Classified, Kellie Loder, Maggie Andrew big winners out of East Coast Music Awards
ST. JOHN'S - Atlantic music stars Classified, Kellie Loder and Maggie Andrew have emerged as the top winners at the East Coast Music Awards, which wrapped up in St. John's, N.L. today after days of festivities.
Classified took home Solo Artist of the Year, Producer of the Year, Rap/Hip-Hop Release of the Year for his song Sure Enough, and clinching Release of the Year for his song Amnesia.
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CBC
12-05-2025
- CBC
ECMAs end on high note, with a dozen more awards for N.L. musicians
The East Coast Music Awards has come and gone, and some Newfoundland and Labrador musicians are walking away with new trophies and memories. Brazilian duo Ana and Eric, based in St. John's, opened the event's second awards show with a gentle acoustic performance Sunday morning. Eighteen music awards and six industry awards were given out, in addition to honorary awards. Twelve of Sunday's winners are from Newfoundland and Labrador. Heather Feather took home the prize for children's artist of the year. She said in a speech that her "world fell apart" when she became disabled, but she was able to lean on the music community. "All of a sudden, everyone just rallied closer," she said. Dance release of the year went to 17-year-old Summer Bennett. "Even being nominated is crazy," Bennett said. The 2024 CBC Searchlight Top Teen promised she wouldn't cry on stage, despite the surprise. "It's really special," she said. "I started writing music at six years old. Trying to write pop music is, of course, very different from anything else." Celebrating the win in her home province — where dance music isn't the most popular genre — made the moment even more meaningful, said Bennett. Some tears were shed in the audience as the honorary musicians' achievement award went to the late Chris Ryan, who died unexpectedly in October. Ryan was the kind of person who would support a fellow musician in a heartbeat, said his partner Amber Miller, who accepted the award. "He opened for festivals at a moment's notice, most recently cancelling his own birthday party so he could play guitar for another musician so they could be in the spotlight," said Miller. Nearly every person in the room stood to give applause when Miller walked off stage. The show-stopping moments continued when experimental hardcore band The Order of the Precious Blood took the time to dedicate their award to the music scene they came from. The five-piece group, fronted by Paul Brake, won loud release of the year. "A band like us doesn't exist in a vacuum," Brake said to the audience. "There's such a rich culture of this kind of music on the east coast." Brake riddled the names of dozens of bands from Newfoundland and Labrador and other Atlantic Canadian provinces, adding that his band's award belongs to all of them. In an interview after the event, the vocalist said he wanted to use his platform to lift up artists who feel as though they aren't recognized in the larger music industry. "We want to make sure that … their names are heard in rooms that they wouldn't get spoken in otherwise," said Brake. "Once you get playing and you find your voice, the sky's the limit." The remaining Newfoundland and Labrador winners from Sunday are:
CBC
12-05-2025
- CBC
Classified, Vishtèn, Maggie Andrew lead 2025 East Coast Music Award winners
Social Sharing The 2025 East Coast Music Awards took place in St. John's last weekend, after months of protest and calls to action within the local music community. Nova Scotia rapper Classified led the winners by taking home five of the eight awards he was nominated for, while P.E.I. folk group Vishtèn nabbed three awards, and Newfoundland's own Kellie Loder tied with Nova Scotia's Maggie Andrew for two apiece. The field of nominees was missing some of the names originally announced in late February, when musicians started boycotting the awards after the East Coast Music Association, the organization that puts on the ECMAs, fired former CEO Blanche Israël. "I do not agree with the lack of transparency around the sudden firing of former CEO @blancheis, and what I would call essentially online bullying leading up to the firing," said Mo Kenney via Instagram, after withdrawing their nomination for rock/alternative release of the year. Jeremy Dutcher, who originally led the nominees alongside Classified with eight to his name, also withdrew from the nominations, as did Wolf Castle, Sam Wilson, Les Moontunes, Stephen Hero and Aquakultre. Many of the awards were handed out at the May 8 award ceremony, which began with an emotional tribute to Mark Hiscock, the beloved accordionist from Newfoundland and Labrador who died earlier in the week at 53 years old. Folk band Shanneyganock, of which Hiscock was a founding member, performed its song Music and Friends in tribute, as Hiscock's accordion rested on a stool onstage. The remaining awards were given out at the East Coast Music and Industry Awards on May 11. Read below to find out who won, with the winners marked in bold. African Canadian artist of the year Baraka, Galaxy Jah'Mila, Never Fail Kayo, Get Me Right featuring JRDN Maggie Andrew, About Us Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, Zombie Album of the year Luke's View, Classified Woman of the Sun, Jah'Mila Day Job, Maggie Andrew Map the Dark, Quote the Raven An Irish Descendants Christmas, the Irish Descendants Expansions, Vishtèn Connexions 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 WATCH | The official video for Les Hay Babies' Soyez fiers: Blues release of the year The Phoenix, 11th & Duke Find Your Way, Campbell & Johnston Ain't No Time, Connor Fox Dust Jackets, Lookout Tower Just Don't Know it Yet, Stompbox Breakthrough artist of the year Brett Matthews, If I Die Today featuring 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, I'm Made From Stardust Miss Kris, The Day Has Just Begun Mr. Super Dude and KinderChartin', Sticker on My Toe Classical composer of the year Classical release of the year Benedicite, Blackwood with India Gailey Problematica, India Gailey Blizzard, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy, SHHH!! Ensemble Pour une Amérique engloutie, Suzie LeBlanc Country release of the year If I Die Today, Brett Matthews feat. Classified I'm Not Scared, Carolina East I Found Mine, Julie Aubé She Just Is, Justin Fancy Suitcase, Mallory Johnson Dance release of the year When We Dance, Alex Byrne Mmam, Bad Friends Believe in the Music, Cloverdale Chrome, Pineo & Loeb Just a Phase (Dave Aude remix), Summer Bennett Lights Out, the Volta Electronic release of the year Something Sawed, Ben Diamond Ghost Gear, DenMother Sonica, Rich Aucoin In Perfect Time, Rozalind MacPhail Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy, SHHH!! Ensemble Folk release of the year Cereal, Noah Malcolm My Status Is the Baddest, Old Man Luedecke featuring Bahamas The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock), Rum Ragged Real Love, Terra Spencer featuring Ian Sherwood Kouma, Vishtèn Connexions Fusion release of the year The Dream Canoe, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Not My One, Capital 6 Gossamer, Ian foster Problematica, India Gailey Kouma, Vishtèn Connexions Global music release of the year Clouds, Ana Luísa Ramos Just Friends, Dee Hernandez Lightning in a Bottle, Kayo CareBear Forever, Richard Wood Keep Your Head Above the Water, Zay Nova 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 DeeDee Austin, Tell Me ( Why Am I So Different) Summer Bennett, Just a Phase Instrumental release of the year Passages, Blackwood with India Gailey Bird Island Suite, Iris Trio The Simple Life, Mark Fewer Sound Mind, Shaun Ferguson Piano Concerto in One Movement, Symphony Nova Scotia Jazz release of the year St-Antoine's March, Amirault Brothers Not My One, Capital 6 Zombie, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee Good Machines, Natasha Blackwood Loud release of the year Ascension, Blevk Famine, Elevate the Virus Cosmic Convergence, Omnivide Suffer & Die, the Order of the Precious Blood Pop release of the year Is this as good as it gets?, chasing luma Unrequited Love Blues, Logan Richard with Moira & Claire About Us, Maggie Andrew Church Street, Mat Elliott January, Noah Malcolm 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 City on Fire, aRenye and Nulo featuring Kayo and Basyl Lesson #1, Bakers Duz'n Blessed, Dee Hernandez Never Fail, Jah'Mila Church Street, Mat Elliott Hip-hop release of the year Sure Enough, Classified Family Highs, Harmz Better Half, Michael J. Foxx Same Old Feeling, Mischief Burn the House, Todd. Release of the year The Dream Canoe, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Amnesia, Classified Never Fail, Jah'Mila When it Comes to You, Kellie Loder The Bend, the Once Rock/alternative release of the year By Fright, Absolute Losers Day Job, Maggie Andrew Agis comme du monde, Sluice In Your Head, the Town Heroes Roots release of the year Rocky Hills, Bill Preeper, Jessica Rhaye, and Sandy MacKay Already Gone, Quote the Raven East to West, Terra Spencer Gaillard, Vishtèn Connexions featuring De temps antan Solo artist of the year Amnesia, Classified Gossamer, Ian Foster When it Comes to You, Kellie Loder Alberta, Kylie Fox Sonica, Rich Aucoin Songwriter of the year Classified, Wonder featuring Ian janes 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 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 Amnesia (Classified), directed by Classified Devil Talking (David Myles), directed by Griffin O'Toole East Coast Family (Jah'Mila), directed by Jeff Miller Can't Go Back (Kellie Loder), directed by Ashlea Wessel About Us (Maggie Andrew), directed by MooseCanFly The Art of Letting Go (Neon Dreams), directed by Dan Lewis Cole & Frank Kadillac She Told Me Where to Go (Old Man Luedecke), directed by Pangalactic Pictures Inc. Already Gone (Quote the Raven), directed by Cody Westman Hockey Fights (the Town Heroes), directed by Matt Corkum Traditional release of the year Whale Hunting Song, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Radio Sweethearts, Lucy MacNeil The Quartermaster, Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen Paddy Hyde, Rum Ragged Gaillard, Vishtèn Connexions featuring De temps antan Vocal release of the year L'appel, Chœur Louisbourg Yôtin (The Wind), Halifax Camerata Singers Maybe, Halifax Gay Men's Chorus Lucy, Laura Roy Pur ti miro, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee
CTV News
12-05-2025
- CTV News
The top winners at this year's ECMAs
The top winners at this year's ECMAs Atlantic music stars Classified, Kellie Loder and Maggie Andrew emerged as top winners at this year's East Coast Music Awards on Sunday.
