 announced the 2025 East Coast Music Awards winners at a ceremony in St John's, Newfoundland.){kind=link}
In a media release, the East Coast Music Association (EMCA) announced the 2025 East Coast Music Awards winners, which took place this past week in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.
Several Halifax area artists took home trophies in various categories, including Enfield rapper and producer Classified, who led with five wins from eight nominations, including the Solo Artist and Producer of the Year awards.
Halifax’s Maggie Andrew scored two wins out of five nominations. She was named African Canadian Artist of the Year and received the Rock/Alternative Release of the Year award for her album Day Job.
At the same time, Halifax-based Loviet walked away with the award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Group of the Year honours went to pop duo Neon Dreams, while R&B/Soul Release of the Year went to Jah’Mila for her album Never Fail.
Other local winners included Campbell & Johnston, who won in the Blues Release of the Year category for their album Find Your Way, India Gailey took home the trophy for Classical Composer of the Year and Rich Aucoin’s Sonica was named Electronic Release of the Year.
A complete listing of East Coast Music Award winners follows:
Music Awards:
African Canadian Artist of the Year – Maggie Andrew
Album of The Year – Vishtèn Connexions – “Expansion”
Acadian or Francophone Artist of the Year – Les Hay Babies
Blues Release of the Year – Campbell & Johnston – “Find Your Way”
Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Loviet
Children’s Artist of the Year – Heather Feather
Classical Composer of the Year – India Gailey – “Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth: I. SKY”
Classical Release of the Year – Suzie LeBlanc – “pour une Amérique engloutie”
Country Release of the Year – Brett Matthews – “If I Die Today” (feat. Classified)
Dance Release of the Year – Summer Bennett – “Just a Phase – Dave Aude Remix”
Electronic Release of the Year – Rich Aucoin – “Sonica”
Folk Release of the Year – Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma”
Fusion Release of the Year – Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma”
Global Music Release of the Year – Ana Luísa Ramos – “Clouds”
Group of the Year – Neon Dreams
Indigenous Artist of the Year – Deantha Edmunds
Instrumental Release of the Year – Mark Fewer – “The Simple Life (Arr. for Violin & String Orchestra by Andrew Downing)”
Jazz Release of the Year – Measha Brueggergosman-Lee – “Zombie Blizzard”
Loud Release of the Year – The Order of the Precious Blood – “Suffer & Die”
Pop Release of the Year – Noah Malcolm – “January”
Producer of the Year – Classified
Rap/Hip-Hop Release of the Year – Classified – “Sure Enough”
R&B/Soul Release of the Year – Jah’Mila – “Never Fail”
Release of the Year – Classified – “Amnesia”
Rock/Alternative Release of the Year – Maggie Andrew – “Day Job”
Roots Release of the Year – Quote The Raven – “Already Gone”
Solo Artist of the Year – Classified
Songwriter of the Year – Old Man Luedecke – “The Raven and The Dove”
TD Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year – Kellie Loder
TD Fans’ Choice Video of the Year – Kellie Loder – “Can’t Go Back” (Dir. Ashlea Wessel)
Traditional Release of the Year – Rum Ragged – “Paddy Hyde”
Vocal Release of the Year – Laura Roy – “Lucy”
Industry Awards:
Artist Management of the Year – Hurricane Music Artist Management
Content Creator of the Year – Jud Haynes
Event of the Year – Congrès mondial acadien 2024
Innovator of the Year – Chelsi Madonna
Media Person of the Year – Zach Snow
Venue of the Year – Shore Club
Honourary Awards:
Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award – The Ennis Sisters
Musician’s Achievement Award – Chris Ryan
Industry Builder Award – Wade Pinhorn
Bucky Adams Memorial Award – Marc Perry
Stompin’ Tom Awards – Korona Brophy (Newfoundland and Labrador), Monica MacNeil (Cape Breton), Heidi Baird (New Brunswick), Mike Campbell (Nova Scotia), Ghislaine Cormier (Prince Edward Island)