina Burgess – “Anuri”
Halifax, NS
Global Recording of the Year
CUERPOS – En Dos Partes
St. John’s, NL
Group Recording of the Year
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Charlottetown, PEI
Indigenous Artist of the Year
Morgan Toney
Wagmatcook First Nation
Instrumental Recording of the Year
Flying Pooka! – Flying Pooka! The Ecstasy of Becoming
St. John’s, NL
Jazz Recording of the Year
Paul Tynan – Bicoastal Collective; Chapter 6
Antigonish, NS
Loud Recording of the Year
Orchid’s Curse – The Decay EP
Halifax, NS
Pop Recording of the Year
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Charlottetown, PEI
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Kayo – Trip EP
Halifax, NS
Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year
City Natives – Still Chief’n
Tobique First Nation; Eel Ground First Nation; Eskasoni Mi’kmaw Nation
Rising Star Recording of the Year
The Bombadils – “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming”
Halifax, NS
Rock Recording of the Year
Good Dear Good – Arrival EP
Halifax, NS
Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year
Morgan Toney - “Resilience”
Wagmatcook First Nation
Solo Recording of the Year
Tim Baker – The Festival
St. John’s, NL
Song of the Year
Jenn Grant & Kim Harris – “Judy”
Halifax, NS / Charlottetown, PEI
Songwriter of the Year
Jenn Grant
Halifax, NS / Charlottetown, PEI
Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year
Derina Harvey Band
Wabush, NL
Fans’ Choice Video of the Year
2nd Generation – “Kina’mu” (Dir: Matthew Ingraham)
Eskasoni Mi’kmaw Nation
Industry Awards
Artist Management of the Year
Derrick Sturge – Pharos Music Inc.
St. John’s, NL
Audio Engineer of the Year
Jamie Foulds
Sydney, NS
Event of the Year
Halifax Jazz Festival
Halifax, NS
Innovator of the Year
Lindsay Connolly
Kensington, PEI
Media Person of the Year
Katie Kelly and Zach Snow (tied)
Halifax, NS and St. John’s, NL
Producer of the Year
Corey LeRue
Halifax, NS
Venue of the Year
The Carleton
Halifax, NS
Video Director of the Year
Brothers Boyd
Enfield, NS
Visual Artist of the Year
Heidi-Lyn O’Connor – East Track Mind
Moncton, NB
Honourary Awards
Director’s Special Achievement Award
Bruce Guthro
Sydney Mines, NS
Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award
Denis Parker
St. John’s, NL
Musician’s Achievement Award
Deryl Gallant
Charlottetown, PEI
Industry Builder Award
John Poirier
Halifax, NS
Bucky Adams Memorial Award
Scott Parsons
Charlottetown, PEI
Stompin’ Tom Awards
Pamela Morgan (St. John’s, NL)
Ian Alistair Gosbee (Halifax, NS)
Stephen Muise (Sydney, NS)
Zachary Atkinson (Fredericton, NB)
Kerri Wynne Macleod (Charlottetown, PEI)
