The largest celebration of music in Nova Scotia is almost here, and with it comes a bevy of awards for the province’s most talented musicians.
Nova Scotia Music Week begins in Yarmouth this Thursday, Oct. 23, with the awards ceremony taking place on Sunday, Oct. 26. In the lead for nominations is Mik’maq folk singer and fiddler Morgan Toney with five nominations, followed by hip-hop artist KAYO with four nominations. Braden Lam, Jah’Mila, KC Okoye, Million Vibes, Mo Kenney, and PINEO & LOEB all have three nominations each.
Members of Music Nova Scotia had the chance to vote in the Music & Industry Awards as long as they were in good standing and voted for a minimum of 50 percent of the categories this year, with there being 30 categories in total. This vote, as well as jury scores, determines the winners of each category.
While 28 of the 30 categories are your standard awards affair with a few nominees in each, two categories didn’t receive enough nominations to activate, according to Music Nova Scotia: Children’s Recording of the Year and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. Members were asked to write-in their favourites in these categories and after a jury process, a winner will be selected at the Awards Brunch on Sunday.
Nova Scotia Music Week is more than just the awards ceremony. There will be showcases throughout the weekend across Yarmouth, celebrating the artists that make Nova Scotia’s music scene as vibrant as it is. If you want to join in on the fun, tickets are still available for Nova Scotia Music Week.
Music Award Categories
African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year
Jah’Mila
JupiterReign
KAYO
KC Okoye
Kxng Wooz
Americana/Bluegrass Recording of the Year
Aaron MacDonald – Songs from a Hurricane
Clever Hopes – New Kind of Familiar
Charlie A’Court – San Palarino
The Culls – The Culls
Newbridge – Past Lives
Blues Recording of the Year
11th & Duke – 105 Reasons Why
Angelo Spinazzola – Harp-Centric
Campbell & Johnston – Paisley Hearts
Geoff Arsenault – Hired Hand
The Jazz Enthusiast – Sweater Weather 3: “Cutting Ties”
Classical Recording of the Year
Amy Brandon – Lysis
Catherine Little and Gregory Myra – Light & Dark
Edward Enman – Silver Light: Fantasies on Poems by Sara Teasdale
India Gailey (with Symphony Nova Scotia & Karl Hirzer) – Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth
Collateral (Shalabi, Adams, Crofts) – Flickering Cotillian
Country Recording of the Year
Bill Ricky – Bill Ricky
Jamie Fontaine – Jamie Fontaine
Jon Cornwall – Great Villagers
Nathan Trentelman – Runnin’ Away
Tyler Mullendore – Time Heals Everything
DJ of the Year
DJ Hotcue
Hieropunk
KAYO
KC Okoye
PINEO & LOEB
Electronic Artist of the Year
G.Roy
Hieropunk
KC Okoye
Pineo & LOEB
Rich Aucoin
Entertainer of the Year
Braden Lam
Jacques Surette
Jah’Mila
KAYO
Maggie Andrew
Morgan Toney
PINEO & LOEB
Rich Aucoin
T. Thomason
Terra Spencer
Folk/Roots Recording of the Year
Braden Lam – The Cloudmaker’s Cry
Kristen Martell – Allume mon courage
Mo Kenney – From Nowhere
Morgan Toney – Heal the Divide
Terra Spencer – Sunset
Hip Hop/Rap Recording of the Year
BASYL – Love Bombers
KAYO – EXTENDED TRIP
Kxng Wooz – Malik
L’nu Joker – Through the Looking-Glass
Luke French – Forever Hold Your Piece
Indigenous Artist of the Year
Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers
Angel Ann Julian
Joe H. Henry
L’nu Joker
Morgan Toney
Jazz Recording of the Year
Ian Alistair Gosbee – Chillax
Nicola Miller – Living Things
Sahara Jane – Something Good
Sam Wilson – Wintertides
Sly-Fi – Stranger Than Fiction
Loud Recording of the Year
10 Slip – Tense Lip
Hemineglect – Reverse Hearse
Paranormal Arson – Noxious
The Orchids – The Orchids
Yipherlastname – Horror from Asia: The Trial of Hades
Music Video of the Year
Alex Coley & Afterlove – “Hold It All”, directed by Connor Robins
Braden Lam – “Wide Open” (feat. Michaela Singer), directed by Griffin O’Toole
Jah’Mila – “Never Fail”, directed by Dennis Fyffe
Mo Kenney – “From Nowhere”, directed by Nicole Cecile Holland and Sarah Swire
Morgan Toney – “Heal The Divide”, directed by George Ryan Roberts
Musician of the Year
Cassie Mann
Connor Booth
JR Smith
Siobhan Martin
Victoria Cameron
New Artist Recording of the Year
Alex Coley & Afterlove – The Arc
Bill Ricky – Bill Ricky
DEADØNE – The Dreamer Disease
Mat Elliott – South Endings
The Orchids – The Orchids
Pop Recording of the Year
Alanna Matty – Subject to Change
Madeline – Memoir
Pillow Fite – Hard Feelings, Soft Promises
Steel Cut Oats – Top Autonomy EP
T. Thomason – Tenderness
Prix de l’Acadie
Hirondelles
Jacques Surette
Kristen Martell
Peanut Butter Sunday
Weldon Boudreau et sa fille Josée
Rock Recording of the Year
Contrived – Addicted to Sadness
Eric Stephen Martin – Paper Chains
June Body – Last Everythings
Nap Eyes – The Neon Gate
norc – Whatever You Want
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Baby Nova
Breagh Isabel
KAYO
Mo Kenney
Morgan Toney
Traditional Recording of the Year
Adrianna Ciccone & Ellen Gibling – The Pear Tree
Caragh Kennedy – The Other Side
Heather MacIsaac – The Moon’s Daughter
James Hill – Uke Heads
Lucy MacNeil – Angels Whisper
Industry Award Categories
Artistic Development Award
African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA)
Andree Gracie
Chuck Boudreau
Halifax Jazz Festival
Million Vibes
Educator of the Year
Avery Dakin
Dr. Nathan Beeler
Eirinn Fraser
Kye Clayton
Reagan Mae Kuzyk
Emerging Industry Professional of the Year
Anna Brown
Chelsi Madonna
Jayden Duplessis (NoLoveNorthern)
Julien Matwawana
Stak (Million Vibes)
Live Sector Award
Chelsi Madonna School of Music
Halifax Jazz Festival
Million Vibes
Rankin’s Winter Warmers
The Marigold Cultural Centre
Media Arts Award
Andrew Shaver
CKDU – 88.1FM Society
Holly Gordon
Jeff Miller
Trevor Savory
Recording Sector Award
Breagh Isabel
Chris Kirby
Corey Lerue
Future Dad – John Mullane
Jordan “Tempo” Farmer
Sound, Tech and Production Award
Devin Farrell
Mike “Sheppy” Shepherd
Owen Williams
Richard ‘Nulo’ McNeil
Sara Martin