Category: 2021 nominee

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2021 nominee

Electric Religious

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

METIS ARTIST-GROUP OF THE YEAR

Electric Religious

Electric Religious

Electric Religious is the project of Alberta-based Métis singer songwriter, Brandon Baker, whose guitar-driven music has been described as “bursting with inspiration, insight, and hope”. Deeply influenced by the psychedelic sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Baker took his moniker from a Hendrix quote: “When I get up on stage, that’s my whole life. That’s my religion. My music is electric church music. I am electric religion.” The debut Electric Religious album, Yeah, Yeah, No (2018) featured the single “Revolution,” which achieved a coveted spot in the CBC Searchlight Top 100 in 2019, and spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown. A virtuoso guitar player whose live performances are undeniably impressive, Baker has performed for audiences as large as 50,000 during the opening ceremonies for Red Bull Crashed Ice, which was broadcast to over 1.7 million viewers. Other accolades for Electric Religious include an “Artist to Watch” nomination at the Edmonton Music Awards (2015), and a nomination for Aboriginal Artist of the Year in Baker’s home province of Saskatchewan (2009).

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2021 nominee

Brandi Vezina

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

METIS ARTIST-GROUP OF THE YEAR

Brandi Vezina

Brandi Vezina

Brandi Vezina is a Winnipeg singer/songwriter whose authentic country roots are intertwined with rock and the blues. She is a natural born performer who comes from a musical Metis family. Her biggest inspirations include Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin and Miranda Lambert. 

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2021 nominee

Blue Moon Marquee

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

METIS ARTIST-GROUP OF THE YEAR

Blue Moon Marquee

Blue Moon Marquee

Blue Moon Marquee is a Gypsy Blues band born of the wild rose foothills of Alberta, Canada. The group currently makes their home in an island shack on the coast of the Salish Sea, British Columbia. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette (vocals/bass/drums) write and perform original compositions. Artists such as Lonnie Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Charley Patton, Howlin’ Wolf, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Tom Waits, Memphis Minnie, and Django Reinhardt are deeply infused in the soul of their music. With passionate performances and smouldering onstage chemistry as their trademark, they deliver an infectious mix of early blues, jazz, country, and popular songs. Colette commands the upright bass and brings the swing with her feet on drums all while singing harmonies. Cardinal’s distinctive thick and smoky vocals barrel out like a raging bull while his guitar crackles with the swinging energy of jazz-tinged blues. Most importantly, they make every song their own. It’s an infectious mix of early blues, jazz, country, and popular songs. Accolades include a Maple Blues Award nomination for New Artist of the Year (2016) and a Wes Ccoast Music Award nomination for Indigenous Artist of the Year (2017).  

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2021 nominee

Shawnee Kish

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

LIVE MUSICAL
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Shawnee Kish

Warrior Heart

Two Spirit powerhouse singer songwriter Shawnee uses her music with songs like “Mirror Me” and “Warrior Heart” as anthems of empowerment and inspiration. Her aim: to create the same hope and light through music as it did for her in a time of her life when she needed it most. Her song “Warrior Heart” reaches out to Indigenous youth telling her story of struggle as a young person and singing out hope and strength in ending the suicide crisis within Canada amongst Indigenous youth. Billboard has named Shawnee one of their “LGBTQ2 Artist’s You Should Watch For in Music). Shawnee’s voice is filled with power and dynamics as well as a softness and soul that radiates through her music. An advocate for Indigenous youth working with organizations like WeMatter and KidsHelp phone, Shawnee has performed her empowering music internationally including shows in 2019 at the Prime Minister’s Canada celebration in 2019, and World Pride Stage in NYC.

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2021 nominee

Shauit

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

LIVE MUSICAL
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Shauit

Nutshimam

Nominated twice as Indigenous Artist of the Year at the prestigious ADISQ awards gala, Shauit sings about the plurality of the cultural mosaic of the First Nations. Most of the time in Innu, but sometimes in French, Shauit brings a music that is as festive and unifying, introspective and hypnotizing. Originally from Maliotenam in northeastern Quebec, singer-songwriter Shauit sings songs strongly inspired by his Innu roots and traditional music. He fuses several popular genres (folk, country, rock, reggae, etc.) and offers honest, committed songs filled with emotions and personal experiences. Notable recipient of several major awards, including Best Indigenous Album at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2018, best singer-songwriter at the Folk Music Awards, and many national and international showcases. Shauit’s influence and solicitations for his music continue to grow, as well as personally appearing in feature films and television series. Over the last few years, Shauit has played throughout Canada, in the United States and even in Europe, where he has conquered a loyal audience with his innovative style mixed with the culture of his roots. He has participated, at the Folk Alliance, APAP, at the Louisiana International Festival, at the Shibuya Festival Showcases (Japan and Zandari Festa (Korea)), in Chile, Morocco, as well as Nantes, France, to name a few. Shauit is a proud representative of Indigenous and aboriginal culture around the world.

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2021 nominee

Sandrine Masse-Savard

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2021 AWARD NOMINEE

LIVE MUSICAL
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Sandrine Masse-Savard

Yawenda and wendat chants

Sandrine Masse-Savard is a professional musician who is very active in the field. She graduated in Viola Performance from Montreal University and her classical training brought her to perform everywhere in North America, Eastern Europe and Russia under the baton of some of the greatest national and international conductors. She also performs in festivals, on radio and on TV, in many different musical genres with artists and collectives from all around the globe. Her versatility has brought her to a wide variety of projects as a performer (viola, guitar, singing, percussions), composer, songwriter and artistic director. In the last few years, Sandrine has been developing musical projects in native communities and is specializing in musical education for underprivileged youth. Among other projects, Sandrine recently co-composed a 10-min orchestra piece called Kwayaweh, commissioned by the OPRQ (Orchestre philharmonique de la relève du Québec), which features traditional chants from her Wendat Nation, and aims to build bridges between classical and traditional Native American music. She is also currently working on her debut album, which will feature her original songs in a mix of folk, traditional aboriginal rhythms and alt-rock.

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2021 nominee

Joshua Arden Miller

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

LIVE MUSICAL
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Joshua Arden Miller

Rez Bluez 25th Anniversary Concert

Onondaga from Six Nations of the Grand River, Josh Miller is a hard working blues musician with a lengthy list of shows, recordings and awards accumulated throughout the 30 years of his musical career as a long-time member of the six-time CAMA Award winning & JUNO nominated PAPPY JOHNS BAND. He’s performed his brand of Rockin’ Blues Soul everywhere from the gritty honky-tonks of the American south to major music festivals everywhere. Always a treat to hear this dynamic and soulful performer on any stage, solo or with a band, Josh is regarded by his peers as ‘The Real Deal’ and ‘the Last of the Old School’. The late great Jimmy Rogers called him “The Soul King”… Josh provides an electrifying mix of Blues, Rock & Soul that solidifies his reputation as a Bad-ass Blues Man. 

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2021 nominee

Joey Stylez and Carsen Gray

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

LIVE MUSICAL
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Joey Stylez and Carsen Gray

Victory Dance

“Warrior Sun” marked the first album release by Canadian artists and life partners Joey Stylez and Carsen Gray as an indie pop music group. It is a collection of songs with exceptional depth and beauty that represents a new wave of culturally rich music emerging in Canada. Joey Stylez is a JUNO nominee and multi award-winning heavyweight on the independent music scene. He brings themes of justice, environmental responsibility and reconciliation into his music. Carsen Gray is an award-winning singer-songwriter and performer with a captivating voice, soulful lyrics and energetic sound. Canadians started to take notice when they performed “Sunshine and Moonlight” live on the CBC’s National New Years Eve Countdown on December 31, 2018. Since then, this power couple has been capturing audiences across the country and internationally with their intuitive lyrics and empowering vocals.

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2021 nominee

Silver Wolf Band

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

INUIT ARTIST-GROUP OF THE YEAR

Silver Wolf Band

Silver Wolf Band

Silver Wolf Band is a four-piece Indigenous folk pop rock band from Happy Valley Goose Bay, Labrador. Lively, engaging and self-assured performances of honest and sincere lyrical music is what has made Silver Wolf Band one of the most in-demand music groups from Labrador. Their music is piano driven and rich in harmony. Lyrically, their songs are shaped and informed by family, community, love, and their homeland itself. Their first full length album “Pockets Filled With Rocks” saw them nominated for Rock Artist of the Year (Music NL, 2018) and First Light Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year (Music NL, 2019). Their most recent album “Storms & Prayers” (2020) saw them nominated for Group of the Year (Music NL, 2021), nominated for Indigenous Artist of the Year (ECMA, 2021), and won them Indigenous Artist of the Year (Music NL, 2021). With every performance, Silver Wolf Band offers the audience an uplifting and enthusiastic performance of original music, along with renditions of popular favourites by celebrated Labrador songwriters and musicians. But what’s more, Silver Wolf Band peppers its performances with knowledge, personal histories and cultural lessons from the ‘Big Land’ of Labrador. In recent years, the group has been invited to perform at The Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival (St. John’s, NL), Northern Lights Arts Symposium (Ottawa, ON), the ECMA Artist Showcase (Charlottetown, PEI), MusicNL Showcase and Award Show, ECMA Award Show, Petapan First Light Indigenous Arts Symposium (St. John’s, NL), Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival (Norris Point, NL), Spirit Song Festival (St. John’s, NL), Labrador Winter Games Opening Ceremonies (Goose Bay, NL) among many more throughout the province. Silver Wolf Band is Jamie Jackman (guitar, vocals), Matthew Barrett (piano, keyboards), Justin Jackman (drums, percussion), and Brandon Pardy (bass guitar). The band is coming off a successful tour of the Province in support of Storms & Prayers which included 4 sold-out shows in Corner Brook, St. John’s, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Wesleyville. Truly, the musicians of Silver Wolf Band are warm, kind, humble, talented and entertaining ambassadors of the Big Land.

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2021 nominee

Hyper-T

2021 AWARD NOMINEE

INUIT ARTIST-GROUP OF THE YEAR

Hyper-T

Hyper-T

Hyper-T is a pioneer who raps in his native language of Inuktitut as well as in English. He is one of the founding fathers of Inuit Hip-Hop as it exists today. Hyper-T is a co-winner of a 2019 Canadian Screen Award for an Original Song with DJ Shub and 666God. Hype’s songs have thousands of views online and he has an ever-growing fan base across Canada. A self-taught rapper and music producer, his music has reached #1 and #2 on the Indigenous Music Countdown and has been featured in major films, including Iqaluit the movie and most recently The Grizzlies movie which has led to singing LIVE as part of The Grizzlies Northern Tour across Canada in 2019. Hype uses music as an outlet to talk about issues that affect him and most other Nunavummiut – suicide, substance abuse, and mental illness. “I wish I could have listened to music I could relate to when I was younger. That’s why I sing in Inuktitut about the things that matter to my fanbase across the Inuit Nunangat.” Originally from Chesterfield Inlet, Hyper-T spent much of his life in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. He is currently working on launching a record label and is also a student in the Community Support Worker program in Ottawa. He offers workshops in music production and is an advocate for mental health awareness and is currently touring Nunavik.

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