Nova Scotia rapper Classified and New Brunswick-born Indigenous artist Jeremy Dutcher scored eight nominations for the 2025 East Coast Music Awards, leading a pack that also includes Kellie Loder, Jah’Mila, Maggie Andrew, and Vishtèn, who earned five nominations each.
Broken down by region, Nova Scotia (including Cape Breton) artists received 103 nominations. Artists from Newfoundland and Labrador received 54, New Brunswick 36, and Prince Edward Island 15.
The 37th East Coast Music Awards winners will be announced on May 8 at a ceremony in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. The show will feature performances by musicians from across Atlantic Canada. Leading up to the awards ceremony is a five-day celebration of East Coast music featuring performances, an industry conference, and networking opportunities.
“East Coast musicians are a powerhouse of talent, blending rich traditions with innovative sounds that not only define the cultural fabric of the region but also shape and elevate Canada’s music scene,” says Michelle Eagles, East Coast Music Association (ECMA) chair of the board of directors in a media release. “Music has always brought people together, creating connections no matter where they are, so get ready to turn the volume up as we celebrate the ECMA festival and conference in St. John’s for the first time in 10 years.”
A complete list of 2025 East Coast Music Award & Industry Award nominees follows:
MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES
African Canadian Artist of the Year
- Baraka “Galaxy”
- Jah’Mila “Never Fail”
- KAYO “Get Me Right ft JRDN (Prod. NULO)”
- Maggie Andrew “About Us”
- Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Zombie”
Album of the Year
- Classified “Luke’s View”
- Jah’Mila “Woman of the Sun”
- Maggie Andrew “DAY JOB”
- Quote The Raven “Map The Dark”
- The Irish Descendants “The Irish Descendants Christmas”
- Vishtèn Connexions “Expansion”
Acadian or Francophone Artist of the Year
- Jacques Surette “Conséquences”
- Joey Robin Haché “Jerrycan”
- Les Hay Babies “Soyez fiers”
- Sirène et Matelot “Coeur chaviré”
- Suzie LeBlanc “Nous partirons”
Blues Release of the Year
- 11th & Duke “The Phoenix”
- Campbell & Johnston “Find Your Way”
- Connor Fox “Ain’t No Time”
- Lookout Tower “Dust Jackets”
- Stompbox “Just Don’t Know It Yet (She’s My Girl)”
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
- Brett Matthews “If I Die Today (Feat. Classified)”
- Callum Gaudet “Ghosts”
- Clare Siobhan “Flare”
- Jacques Surette “Conséquences”
- Loviet “Broken Lips”
- Rachel Cousins “Hell & High Water”
Children’s Artist of the Year
- Art Richard “Bonjour Canada”
- Heather Feather “Ants in My Pants”
- Micaela Comeau (Wuzzô) “I’m Made From Stardust”
- Miss Kris “The Day Has Just Begun”
- Mr Super Dude X KinderChartin’ “Sticker on My Toe”
Classical Composer of the Year
- Bekah Simms “Foreverdark”
- Florian Hoefner “Bird Island Suite: IV. Song for the Song of the Leach’s Storm Petrel”
- India Gailey “Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth: I. SKY”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Motewolonuwok”
- Julia Mermelstein “Bending, breaking through”
Classical Release of the Year
- Blackwood with India Gailey “Benedicite”
- India Gailey “Problematica”
- Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Blizzard”
- SHHH!! Ensemble “Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy”
- Suzie LeBlanc “pour une Amérique engloutie”
Country Release of the Year
- Brett Matthews “If I Die Today (feat. Classified)”
- Carolina East “I’m Not Scared”
- Julie Aubé “I Found Mine”
- Justin Fancy “She Just Is”
- Mallory Johnson “suitcase”
Dance Release of the Year
- Alex Byrne “When We Dance”
- Bad Friends “Mmam”
- Cloverdale “Believe In The Music”
- PINEO & LOEB “Chrome”
- Summer Bennett “Just a Phase – Dave Aude Remix”
- The Volta “Lights Out”
Electronic Release of the Year
- Ben Diamond “Something Sawed”
- DenMother “Ghost Gear”
- Rich Aucoin “Sonica”
- Rozalind MacPhail “In Perfect Time”
- SHHH!! Ensemble “Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy”
Folk Release of the Year
- Noah Malcolm “Cereal”
- Old Man Luedecke “My Status Is The Baddest (feat. Bahamas)”
- Rum Ragged “The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock)”
- Terra Spencer “Real Love (featuring Ian Sherwood)”
- Vishtèn Connexions “Kouma”
Fusion Release of the Year
- Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers “The Dream Canoe”
- Capital 6 “Not My One”
- Ian Foster “Gossamer”
- India Gailey “Problematica”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Pomawsuwinuwok Wonakiyawolotuwok”
- Vishtèn Connexions “Kouma”
Global Music Release of the Year
- Ana Luísa Ramos “Clouds”
- Dee Hernandez “Just Friends”
- KAYO “Lightning In A Bottle”
- Richard Wood “CareBear Forever”
- Zay Nova “Keep Your Head Above the Water”
Group of the Year
- Moira & Claire “no hesitation”
- Neon Dreams “The Art of Letting Go”
- Rum Ragged “The Road To Lushes Bight (Island Stock)”
- The Once “Oh You”
- The Town Heroes “Hockey Fights”
Indigenous Artist of the Year
- Deantha Edmunds “Angmalukisaa: IV. Rings 4 (Arr. for Voice & String Orchestra by Robert Carli)”
- DeeDee Austin “Tell Me ( Why Am I So Different)”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Ancestors Too Young”
- Summer Bennett “Just A Phase”
- Wolf Castle “Gravity / Levity”
Instrumental Release of the Year
- Blackwood with India Gailey “Passages”
- Iris Trio “Bird Island Suite: IV. Song for the Song of the Leach’s Storm Petrel”
- Mark Fewer “The Simple Life (Arr. for Violin & String Orchestra by Andrew Downing)”
- Sam Wilson “the moon song”
- Shaun Ferguson “Sound Mind”
- Symphony Nova Scotia “Piano Concerto in One Movement: Andantino – Allegretto”
Jazz Release of the Year
- Amirault Brothers “St-Antoine’s March”
- Capital 6 “Not My One”
- Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Zombie”
- Natasha Blackwood “Good Machines”
- Sam Wilson “the moon song”
Loud Release of the Year
- BLEVK “Ascension”
- Elevate The Virus “Famine”
- Les Moontunes “Elephant Wizard”
- Omnivide “Cosmic Convergence”
- The Order of the Precious Blood “Suffer & Die”
Pop Release of the Year
- chasing luma “is this as good as it gets?”
- Logan Richard / Moira & Claire “Unrequited Love Blues”
- Maggie Andrew “About Us”
- Mat Elliott “Church Street”
- Noah Malcolm “January”
Producer of the Year
- AA Wallace “Archiviste”
- Ben B. Creelman “Bad Habit”
- Classified “Luke’s View”
- Cloverdale “Believe In The Music”
- Jeremy VanSlyke “Alikeness”
R&B / Soul Release of the Year
- aRENYE, NULO “City On Fire (feat. Kayo & BASYL)”
- Bakers Duz’n “Lesson #1 (Radio Edit)”
- Dee Hernandez “Blessed”
- Jah’Mila “Never Fail”
- Mat Elliott “Church Street”
Rap / Hip-Hop release of the Year
- Classified “Sure Enough”
- DK “something real”
- HARMZ “Family Highs”
- Stephen Hero “Can’t Stop (working) ft. Aquakultre”
- Wolf Castle “Gravity / Levity”
Release of the Year
- Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers “The Dream Canoe”
- Classified “Amnesia”
- Jah’Mila “Never Fail”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Skicinuwihkuk”
- Kellie Loder “When It Comes To You”
- The Once “The Bend”
Rock / Alternative Release of the Year
- Absolute Losers “By Fright”
- Maggie Andrew “DAY JOB”
- Mo Kenney “Evening Dream”
- Sluice “Agis comme du monde”
- The Town Heroes “In Your Head”
Roots Release of the Year
- Jeremy Dutcher “Skicinuwihkuk”
- Jessica Rhaye, Bill Preeper, Sandy MacKay “Rocky Hills”
- Quote The Raven “Already Gone”
- Terra Spencer “East to West”
- Vishtèn Connexions “Gaillard featuring De Temps Antan”
Solo Artist of the Year
- Classified “Amnesia”
- Ian Foster “Gossamer”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Take my Hand”
- Kellie Loder “When It Comes To You”
- Kylie Fox “Alberta”
- Rich Aucoin “Sonica”
Songwriter of the Year
- Classified “Wonder”
- Jeremy Dutcher “Skicinuwihkuk”
- Kellie Loder “When It Comes To You”
- Natasha Blackwood “Pleading Guilty”
- Old Man Luedecke “The Raven and The Dove”
- Terra Spencer “Real Love (featuring Ian Sherwood)”
Traditional Release of the Year
- Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers “Whale Hunting Song”
- Lucy MacNeil “Radio Sweethearts”
- Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen “The Quartermaster”
- Rum Ragged “Paddy Hyde”
- Vishtèn Connexions “Gaillard featuring De Temps Antan”
Vocal Release of the Year
- Chœur Louisbourg “L’appel”
- Halifax Camerata Singers “Yôtin (The Wind)”
- Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus “Maybe”
- Laura Roy “Lucy”
- Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Pur ti miro”
Fans’ Choice Awards
Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year
- Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers
- Andrew Rodgers
- Daniel James McFadyen
- Dylan Menzie
- Ian Foster
- Justin Fancy
- Kellie Loder
- Lennie Gallant
- Mallory Johnson
- Rum Ragged
- The Once
Fans’ Choice Video of the Year
- Classified “Amnesia” (Directed by: Classified)
- David Myles “Devil Talking” (Directed by: Griffin O’Toole)
- Jah’Mila “East Coast Family” (Directed by: Jeff Miller)
- Jeremy Dutcher “Pomawsuwinuwok Wonakiyawolotuwok” (Directed by: tranquilo)
- Kellie Loder “Can’t Go Back” (Directed by: Ashlea Wessel) [wess – el]
- Maggie Andrew “About Us” (Directed by: MooseCanFly)
- Neon Dreams “The Art of letting Go” (Directed by: Dan Lewis Cole & Frank Kadillac)
- Old Man Luedecke “She Told Me Where To Go” (Directed by: Pangalactic Pictures Inc)
- Quote The Raven “Already Gone” (Directed by: Cody Westman)
- The Town Heroes “Hockey Fights” (Directed by: Matt Corkum)
Public voting for the Fan’s Choice Awards continues until March 14, 2025. Cast your vote at: ECMA.com
INDUSTRY AWARD NOMINEES
Artist Management of the Year
- Derrick Sturge (Pharos Music Inc.)
- Evan Newman
- Hurricane Music Artist Management
- Jayden Duplessis
- Todd Mercer
Content Creator of the Year
- Classified
- Jud Haynes
- Kristan Toczko
- Richard Lann
- Scott Legge
Event of the Year
- Congrès mondial acadien 2024
- Goolaholla!
- Halifax Jazz Festival
- Nova Scotia Music Week
- The 2024 JUNOS
Innovator of the Year
- Ariel Sharratt
- Chelsi Madonna
- Ian Foster
- John D.S. Adams
- Micah Smith
Media Person of the Year
- Chuck Boudreau
- Darcy Walsh
- Greg Smith
- Richard Lann
- Zach Snow
Venue of the Year
- Marigold Cultural Centre
- Sanctuary Arts Centre
- Shore Club
- The Carleton
- The Ship Pub