Music Nova Scotia has announced the 2025 Music Nova Scotia Music & Industry Award nominees.
With award submissions covering 23 music and 7 industry categories, Juno-nominated Mi’kmaq singer-songwriter and fiddler Morgan Toney leads the way with five award nominations. Following close behind with four nominations is Kayo, and with three nominations each are Braden Lam, Jah’Mila, KC Okoye, Million Vibes, Mo Kenney, and Pineo & Loeb.
Voting by Music Nova Scotia members is underway, while the general public can vote for Entertainer of the Year. Voting closes on August 5.
The winners will be announced on October 26 during Nova Scotia Music Week in Yarmouth/Kespukwitk. Visit nsmw.ca for more information.
A complete list of nominees follows:
African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year
Jah’Mila
JupiterReign
KAYO
KC Okoye
Kxng Wooz
Americana/Bluegrass Recording of the Year
Aaron MacDonald – Songs from a Hurricane
Clever Hopes – New Kind of Familiar
Charlie A’Court – San Palarino
The Culls – The Culls
Newbridge – Past Lives
Blues Recording of the Year
11th & Duke – 105 Reasons Why
Angelo Spinazzola – Harp-Centric
Campbell & Johnston – Paisley Hearts
Geoff Arsenault – Hired Hand
The Jazz Enthusiast – Sweater Weather 3: “Cutting Ties”
Classical Recording of the Year
Amy Brandon – Lysis
Catherine Little and Gregory Myra – Light & Dark
Edward Enman – Silver Light: Fantasies on Poems by Sara Teasdale
India Gailey (with Symphony Nova Scotia & Karl Hirzer) – Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth
Norm Adams – Flickering Cotillian
Country Recording of the Year
Bill Ricky – Bill Ricky
Jamie Fontaine – Jamie Fontaine
Jon Cornwall – Great Villagers
Nathan Trentelman – Runnin’ Away
Tyler Mullendore – Time Heals Everything
DJ of the Year
DJ Hotcue
Hieropunk
KAYO
KC Okoye
PINEO & LOEB
Entertainer of the Year
Braden Lam
Jacques Surette
Jah’Mila
KAYO
Maggie Andrew
Morgan Toney
PINEO & LOEB
Rich Aucoin
T. Thomason
Terra Spencer
Electronic Artist of the Year
G. Roy
Hieropunk
KC Okoye
Pineo & Loeb
Rich Aucoin
Folk/Roots Recording of the Year
Braden Lam – The Cloudmaker’s Cry
Kristen Martell – Allume mon courage
Mo Kenney – From Nowhere
Morgan Toney – Heal the Divide
Terra Spencer – Sunset
Hip Hop/Rap Recording of the Year
BASYL – Love Bombers
KAYO – EXTENDED TRIP
Kxng Wooz – Malik
L’nu Joker – Through the Looking-Glass
Luke French – Forever Hold Your Piece
Indigenous Artist of the Year
Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers
Angel Ann Julian
Joe H. Henry
L’nu Joker
Morgan Toney
Jazz Recording of the Year
Ian Alistair Gosbee – Chillax
Nicolae Miller – Living Things
Sahara Jane – Something Good
Sam Wilson – Wintertides
Sly-Fi – Stranger Than Fiction
Loud Recording of the Year
10 Slip – Tense Lip
Hemineglect – Reverse Hearse
Paranormal Arson – Noxious
The Orchids – The Orchids
Yipherlastname – Horror from Asia: The Trial of Hades
Music Video of the Year
Alex Coley & Afterlove – Hold It All, directed by Connor Robins
Braden Lam – Wide Open (feat. Michaela Singer), directed by Griffin O’Toole
Jah’Mila – Never Fail, directed by Dennis Fyffe
Mo Kenney – From Nowhere, directed by Nicole Cecile Holland and Sarah Swire
Morgan Toney – Heal The Divide, directed by George Ryan Roberts
Musician of the Year
Cassie Mann
Connor Booth
JR Smith
Siobhan Martin
Victoria Cameron
New Artist Recording of the Year
Alex Coley & Afterlove – The Arc
Bill Ricky – Bill Ricky
DEADØNE – The Dreamer Disease
Mat Elliott – South Endings
The Orchids – The Orchids
Pop Recording of the Year
Alanna Matty – Subject to Change
Madeline – Memoir
Pillow Fite – Hard Feelings, Soft Promises
Steel Cut Oats – Top Autonomy EP
T. Thomason – Tenderness
Prix de l’Acadie
Hirondelles
Jacques Surette
Kristen Martell
Peanut Butter Sunday
Weldon Boudreau et sa fille Josée
Rock Recording of the Year
Contrived – Addicted to Sadness
Eric Stephen Martin – Paper Chains
June Body – Last Everythings
Nap Eyes – The Neon Gate
norc – Whatever You Want
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Baby Nova
Breagh Isabel
KAYO
Mo Kenney
Morgan Toney
Traditional Recording of the Year
Adrianna Ciccone & Ellen Gibling – The Pear Tree
Caragh Kennedy – The Other Side
Heather MacIsaac – The Moon’s Daughter
James Hull – Uke Heads
Lucy MacNeil – Angels Whisper
Artistic Development Award
African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA)
Andree Gracie
Chuck Boudreau
Halifax Jazz Festival
Million Vibes
Emerging Industry Professional of the Year
Anna Brown
Chelsi Madonna
Jayden Duplessis (NoLoveNorthern)
Julien Matwawana
Stak (Million Vibes)
Educator of the Year
Avery Dakin
Dr. Nathan Beeler
Eirinn Fraser
Kye Clayton
Reagan Mae Kuzyk
Emerging Industry Professional of the Year
Anna Brown
Chelsi Madonna
Jayden Duplessis (NoLoveNorthern)
Julien Matwawana
Stak (Million Vibes)
Live Sector Award
Chelsi Madonna School of Music
Halifax Jazz Festival
Million Vibes
Rankin’s Winter Warmers
The Marigold Cultural Centre
Media Arts Award
Andrew Shaver
CKDU – 88.1FM Society
Holly Gordon
Jeff Miller
Trevor Savory
Recording Sector Award
Breagh Isabel
Chris Kirby
Corey Lerue
Future Dad – John Mullane
Jordan “Tempo” Farmer
Sound, Tech and Production Award
Devin Farrell
Mike “Sheppy” Shepherd
Owen Williams
Richard ‘Nulo’ McNeil
Sara Martin