Latest news with #DeanthaEdmunds
CBC
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
N.L. artists bring home 4 East Coast Music Awards
Shanneyganock's rendition of 'Music and Friends' rang through the Mary Browns Centre Thursday night, in the absence of the band's lifelong friend and founding member, Mark Hiscock. Hiscock died earlier this week at the age of 53. His accordion sat on a stool as the rest of the band played. The loss set a sombre tone for the East Coast Music Awards, which was held in St. John's this year for the first time in a decade. Host Tom Power also lauded Hiscock's legacy and the role Shanneyganock played in representing the province's music throughout the world. "He was this province's most iconic accordion player, a tremendous accordion player, musician, singer. A driving force in sharing and preserving the music of Newfoundland and Labrador," Power said. Still, the music played on — and the gala celebrated just that. Four Newfoundland and Labrador artists and groups were awarded for their musical achievements Thursday. Deantha Edmunds Deantha Edmunds brought home the night's first award for the province. "This award means more than I can say, actually, in words," said the Indigenous artist of the year winner. As an Inuk classical musician, Edmunds says Indigenous artists in the genre are not often recognized. She says this award is proof that her voice is being heard and her perspective is being shared. "That is why I do the work that I do," she said. "To try to show people some truth — who I am and how I walk through this world — and hopefully I can uplift people." Edmunds, who won a Juno Award for classical composition of the year in March, says her mantle will need some cleaning up now as she introduces some new hardware. The artist was joined by her daughter as she posed for some celebratory photos. "Our voices matter," Edmunds said before heading back to the awards gala. "Everybody has something special, and when you can find that and nurture that and celebrate it, there's nothing that can hold you back from doing whatever it is you want," she said. Kellie Loder Kellie Loder has become a household name in the province since their appearance on Canada's Got Talent in 2022. They won both of Thursday's TD fans' choice categories: one for entertainer of the year, and another for video of the year. "I love performing live," said Loder, referring to the entertainer award. "I feel like it's really where I excel and it's where I connect with the fans the most." "You can make record over record over record, and it's not the same as when you're on the stage and playing it," they told reporters. They said people from N.L. are very proud of their neighbours, so Loder said they met many people who bragged about casting a vote for the awards. "Without Newfoundland, I would not have a career," said Loder. "They are the backbone. They are the foundation that I, you know, hang my hammock on." The Ennis Sisters As Maureen Ennis puts it, The Ennis Sisters have been on "the most incredible road trip" for the last 28 years. The trio was given the lifetime achievement award at this year's East Coast Music Awards. "My most favourite part of the whole thing is that we've brought the stories and songs of Newfoundland and Labrador to every place we've been," said Maureen. Even though she says she feels too young, Karen Ennis said the award is an "incredible honour." Karen also used some of her acceptance speech to highlight the impact music class in the public school system had on her. "In school we took every music program that was available for us to take. It's so important to keep music in our schools. It matters," she said. According to Teresa Ennis, the musician's road is not an easy one to take. She says she owes The Ennis Sisters' success to the rich musical history of the province, and the community it has fostered. That sense of community was in the air when the group paid tribute to Shanneyganock's Mark Hiscock, who died earlier this week. "I just want to say that our dad, who we lost back in 2018, is somewhere right now with Mark Hiscock, and they're having a jam on the button accordion," Karen said before The Ennis Sisters walked off stage. The East Coast Music Awards showcases and conference continues through Sunday, May 11. More music and industry awards will be passed out then. Rum Ragged Rum Ragged took home an award for traditional release of the year for Paddy Hyde. Mark Manning thanked the East Coast Music Association, and the people who have helped the band, like their sound engineer and graphic designer, "We also want to thank our family, friends and teachers, our supporters. And especially the Newfoundland and Labrador singers and players who handed down their wealth of traditional music to us," Manning told the audience. "One of which in particular we're thinking of and remembering together here tonight. This one's for Mark and his family and his friends and his bandmates and his many fans."
CBC
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Four N.L. acts bring home East Coast Music Awards
Local musicians gathered to celebrate artistic achievements and the life of Shanneyganock's Mark Hiscock Shanneyganock's rendition of 'Music and Friends' rang through the Mary Browns Centre Thursday night, in the absence of the band's lifelong friend and founding member, Mark Hiscock. Hiscock died earlier this week at the age of 53. His accordion sat on a stool as the rest of the band played. The loss set a sombre tone for the East Coast Music Awards, which was held in St. John's this year for the first time in a decade. Host Tom Power also lauded Hiscock's legacy and the role Shanneyganock played in representing the province's music throughout the world. "He was this province's most iconic accordion player, a tremendous accordion player, musician, singer. A driving force in sharing and preserving the music of Newfoundland and Labrador," Power said. Still, the music played on — and the gala celebrated just that. Four Newfoundland and Labrador artists and groups were awarded for their musical achievements Thursday. Deantha Edmunds Deantha Edmunds brought home the night's first award for the province. "This award means more than I can say, actually, in words," said the Indigenous artist of the year winner. As an Inuk classical musician, Edmunds says Indigenous artists in the genre are not often recognized. She says this award is proof that her voice is being heard and her perspective is being shared. "That is why I do the work that I do," she said. "To try to show people some truth — who I am and how I walk through this world — and hopefully I can uplift people." Edmunds, who won a Juno Award for classical composition of the year in March, says her mantle will need some cleaning up now as she introduces some new hardware. The artist was joined by her daughter as she posed for some celebratory photos. "Our voices matter," Edmunds said before heading back to the awards gala. "Everybody has something special, and when you can find that and nurture that and celebrate it, there's nothing that can hold you back from doing whatever it is you want," she said. Kellie Loder Kellie Loder has become a household name in the province since their appearance on Canada's Got Talent in 2022. They won both of Thursday's TD fans' choice categories: one for entertainer of the year, and another for video of the year. "I love performing live," said Loder, referring to the entertainer award. "I feel like it's really where I excel and it's where I connect with the fans the most." "You can make record over record over record, and it's not the same as when you're on the stage and playing it," they told reporters. They said people from N.L. are very proud of their neighbours, so Loder said they met many people who bragged about casting a vote for the awards. "Without Newfoundland, I would not have a career," said Loder. "They are the backbone. They are the foundation that I, you know, hang my hammock on." The Ennis Sisters As Maureen Ennis puts it, The Ennis Sisters have been on "the most incredible road trip" for the last 28 years. The trio was given the lifetime achievement award at this year's East Coast Music Awards. "My most favourite part of the whole thing is that we've brought the stories and songs of Newfoundland and Labrador to every place we've been," said Maureen. Even though she says she feels too young, Karen Ennis said the award is an "incredible honour." Karen also used some of her acceptance speech to highlight the impact music class in the public school system had on her. "In school we took every music program that was available for us to take. It's so important to keep music in our schools. It matters," she said. According to Teresa Ennis, the musician's road is not an easy one to take. She says she owes The Ennis Sisters' success to the rich musical history of the province, and the community it has fostered. That sense of community was in the air when the group paid tribute to Shanneyganock's Mark Hiscock, who died earlier this week. "I just want to say that our dad, who we lost back in 2018, is somewhere right now with Mark Hiscock, and they're having a jam on the button accordion," Karen said before The Ennis Sisters walked off stage. The East Coast Music Awards showcases and conference continues through Sunday, May 11. More music and industry awards will be passed out then. Rum Ragged Rum Ragged took home an award for traditional release of the year for Paddy Hyde. Mark Manning thanked the East Coast Music Association, and the people who have helped the band, like their sound engineer and graphic designer, "We also want to thank our family, friends and teachers, our supporters. And especially the Newfoundland and Labrador singers and players who handed down their wealth of traditional music to us," Manning told the audience. "One of which in particular we're thinking of and remembering together here tonight. This one's for Mark and his family and his friends and his bandmates and his many fans."
CBC
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Two Inuit women take home Juno Awards
Two Inuit women earned awards at the 2025 Juno Awards in Vancouver, B.C., over the weekend. Singer-songwriter Elisapie won the adult alternative album of the year category for Inuktitut while Deantha Edmunds, an opera singer, won classical composition of the year for her piece, Angmalukisaa. Elisapie said during her acceptance speech at the Juno Awards Gala on Saturday evening that the award was both "so beautiful and so heavy." "I'm so proud to be an Inuk woman, I'm so proud to be singing in my language and I would just like to say thank you to all the artists who accepted for me to translate their songs, who meant so much to us for the last 40 years." It was Elisapie's second Juno win — after winning the award for contemporary Indigenous artist of the year last year. Her album features 10 pop and classic rock tracks, like Dreams by Fleetwood Mac and Blondie's Heart of Glass — but each one is translated into Inuktitut, which Elisapie heard a lot growing up in Salluit, Que. Inuktitut had also been nominated for album of the year — a category won by Tate McRae with Think Later. Deantha Edmunds of Newfoundland and Labrador, meanwhile, told the audience that her award meant a lot. She thanked her family for their support, including her mother Loretta and her late father Albert Edmunds. "I would like to thank my husband Darin and our beautiful daughter Annabelle, who are at home cheering me on. I miss you guys," said Edmunds. Edmunds was also nominated for classical composition of the year in the large ensemble category for the album Alikeness. Ispiciwin, an album featuring a song by Yellowknife composer Carmen Braden called Crooked by Nature, had also been nominated in the category.
CBC
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
N.L. Inuk opera singer makes history with big win at 2025 Juno Awards
Deantha Edmunds is first Indigenous woman composer to win Juno for classical composition An Inuk opera singer has made Canadian music history as the first Indigenous woman to win the Juno Award for classical composition of the year as a composer. Deantha Edmunds won for her piece titled Angmalukisaa. "This means so much to me," Edmunds told the Juno audience Sunday in Vancouver. She thanked her family for their support, including her mother Loretta and her late father Albert Edmunds. "I would like to thank my husband Darin and our beautiful daughter Annabelle, who are at home cheering me on. I miss you guys," said Edmunds. The work was commissioned by Mark Fewer, who conducted the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra for the recording. Edmunds was also nominated for the classical composition of the year in the large ensemble category, alongside Fewer and Aiyun Huang, for the album Alikeness.
