Latest news with #ECMA
CTV News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 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.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
'Reggae is not soul': Jah'Mila makes appeal for change after East Coast Music Awards win
Reggae musician Jah'Mila delivered a powerful speech on the East Coast Music Awards stage in St. John's on May 8, offering a hopeful appeal for collaboration and change from an association that has faced turmoil for months. The Halifax-based Jamaican Canadian singer's reggae song Never Fail won in the R&B/soul category, which she said is an indication of what needs to change at the East Coast Music Association. "This category, having been won by a reggae song, is a very clear example of the kind of reform that I'm excited for the ECMA to take on," she said in her acceptance speech, after thanking her collaborators. "Because reggae is not soul. I am grateful for it, but it is not soul. It's been a tough year for us, all of us at the ECMAs ... and without having to belabour what we've gone through, what I am is excited about what's to come. And I would love to play a part in that in any way that I can. I want to have those hard conversations. I want to ensure that a reggae song is in the correct category, right?" WATCH | The official video for Jah'Mila's song Never Fail: The awards show and five-day conference has been dealing with a reckoning within its membership since last fall, when some association members complained about a lack of transparency and representation. The East Coast Music Association ousted CEO Blanche Israël in January, prompting outcry among members who said she had meaningfully moved the needle on much-needed diversity and inclusivity within the association. Several musicians then withdrew their nominations in protest, including Wolastoqiyik tenor Jeremy Dutcher, who said he stood in solidarity with those calling for more clarity on the direction of the organization, singer-songwriter Mo Kenney, and rappers Stephen Hero, Aquakultre and Wolf Castle. The non-profit was formed more than 30 years ago to support local artists and run the awards show, but critics have suggested it's fallen out of step with the times. Some claim organizers lean too heavily into folk and rock music, downplaying the region's burgeoning community of musicians who represent other music genres. As musicians were withdrawing their nominations when they were announcd in March, Jah'Mila shared with CBC Music that Israël had asked her directly to perform at the awards just before the CEO was fired and she still planned on attending. At the time, Jah'Mila said she hoped to share her thoughts with the association and membership onstage. "Something happened with the ECMAs over the past few months. And without being embarrassed of it or pushing it under the rug, it is a blessed glorious opportunity for all of us to leave our ego at the door and have those hard, clear conversations," she said onstage in St. John's, two months later. "Because we are sick. We shouldn't feel bad, nothing's wrong with us, we just have to go and get the help that we need. There are thousands of artists in the East Coast that are looking to us as an example, as the standard. Please don't let them down." "I'm shaking right now because it took a lot of balls to share what I did onstage," the artist told reporters backstage after her address, tears streaming down her face. "But I felt like it was very necessary, because I love being a part of this community. And if we don't all come together to fix it and we just sweep it under the rug, it will keep on persisting." An awards night in remembrance of Mark Hiscock The biggest night in Atlantic Canadian music began with an emotional tribute to Mark Hiscock, a beloved accordionist who died this week in St. John's. Folk band Shanneyganock took the stage to kick off the night without Hiscock, their longtime member, and dedicated their performance to him. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians took early awards, with Kellie Loder snagging the Fans' Choice awards for entertainer of the year and video of the year, and Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds winning Indigenous artist of the year. Edmunds also won the Juno in March for classical composition of the year for her piece Angmalukisaa. "This award means to me more than I can actually say in words ... as an Indigenous artist who is in classical music," Edmunds told reporters after her win. "To be an Indigenous artist, you can be any genre, any style." Maggie Andrew, a singer-songwriter based in Nova Scotia, picked up the award for African Canadian artist of the year for the second year in a row. "I had a hard time actually being recognized when I first moved back to Nova Scotia," Andrew told reporters. "I'm here and I am Black, and this is a really cool award to win." Other winners included rapper Classified, for solo artist of the year, and Newfoundland band Rum Ragged's song Paddy Hyde, for traditional release of the year. The traditional Newfoundland song Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's, written by Otto P. Kelland, was also inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
CTV News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
ECMA red carpet: Jah'Mila
Atlantic Watch CTV's Katie Kelly talks with multiple nominee – Jah'Mila on the ECMA red carpet in St. John's.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Mark Hiscock's death has punched a 'hole' in N.L. music community, say musicians
Hiscock of Shanneyganock died suddenly at age 53 Some of Atlantic Canada's best musicians are in St. John's this week for what is usually a celebration of excellence. This year, though, the sudden death of Newfoundland and Labrador musical legend Mark Hiscock has left the crowd remembering the life and legacy of a musical giant. Hiscock, a founding member of the well-known folk band Shanneyganock, died on Tuesday. He was 53. "It is a sombre day," said Con O'Brien of The Irish Descendants, while paying tribute on-stage to his long-time friend. O'Brien dedicated a performance of 'Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's' to Hiscock's memory and asked people to take out their cellphones and turn on the flashlight because "a little beacon of light might help," he said, "And let Mark know that you're here." Image | Mark Hiscock Caption: Mark Hiscock, a founding member of Shanneyganock, has died. He was 53. (Courtesy Mark Hiscock) Open Image in New Tab With Violet's Sarah Newell says Hiscock's death is a major loss for the province, but said the ECMAs are an opportunity for the musical community to remember him together. "There's not a household that wasn't touched by him and his music, so it's definitely going to be a big hole," Newell told CBC News. Shanneyganock, which was formed more than 30 years ago as a musical duo with Hiscock and Chris Andrews, have a strong following and regularly perform across Canada. WATCH | The East Coast Music Awards kick off, with sombre undertones due to the death of Shanneygannock member: Media Video | The East Coast Music Awards kick off, with sombre undertones due to the death of Shanneygannock member Caption: After a decade, the East Coast Music Awards are back in St. John's. On Wednesday night, performances kicked off the five-day event, and there were tributes to Mark Hiscock, a founding member of legendary N.L. band Shanneyganock. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Pete MacDonald, also part of With Violet, says Hiscock left a strong impression on other musicians. "Shanneyganock is just a huge part of the Newfoundland music scene and you rarely have a party without it so he'll be missed," said MacDonald. Jordan Coaker, one half of the duo Quote the Raven, says Hiscock's music was instantly recognizable because of his style. "You recognize people as instrumentalists and vocalists and stuff like that, and Mark is instantly identifiable from the first note that he played on the accordion or the first note that he sang," said Coaker. Coaker says Hiscock's legacy "resonates throughout all of us" and the moments he shared with Hiscock were special. Speaking before the ECMAs, life-long friend and band member Chris Andrews says the band will perform at the ECMA gala scheduled for Thursday night. "We're going to play and we think we've done it in a way that is very respectful of Mark and will let people appreciate Mark," said Andrews. He says Hiscock's death isn't the signal of the end of Shanneyganock. "And also to show that, you know, even though Mark is gone and it'll be different, but the band will continue."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beloved Newfoundland musician Mark Hiscock has died
Mark Hiscock, Shanneyganock's multi-instrumentalist, has a new solo album called The Old Fishing Schooner. (Courtesy Mark Hiscock - image credit) Mark Hiscock, a founding member of Shanneyganock, has died. He was 53. (Courtesy Mark Hiscock) Mark Hiscock, a lifelong musician based out of St. John's, has died. He was 53 years old. Hiscock was a mainstay of Newfoundland and Labrador's musical landscape, and was a founding member of the well-known folk band Shanneyganock — known for tunes steeped in the province's long history of storytelling. The band, which was formed more than 30 years ago as a musical duo, developed a strong following and regularly performed across Canada. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement In a previous interview with CBC News, Hiscock said even after performing for decades, he wasn't tired of life on the stage. "There's times when you think, 'Jeez, how did we manage to get this far?'" he said. "And then there's other times you look out, when you're playing in front of the crowd like tonight, and you go, 'This is the reason we've done it.' We do it for the fans." WATCH | From the CBC archives, Mark Hiscock talks about making music his life: According to the band, Hiscock was one of province's best button accordion players. Beyond that, he also had a solo career, released albums and worked with other artists. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Shanneyganock is scheduled to perform at the 37th annual East Coast Music Awards on Thursday at the Mary Brown's Centre in St. John's. Singer Chris Andrews told CBC News the band still plans to play that performance, and dedicate it to Hiscock. In 2020 the band received a lifetime achievement award during an ECMA gala. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.
