Showing posts with label Borealis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Borealis. Show all posts

Saturday, November 8, 2025

Nominees for the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards Including Local Artists

Nominees for the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards were recently announced and a few local acts were part of that prestigious list.  The award ceremony will take place April 9-12, 2026 in Calgary.

You can see the nominee announcement below.



Links: CFMAMore CFMA StoriesVideo above courtesy of prixfolkawards

Below is a complete list of nominees. Local artists are bolded

Contemporary Album of the Year

Contemporary Singer of the Year

Single of the Year

Album Artwork of the Year

Children’s Album of the Year

English Songwriter(s) of the Year

French Songwriter(s) of the Year

Global Roots Album of the Year

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year

Instrumental Composer(s) of the Year

Instrumental Group of the Year

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

New Artist(s) of the Year

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries

Producer(s) of the Year

Solo Artist of the Year

Traditional Album of the Year

Young Performer(s) of the Year


Previous (Robert Sears Passes) - - - Next (Remembrance Day Videos)

Monday, November 4, 2024

Nominees for the 20th Canadian Folk Music Awards


From the press release:

In 2025, the CFMA will return to Ottawa/Gatineau, the birthplace of the Canadian Folk Music Awards. The 20th Anniversary of the CFMA will take place from April 3–6, 2025, with a grand gala and a series of bilingual concerts that highlight the diversity, creativity, and cultural significance of the Canadian folk music scene today. Each concert will also include several awards presentations. 

VIP Wristbands are now on sale via folkawards.ca at the early bird price of $125 (tax inclusive). The wristbands grant access to all four concerts as well as afterparty networking events, offering significant savings (Tickets to all four shows are valued at $148 + tax and ticket fees if purchased separately). 

Single tickets for each concert will be available for purchase in February 2025. 

Here is the announcement video:

Links: CFMAMore CFMA StoriesVideo above courtesy of prixfolkawards

Below is a complete list of nominees. Local nominees are bolded. 

Contemporary Singer of the Year

Ensemble of the Year

Children’s Album of the Year

Contemporary Album of the Year

English Songwriter(s) of the Year

French Songwriter(s) of the Year

Global Roots Album of the Year

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year

Instrumental Composer(s) of the Year

Instrumental Group of the Year

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

    Single of the Year

    Vocal Group of the Year

      Young Performer(s) of the Year


        Previous (Halloween Videos) - - - Next (Sax Day Videos)

        Thursday, February 8, 2024

        2024 Juno Nominations Including Many Local Artists


        As always, there are quite a number of local acts nominated for a Juno this year. We're keeping our fingers crossed for them. The main ceremony will be televised on March 24, 2024.

        Below is a video of the official announcement.



        Links: Juno AwardsMore Juno Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music

        GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

        ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR

        • Kit King (Illustrator), Vanessa Heins (Photographer/Photographe) for THE LOVE STILL HELD ME NEAR – City and Colour (St. Catharines)
        • Carolyne De Bellefeuille (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Jessica Ledoux (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Mali Savaria-Ille (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Veronique Lafortune (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Leeor Wild (Photographer/Photographe) for INUKTITUT – Elisapie 
        • Heather Goodchild (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Colby Richardson (Designer/Concepteur), Colin Fletcher (Illustrator /Illustrateur), Sara Melvin (Photographer/Photographe) for MULTITUDES – Feist 
        • Nicolas Lemieux (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Mykaël Nelson (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Albert Zablit (Photographer/Photographe) for RIOPELLE SYMPHONIQUE – Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal 
        • Quinton Nyce (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Brodie Metcalfe (Designer/Concepteur), Davis Graham (Illustrator /Illustrateur), Kaylee Smoke (Photographer/Photographe) for I’M GOOD, HBU? – Snotty Nose Rez Kids 

        ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN | GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

        • Bekka Ma’iingan by Zoon (Hamilton)
        • Here and Now by Aysanabee 
        • Scream, Holler & Howl by Blue Moon Marquee
        • Inuktitut by Elisapie 
        • Revolution by Shawnee Kish

        CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        • A Light in the Attic by Logan Staats (Brantford)
        • The Returner by Allison Russell 
        • We Will Never Be The Same by Good Lovelies
        • Beyond The Reservoir by Julian Taylor 
        • Stand in the Joy by William Prince 

        DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

        FAN CHOICE 

        • Walk off the Earth (Burlington)
        • Josh Ross (Waterdown)
        • Charlotte Cardin
        • Daniel Caesar
        • DVBBS
        • Karan Aujla 
        • Shubh 
        • Tate McRae 
        • The Weeknd
        • ThxSoMch 

        GROUP OF THE YEAR 

        METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR 

        • Reverie by The Red River Ramblers (Halton Hills)
        • Sing. Pray. Love. by Joel Wood
        • LFS5 by Nimkii & the Niniis 
        • Mitòòdebi (For My Relatives) by The Bearhead Sisters 
        • Drum Nation by Young Scouts 

        TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        • Powder Blue by Begonia 
        • Multitudes by Feist 
        • Are We Good by Hayden 
        • Motewolonuwok by Jeremy Dutcher 
        • Revolution by Shawnee Kish 

        ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Heavy Lifting by Amanda Marshall 
        • I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not by BANNERS 
        • To Be Loved, Vol. 1 by Josh Sahunta 
        • Run Where the Light Calls by Luca Fogale 
        • Wildflower by Steph La Rochelle 

        ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Néo-Romance by Alexandra Stréliski 
        • 99 Nights by Charlotte Cardin 
        • NEVER ENOUGH by Daniel Caesar 
        • Mirror by Lauren Spencer Smith
        • Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees by TALK

        ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

        • Charlotte Cardin
        • Daniel Caesar
        • Lauren Spencer Smith
        • Shania Twain 
        • Tate McRae

        BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

        • Connor Price 
        • Karan Aujla
        • LU KALA 
        • Shubh
        • TALK 

        BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR

        • Busty and the Bass 
        • Crash Adams
        • Good Kid 
        • Men I Trust
        • New West 
        CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
        • Big Words by ABC Singsong 
        • Going Back: Remembered and Remixed Family Folk Songs, Vol. 1 
        • Love-a-By by Splash’N Boots 
        • Welcome to the Flea Circus by The Swinging Belles Independent
        • Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro Stick To Your Vision For Young Athletes

        CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE)

        • Bekah Simms: Bestiaries Cryptid Ensemble conducted byby Brian Current 
        • Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by Jacques Lacombe 
        • Sibelius 3 & 4 Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted byYannick Nézet-Séguin 
        • Mahler: Symphony No. 5 Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal, conducted by Rafael Payare
        • Rachmaninoff: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3; Isle of the Dead The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin 

        CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE)

        • Mythes by Andrew Armstrong & James Ehnes
        • Portrait: Alex Baranowski by Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà 
        • Portrait by Cheng² Duo 
        • Il Ponte di Leonardo byConstantinople 
        • Basta parlare! by Les Barocudas 

        CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST)

        • Infinite Voyage by Barbara Hannigan 
        • Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4 by James Ehnes
        • Fauré: Nocturnes & Barcarolles by Marc-André Hamelin
        • De Hartmann: Cello Concerto by Matt Haimovitz
        • mouvance by Suzie LeBlanc 

        CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR

        • Simulacra by Amy Brandon
        • Portrait of an Imaginary Sibling by Dinuk Wijeratne
        • …and the Higher Leaves of the Trees Seemed to Shimmer in the Last of the Sunlight’s Lingering Touch of Them… by Emilie Cecilia LeBel
        • Shāhīn-nāmeh, for Voice and Orchestra by Iman Habibi 
        • Don’t Throw Your Head in Your Hands by Nicole Lizée

        COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        • Life of Leisure by Derek Seguin 
        • Never Was by Graham Clark 
        • A Lylebility by Kyle Brownrigg 
        • Sexiest Fish in the Lake by Laurie Elliott
        • SAP by Mae Martin

        CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR

        • For the Better by Aqyila
        • Never Enough by Daniel Caesar 
        • Heartbreak Hill by Jon Vinyl 
        • When It Blooms by Nonso Amadi
        • FACETS by Shay Lia

        COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        • The Compass Project – South Album by Brett Kissel 
        • Right Round Here by Dean Brody
        • Do It Anyway by Jade Eagleson 
        • Ahead Of Our Time by James Barker Band 
        • Spillin’ My Truth by Tyler Joe Miller 

        ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

        • INFINITY CLUB by Bambii 
        • Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees by Harrison 
        • Creatures of the Late Afternoon by Kid Koala 
        • Synthetic Season 2 by Rich Aucoin 
        • No Highs by Tim Hecker 

        FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Zayon by FouKi 
        • Dans la seconde by Karkwa 
        • En concert avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (sous la direction du chef Simon Leclerc) by Les Cowboys Fringants & l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
        • À boire deboutte by Salebarbes 
        • Non conventionnel by Souldia 

        GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Donte sann yo by Bel and Quinn 
        • Kizavibe by Kizaba 
        • SMS for Location Vol. 5 by Moonshine 
        • Okantomi by OKAN 
        • Soap Box by Waahli

        INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Néo-Romance by Alexandra Stréliski 
        • When we were that what wept for the sea by Colin Stetson
        • Calibrating Friction by Haralabos [Harry] Stafylakis 
        • Fourth Album by Markus Floats 
        • Tesseract by Meredith Bates 

        INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Gettin’ Old by Luke Combs 
        • HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro 
        • One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen 
        • SOS by SZA 
        • 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift 

        JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP)

        • Migrations by Allison Au with the Migrations Ensemble 
        • Septology-The Black Forest Session by Canadian Jazz Collective
        • Cry Me A River by Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band 
        • Recent History by Mike Murley & Mark Eisenman Quartet 
        • Convergence Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali Browntasauras/Independent

        JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO)

        • Day Moon by Christine Jensen 
        • Walls Made of Glass Gentiane MG TPR*Propagande/A-Train
        • Sonic Bouquet by Jocelyn Gould 
        • Twelve by Noam Lemish 
        • The South Detroit Connection by Russ Macklem 

        MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR 

        • Of Woods and Seas by Alaskan Tapes (Andrew De Zen - Director)
        • Demons by  Allison Russell (Ethan Tobman - Director)
        • onetwostep (feat. juicelover) by des hume (Jordan Clarke - Director)
        • DAMN RIGHT by Snotty Nose Rez Kids (Sterling Larose - Director)
        • feral canadian scaredy cat by young friend (Sterling Larose & Zachary Vague  - Directors)

        POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • 99 Nights by Charlotte Cardin 
        • Mirror by Lauren Spencer Smith 
        • Saturn Return by Rêve 
        • Queen Of Me by Shania Twain 
        • Lost In Translation by Valley

        PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 

        • Hill Kourkoutis
        • Jason Brando, Lubalin, Mathieu Sénéchal & Sam Avant
        • Joel Stouffer
        • Shawn Everett
        • Wondagur

        RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR

        • bag or die by bbno$ 
        • Spin the Globe by Connor Price 
        • Crying Crystals by Haviah Mighty 
        • KAYTRAMINÉ by KAYTRAMINÉ 
        • PANIC by TOBi 

        RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR

        • American Nightmare by Belly 
        • Spinnin (feat. Bens) by Connor 
        • Honey Bun by Haviah Mighty 
        • Minimum Wage by Pressa 
        • Someone I Knew  by TOBi 

        RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 

        • Denis Tougas
        • George Seara
        • Matty Green
        • Serban Ghenea
        • Shawn Everett

        REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

        • Stir This Thing by Ammoye 
        • Feel Like Home by Exco Levi 
        • Roots Girl by Jah’Mila
        • Dread by Kirk Diamond & Finn
        • Rush Dem (feat. 4Korners, Haviah Mighty) by Omega Mighty 

        ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Fearless by Crown Lands 
        • Formentera II by Metric
        • Blame My Ex by The Beaches 
        • Pretty Monster by The Blue Stones 
        • Glory by The Glorious Sons

        SINGLE OF THE YEAR 

        • Confetti by Charlotte Cardin
        • Always by Daniel Caesar Republic*Universal
        • Pretty Girl Era by LU KALA 
        • A Little Bit Happy by TALK
        • greedy by Tate McRae 

        SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

        • Allison Russell
        • Aysanabee
        • Charlotte Cardin, Jason Brando & Lubalin
        • Nicholas Durocher & Connor Riddell
        • William Prince

        TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

        • Hello by Aqyila
        • Unbreakable by Jhyve
        • Where To Find Me by Katie Tupper
        • 9 to 5 by Luna Elle
        • Real World by RealestK

        UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR

        • Call My Name by BLOND:ISH Warner
        • Mad Mess by DJ Karaba
        • Could Be Wrong by LOSTBOYJAY
        • Eclipse by Peach 
        • Concorde Groove by Smalltown DJs 

        VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

        • Songwriter by Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
        • You’re Alike, You Two by Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher 
        • Little Bit a’ Love by Denielle Bassels 
        • Our Roots Run Deep by Dominique Fils-Aimé 
        • Your Requests by Laila Biali 

        Previous (Grammy Winners) - - - Next (Year of the Dragon Videos)

        Thursday, November 2, 2023

        2024 Maple Blues Award Nominees


        From the news release:

        Considered the highest honours on the Canadian blues scene, the nominees for the 27th annual Maple Blues Awards have been announced.

        Returning to its roots, the 27th annual Maple Blues Awards will take place at The Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne Street, Toronto), where the awards were held from 2000 to 2006. The not-to-be-missed blues music event of the year will take place on Monday, February 12th.  Tickets start at $37.40 and are on sale now at ticketweb.ca

        Below is a complete list of nominees. Local artists are in bold.

        * artists is signed with Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

        + artist is signed with Waterdown's True North Records

        % artist is signed with Waterdown's Borealis Records)

        Acoustic Act of the Year

        Bassist of the Year

        • Gary Kendall (Niagara)
        • Angelique Francis
        • Jasmine Colette
        • Nathan Blackburn
        • Russell Jackson

        Blues With A Feeling/Lifetime Achievement Award 

        • Cheryl Lescom (Kitchener)
        • Sue Foley*
        • Alec Fraser
        • Bobby Dean Blackburn
        • Brent Parkin
        • Dalannah Gail Bowen
        • Danny Brooks
        • Mike McKenna
        • Murray Porter
        • Tom Lavin

        Drummer of the Year

        Harmonica Player of the Year

        Horn Player of the Year

        Male Vocalist of the Year

        New Artist or Group of the Year

        Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year

        Songwriter of the Year

        Electric Act of the Year

        Entertainer of the Year

        • Matt Andersen+
        • Angelique Francis
        • Blackburn Brothers
        • Blue Moon Marquee
        • Bywater Call

        Female Vocalist of the Year

        Guitarist of the Year

        Recording/Producer of the Year

        B.B. King International Artist of the Year

        • Christone ''Kingfish'' Ingram
        • Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
        • Tedeschi Trucks Band
        • Thorbjorn Risager and The Black Tornado
        • Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule)