Western Canadian Music Awards Unveils Its 2021 Nominees

Snotty Nose Rez Kids, William Prince, Jill Barber, Aidan Knight, Begonia and more are all up for awards

BY Brock ThiessenPublished May 18, 2021

The Western Canadian Music Awards is returning this year, and it's just announced the 2021 nominees.

Today the full list of everyone up for awards this year was revealed by the Western Canadian Music Alliance. Among the nominees are Snotty Nose Rez Kids, William Prince, Jill Barber, Gord Bamford, Mat the Alien, Mattmac, Ariel Posen, Begonia, Aidan Knight, Shred Kelly, Sebastian Gaskin, Steve Bays, Scenic Route to Alaska, and Pharis and Jason Romero, among others.

"I could not be more excited to honour the talent and strength of Western Canadian artists and industry," Robyn Stewart, executive director of WCMA and BreakOut West, said in a statement. "Congratulations to all who submitted for nominations and all who are nominated. Your drive and success in sharing your music with the world or supporting this music to be shared is integral to tough times like this. Your resilience is inspirational."

Down below, you can see the full list of nominees in both the artistic and industry categories. While an exact date has yet to be announced, the winners will be revealed in October via a livestreamed ceremony.

2021 Western Canadian Music Awards Artistic Nominees:
 
Blues Artist of the Year                 
Blue Moon Marquee – BC
Debra Power – AB
Kat Danser – AB
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne – AB
Terminal Station – BC
                       
BreakOut Artist of the Year                     
Ariel Posen – MB
Olivia Penalva – BC
Sam Lynch – BC
Sargeant X Comrade – AB
Tate McRae – AB
                       
Children's Artist of the Year                    
Claire Ness – YT
Garth Prince – AB
Peter Lenton – AB
Remy Rodden – YT
Seeka Sings – AB
                       
Classical Artist or Ensemble of the Year Sponsored by Canadian Music Centre (CMC)
Christopher Tyler Nickel – BC
Land's End Ensemble with Laura Hynes and Karl Hirzer – AB
PEP (Piano and Erhu Project) – BC
Véronique Mathieu – SK
Vetta Chamber Music – BC
                       
Classical Composer of the Year               
Edward Top – BC
Jeffrey Ryan – BC
Jocelyn Morlock – BC
Katerina Gimon – BC
T. Patrick Carrabre – BC
                       
Country Artist of the Year            
D'orjay The Singing Shaman – AB
Gord Bamford – AB
Hunter Brothers – SK
Jess Moskaluke – SK
Nice Horse – AB
                       
Electronic & Dance Artist of the Year                
Astrocolor – BC
Mat the Alien – BC
So Sus – BC
Takis – BC
Talltale – AB
                       
Francophone Artist of the Year Sponsored by APCM (Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique)      
éemi – SK
Jill Barber – BC
Kelly Bado – MB
Ponteix – SK
Sala – MB
                       
Global Artist of the Year               
Casimiro Nhussi – MB
Kelly Bado – MB
Notas de 4 – AB
Rubim de Toledo – AB
Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra – BC
                       
Indigenous Artist of the Year                  
Don Amero – MB
Mattmac – MB
PIQSIQ – NT
Sebastian Gaskin – MB
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – BC
                       
Instrumental Artist of the Year               
Factor Eight – SK
Mohamed Assani – BC
Quin With One N – BC
Rubim de Toledo – AB
Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra – BC
                       
Jazz Artist of the Year                    
BPM Trio – BC
David Restivo – BC
Jocelyn Gould – MB
Michael Kaeshammer – BC
Will Bonness – MB
                       
Metal & Hard Music Artist of the Year               
Black Thunder – SK
Numenorean – AB
The Basement Paintings – SK
The Moon Runners – SK
Vagina Witchcraft – MB
                       
Pop Artist of the Year                    
Begonia – MB
Olivia Penalva – BC
Sam the Astronaut – BC
Shawn Hook – BC
Tate McRae – AB
                       
Producer of the Year                     
Aidan Knight – BC
Chris Duncombe, Aaron Grain, David Roberts, Gordie Sampson, Thomas Salter, Karen Kosowski – BC
deadmen – MB
Spencer Cheyne – AB
Steve Bays – BC
                       
R&B Artist of the Year                   
IAMTHELIVING X Teon Gibbs – BC
Major Funk – YT
Sebastian Gaskin – MB
Slo-Fi – AB
XL The Band – BC
                       
Rap & Hip Hop Artist of the Year            
Boslen – BC
Junk – BC
Mouraine – AB
Sargeant X Comrade – AB
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – BC
                       
Recording of the Year                   
Begonia – MB
Kelly Bado – MB
The Bros. Landreth – MB
The Washboard Union – BC
William Prince – MB
                       
Rock Artist of the Year Sponsored by Torque Brewing
Miesha & The Spanks – AB
Mise en Scene – MB
Scenic Route to Alaska – AB
Shred Kelly – BC
The Pack a.d. – BC
                       
Roots Solo Artist of the Year                    
Aerialists – BC
Emily Triggs – AB
Pharis and Jason Romero – BC
Slow Leaves – MB
William Prince – MB
                       
Songwriter(s) of the Year Sponsored by The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)                               
Aidan Knight – BC
Grant Davidson – MB
Michael Bernard Fitzgerald – AB
Stefanie Johnson and Jodi Dunlop – MB
William Prince – MB
                       
Spiritual Artist of the Year                       
Allswell – BC
Caleb Delamont – AB
Jake Fretz – MB
Steve Bell – MB
Yvonne St Germaine – SK
                       
Video Director of the Year Sponsored by Manitoba Film & Music                   
Alfonso Chin – Snotty Nose Rez Kids "Screaming Indian" – BC
Dylan Hryciuk – PONTEIX "Petite Fleur" – SK
Kyriel Roberts – Pimpton "Exit The Vessel" – SK
Martin LaFrenière & Philippe Bellefeuille – William Prince "Gospel First Nation" – MB
Stephano Barberis – The Washboard Union "Country Thunder" – BC
                       
Visual Media Composer of the Year                   
Chroma Mixed Media – Naona – BC
Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject – Sound Migrations – BC
Factor Eight - Life Is But A Dream – SK
Jeffery Straker – Gravity – SK
Kevon Cronin – Hunter Hunter (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – MB
 
2021 Western Canadian Music Awards Industry Nominees
 
Audio Engineering Award            
Ian Dillon – AB
Josh Gwilliam – AB
Nygel Asselin – BC
Ryan Worsley – BC
Sheldon Zaharko – BC
                       
Community Excellence Award                
Curbside Concerts – AB
National Music Centre – AB
Nunavut Black History Society – NV
Sakamoto Agency – BC
The Exchange – SK
                       
Excellence in Visual Design                     
Alan Ngo – AB
Ashlin Kellough – AB
Bronwin Parks – BC
Christina Cooper – AB
Roberta Landreth – MB
                       
Impact in Artist Development                 
Birthday Cake – MB
Curbside Concerts – AB
National Music Centre – AB
Sakamoto Agency – BC
The Starlite Sessions – AB
                       
Impact in Live Music Sponsored by Canadian Live Music Association                         
Curbside Concerts – AB
National Music Centre – AB
The Starlite Room (Starlite Sessions) #SupportCanadianVenues – AB
Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club – MB
West End Cultural Centre – MB
                       
Impact in Music Marketing                      
Birthday Cake – MB
Curbside Concerts – AB
The Starlite Sessions – AB
The Village Idiots – MB
West End Cultural Centre – MB
 

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