While Prince Edward Island’s The East Pointers may lead in nominations for the 2024 East Coast Music Awards with eight, Halifax musicians are well-represented with multiple nominations for the 36th annual awards celebrating the best in East Coast music.
Among the local nominees with multiple nominations are Neon Dreams & Jenn Grant, who have received six and four, respectively.
Grant and Neon Dreams are vying for the coveted Album of the Year award alongside Halifax indie-folk musician Braden Lam. Jimmy Rankin, The East Pointers and Tim Baker round out the list of nominees in that category.
Folk-pop singer-songwriter Grant also received nods in the Folk, Songwriter, Song and Fans’ Choice Video of the Year categories.
Alt-pop duo Neon Dreams, consisting of vocalist Frank Kadillac and drummer Adrian Morris, has also been nominated for Group Recording, Pop Recording and Songwriter of the Year.
Some of the other local musicians to receive nominations this year include Jah’Mila, Charlie A’Court, the Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus, Avery Dakin, Lindsay Misiner & The 7th Mystic, Harmz, The Bombadils, and Hillsburn.
Geographically, Nova Scotia artists received 106 nominations, including 18 from Cape Breton. Artists from Newfoundland & Labrador received 52, Prince Edward Island 41 and New Brunswick 24 nominations.
Voting for the 2024 TD Fans’ Choice Awards is underway and will remain open until Thursday, February 29th at 11:59 PM AST.
The awards will be handed out during the 2024 East Coast Music Awards Festival & Conference scheduled for May 1-5 in Charlottetown, PEI. Visit ecma.com for more information.
A complete list of nominees follows:
African Canadian Artist of the Year
Baraka
Gary Beals
Jah’Mila
Maggie Andrew
Valmy
Album of the Year
Braden Lam – Strange Paradise
Jenn Grant – Champagne Problems
Jimmy Rankin – Harvest Highway
Neon Dreams – Love Child Baby Dolphin
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Tim Baker – The Festival
Blues Recording of the Year
Charlie A’Court – International Roots & Blues Kitchen Party
Joe H Henry – Keep the Fire Burning EP
Jon Hines – A Pale Blue Dot
Lookout Tower – Fields
Wayne Nicholson – Gin House
Children’s Entertainer of the Year
Bingly and the Rogues
Donna & Andy
Levon the Prince
Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors
The Swinging Belles
Choral Recording of the Year
Choeur Louisbourg – L’appel
Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus – Winter Awakening
Luminous Ensemble – In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven
Nova Voce – Painter of Wintertime
Polaris – Truly Home
Classical Composer Of The Year
Adam Vincent Clarke – Prélude
Andrew Staniland – Blackwood Sketches
Edward Enman – Insights
Jason Noble – Folk Suite
Monica Pearce – Etiquette
Classical Recording of the Year
Bill Brennan – Kaleidoscope – Music for Mallet Instruments
Kate Read – After
Ofra Harnoy & Mike Herriott – Portrait
Tutta Musica – Ovation
V2C Cello Duo – I and Thou
Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year
Jimmy Rankin – Harvest Highway
Sirène et Matelot – Un monde de dissonance
Tara MacLean – Sparrow
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Villages – Dark Island
Country Recording of the Year
Ben Chase – That Was Then, This Is Now
Émilie Landry – Enfiler mes bottes
Jason Benoit – Time Traveller the album
Justin Fancy – Whiskey & Me
Youngtree & The Blooms – Youngtree and The Blooms
Dance Recording of the Year
Alex Byrne – In My Head
Cloverdale – Up To No Good
DeeDee Austin – Stay Dancin’
Lee Rosevere – Needed you feat KINLEY
The VOLTA – Save the Night
Electronic Recording of the Year
Leaving Laurel – when the quiet comes
Lee Rosevere – Samplextra
Nicole Ariana – Crybaby
Qwinn – Welcome to My Life
Rich Aucoin – Space
Folk Recording of the Year
Dave Gunning – The Same Storm
Jenn Grant – Champagne Problems
Nico Paulo – Nico Paulo
Sirène et Matelot – Un monde de dissonance
Tim Baker – The Festival
Francophone Recording of the Year
BAIE – Grand Bleu
Beauxmont – Beauxmont
Émilie Landry – Enfiler mes bottes
Julie Aubé – Contentement
La Patente – Le paradis des infidèles
Fusion Recording of the Year
Gina Burgess – Anuri
KAYO – Afrobeats Affirmations ft. aRENYE & Million Vibes Tribe
Morgan Toney – Netukulimk
Pallmer – Freshet
XIA-3 – Dance of the Yi
Global Recording of the Year
Ana & Eric – Our House From Here
Cuerpos – En Dos Partes
Tzu-Cheng Wang – Hello, PEI!
XIA-3 – XIA-3
Yanan Liu (Tiffany Liu) – Riding the Waves
Group Recording of the Year
Hillsburn – “Stories” EP
Jessica Rhaye & The Ramshackle Parade – Sunshine Baby
Neon Dreams – Love Child Baby Dolphin
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
Voodoo Sometimes – A Hummingbird’s Vice
Indigenous Artist of the Year
City Natives
Jason Benoit
Morgan Toney
Silver Wolf Band
Summer Bennett
Instrumental Recording of the Year
Bill Brennan – Kaleidoscope – Music for Mallet Instruments
Duane Andrews and The Hot Club of Conception Bay – Djangology
Flying Pooka! – Flying Pooka! The Ecstasy of Becoming
Inn Echo – Hemispheres
Nicole Rampersaud – Saudade
Jazz Recording of the Year
Flying Pooka! – Flying Pooka! The Ecstasy of Becoming
Jackson\Wilson Duo – New Doors
James Shaw – III/V
Jeremie Carrier – Flowing
Paul Tynan – Bicoastal Collective; Chapter 6
Loud Recording of the Year
Dad Patrol – Pleaser
Diner Drugs – 42
Electric Spoonful – Still 2 Poor
Kilmore – From the Inside
Orchid’s Curse – The Decay
Pop Recording of the Year
Good Dear Good – Arrival
KINLEY – Daylight
Leanne Hoffman – The Text Collector
Neon Dreams – Love Child Baby Dolphin
The East Pointers – Safe In Sound
R&B / Soul Recording of the Year
Avery Dakin – Bloom
Gary Beals – The Melody Within
JupiterReign – Intergalactic
KAYO – Trip
Lindsay Misiner & The 7th Mystic – Lindsay Misiner & The 7th Mystic
Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year
Black Rook – Black Rook
Cavy – Energy Thief
City Natives – Still Chief’n
Harmz – Better Watch
Stephen Hero – Paper Flowers
The Umbrella Collective – WELCOME TO STUDIO UC!
Rising Star Recording of the Year
Good Dear Good – Coffee and Sunshine
Jay Heart – After The Tone
Kilmore – Firestone
Noah Malcolm – Feel The Same
Terra Spencer – At Your Service
The Bombadils – Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming
Rock Recording of the Year
Andre Pettipas and the Giants – Under Control
Elyse Aeryn – Joy State of Mind
Fairgale – The Way It Was Before
Good Dear Good – Arrival
Hillsburn – “Stories” EP
Kilmore – From the Inside
Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year
Brad Reid – The Bridge
Inn Echo – Hemispheres
Kitchinparti – No Word of a Lie
La Famille LeBlanc – Perdrais-je mon temps…Would I be losing my time…
Morgan Toney – Resilience
Solo Recording of the Year
Braden Lam – Strange Paradise
Christina Martin – Storm
Dennis Ellsworth – Modern Hope
Jimmy Rankin – Harvest Highway
Tim Baker – The Festival
Song of the Year
Classified – “People”
Jenn Grant – “Judy”
Tara MacLean – “Sparrow”
The Bombadils – “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming”
The East Pointers – “We Will Meet Again”
Tim Baker – “Some Day”
Songwriter of the Year
Braden Lam
Carleton Stone
Jenn Grant
KINLEY
The Bombadils
The East Pointers
Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year
Dave Gunning
Derina Harvey Band
Christina Martin
Classified
Cloverdale
Jimmy Rankin
Kellie Loder
Lennie Gallant
Mallory Johnson
Neon Dreams
PINEO & LOEB
Rum Ragged
The East Pointers
Tim Baker
Fans’ Choice Video of the Year
2nd Generation – “Kina’mu” (Director: Matthew Ingraham)
Ben Chase – “Saltwater Cowboy” (Director: Matt Gaudet)
Brooklyn Blackmore – “Great Minds Drink Alike” (Director: Robb Medwid, Devin Deuville)
Classified – “People” (Director: Brothers Boyd)
Daniel James McFadyen – “Sunshine” (Director: Griffin O’Toole)
DeeDee Austin – “Buried Truth” (Director: Michael Reid Boyd)
Jenn Grant – “Judy” (Director: Tessa Fleming)
Jessica Rhaye & The Ramshackle Parade – “Come a Little Closer” (Director: Jordan Mattie & Jessica Rhaye)
Lennie Gallant – “On the Minnehaha” (Director: Patricia Richard and Lennie Gallant)
Mallory Johnson – “Surprise Party” (Director: Cecil Johnson)
POSTDATA – “Try” (Director: Griffin O’Toole)
Rum Ragged – “Lazy Afternoon (Live)” (Director: Tom Cochrane)
Tim Baker – “Echo Park” (Director: Tim Baker)
In addition to the music awards, a series of industry awards will also be handed out.
Artist Management of the Year
Derrick Sturge (Pharos Music Inc.)
Dwayne Marcial
Faye WilliamsWood
Hurricane Music
Todd Mercer
Audio Engineer of the Year
Ben B. Creelman
Jamie Foulds
John D.S. Adams
Matt Dines
Scott Ferguson
Event of the Year
Halifax Jazz Festival
Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival
Under the Spire
We Stand On Guard Again
Innovator of the Year
Before The Dinosaurs
Eirinn Fraser
Katrina Lopes
Lindsay Connolly
Tara MacLean
Media Person Of The Year
Doug Gallant
Katie Kelly
Mike and Kristen
Richard Lann
Zach Snow
Producer Of The Year
Andrew A. Melzer
Clint Curtis
Corey LeRue
Jenn Grant & Daniel Ledwell
Keith Mullins
Venue of the Year
First Light Centre for Performance & Creativity
The Arts Guild PEI
The Carleton
The Ship Pub
Under the Spire
Video Director of the Year
Brothers Boyd
Cecil Johnson
Karen Robinson
MOOSECANFLY
Noah Malcolm
Visual Artist of the Year
Ashley Anne Clark
Heidi-Lyn O’Connor – East Track Mind
Jessica Rhaye
Jud Haynes
Krista Power