Also this week: Canada House's mission to The Great Escape, Steven Guilbeault becomes Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, a musical tribute to Toronto musician and sound engineer Al Miller & more.
Classified receiving an ECMA award on May 11 in St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Here is some Classified info we can share: Over the weekend, the East Coast hip-hop star emerged as the big winner at the annual East Coast Music Awards, held in St. John's, Newfoundland. He took home five trophies, followed by folk music group Vishtèn with three awards and acclaimed singer-songwriters Kellie Loder and Maggie Andrew with two wins each. The first batch of ECMA Award winners was announced May 8, during the 37th annual East Coast Music Awards. Two classical awards were given out on Saturday at the Classical Showcase and the remaining awards were presented May 11 at the East Coast Music & Industry Awards.
This year's ECMAs were embroiled in controversy, with many artists boycotting after the firing of CEO Blanche Israël. Jah'Mila used her win to advocate for change within the organization. Jeremy Dutcher, who was initially tied with Classified for most nominations this year, withdrew from this year's awards.
The full list of 2025 ECMA winners is as follows:
MUSIC AWARDS:
African Canadian Artist of the Year | Artiste afro-canadienne ou afro-canadien de l’année
Maggie Andrew
Album of the Year | Album de l’année
Vishtèn Connexions – Expansion
Artiste acadien(ne) ou francophone de l’année | Acadian or Francophone Artist of the Year
Les Hay Babies
Blues Release of the Year | Sortie blues de l’année
Campbell & Johnston – “Find Your Way”
Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Révélation de l’année
Loviet
Children’s Artist of the Year | Artiste jeunesse de l’année
Heather Feather
Classical Composer of the Year | Compositrice ou compositeur classique de l’année
India Gailey – “Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth: I. SKY”
Classical Release of the Year | Sortie classique de l’année
Suzie LeBlanc – “pour une Amérique engloutie”
Country Release of the Year | Sortie country de l’année
Brett Matthews – “If I Die Today (feat. Classified)”
Dance Release of the Year | Sortie dance de l’année
Summer Bennett – “Just a Phase – Dave Aude Remix”
Electronic Release of the Year | Sortie électronique de l’année
Rich Aucoin – “Sonica”
Folk Release of the Year | Sortie folk de l’année
Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma”
Fusion Release of the Year | Sortie multi-genre de l’année
Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma”
Global Music Release of the Year | Sortie monde de l’année
Ana Luísa Ramos – “Clouds”
Group of the Year / Groupe de l’année
Neon Dreams
Indigenous Artist of the Year / Artiste autochtone de l’année
Deantha Edmunds
Instrumental Release of the Year | Sortie instrumentale de l’année
Mark Fewer – “The Simple Life (Arr. for Violin & String Orchestra by Andrew Downing)”
Jazz Release of the Year | Sortie jazz de l’année
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee – “Zombie Blizzard”
Loud Release of the Year | Sortie loud de l’année
The Order of the Precious Blood – “Suffer & Die”
Pop Release of the Year | Sortie pop de l’année
Noah Malcolm – “January”
Producer of the Year | Réalisatrice ou réalisateur de l’année
Classified
Rap / Hip-Hop Release of the Year | Sortie rap/hip-hop de l’année
Classified – “Sure Enough”
R&B/Soul Release of the Year / Enregistrement R&B/soul de l’année
Jah’Mila – “Never Fail”
Release of the Year | Sortie de l’année
Classified – “Amnesia”
Rock / Alternative Release of the Year | Sortie rock/alternatif de l’année
Maggie Andrew – “DAY JOB”
Roots Release of the Year | Sortie folklore de l’année
Quote The Raven – “Already Gone”
Solo Artist of the Year / Artiste solo de l’année
Classified
Songwriter of the Year / Compositrice ou compositeur de l’année
Old Man Luedecke – “The Raven and The Dove”
TD Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year / Artiste de l’année – Choix du public
Kellie Loder
TD Fans’ Choice Video of the Year / Vidéoclip de l’année – Choix du public
Kellie Loder – “Can't Go Back” (Directed by: Ashlea Wessel)
Traditional Release of the Year | Sortie traditionnelle de l’année
Rum Ragged – “Paddy Hyde”
Vocal Release of the Year | Sortie vocale de l’année
Laura Roy – “Lucy”
INDUSTRY AWARDS:
Artist Management of the Year | Gérance de l’année
Hurricane Music Artist Management
Content Creator of the Year | Créatrice ou créateur de l’année
Jud Haynes
Event of the Year | Événement de l’année
Congrès mondial acadien 2024
Innovator of the Year | Innovatrice ou innovateur de l’année
Chelsi Madonna
Media Person of the Year | Représentante ou représentant des médias de l’année
Zach Snow
Venue of the Year | Salle de spectacle de l’année
Shore Club
HONOURARY AWARDS:
Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award
The Ennis Sisters
Musician’s Achievement Award
Chris Ryan
Industry Builder Award
Wade Pinhorn
Bucky Adams Memorial Award
Marc Perry
Stompin’ Tom Awards
Newfoundland and Labrador
Korona Brophy
Cape Breton
Monica MacNeil
New Brunswick
Heidi Baird
Nova Scotia
Mike Campbell
Prince Edward Island
Ghislaine Cormier
Highly-celebrated Canadian blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Sue Foley has two more trophies to add to her trophy case. Last week, at the 46th Blues Music Awards in Memphis, she took home two awards, for Acoustic Album of the Year (One Guitar Woman) and Traditional Female Artist.
At a time when many major Canadian music festivals are concentrating heavily on domestic artists, Ottawa's CityFolk festival has gone for some major American and British acts in its just announced lineup. The list of imports includes Melissa Etheridge & Indigo Girls, Morrissey, James, The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys and Alex Warren. Notable Canadian names featured include Junkhouse, Down With Webster, USS, Kaia Kater, Tyler Shaw, Mia Kelly, Celeigh Cardinal and Mint Simon. The fest runs at Lansdowne Park, Sept. 10-14. Check out the full schedule here. A one-day pre-sale is on May 14.
– The annual Summer Music in the Garden series at Toronto's Harbourfront this year features 18 free performances by celebrated Canadian artists. Many different genres are represented, and the list of notable performers includes gospel artist Melissa Davis and Friends, flamenco artist Mariana Collado, Juno-winning violinist Mark Fewer (appearing with Nathan Hiltz and Joseph Phillips), soul singer Gavin Hope, world music star John Kameel Farah, Ensemble Jeng Yi and jazz duo Tara Kannangara and Chris Pruden. More info here.
Of interest to the music and arts industries in Canada is the news yesterday (May 13) that Steven Guilbeault has accepted the Cabinet posts of Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. He is familiar with the terrain, having been the Minister of Canadian Heritage from 2019 to 2021. Guilbeault also served as the Minister of Environment and Climate Change from 2021 to 2025.
– The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has appointed Toronto native Nicholas Sharma as RBC Resident Conductor & Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) Conductor, beginning in the 2025/26 season. Sharma was selected following a national search and competitive audition process and he succeeds Trevor Wilson. Sharma will serve in this dual role for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons.
– A reminder that the deadline to apply to showcase at two upcoming CIMA Canada House events, at AmericanaFest 2025 and Reeperbahn 2025 is May 16. Apply here for Americana Fest and here for Reeperbahn.
– This week, Canada House is active at The Great Escape Festival & Conference in Brighton, U.K., hosting three afternoons of Canada House showcases at The Green Door Store on May 15, 16, and 17. There some well-known artist names on the list, which comprises Bad Buddy, Billianne, Bria Salmena, CJ Wiley, Declan O’Donovan, DoFlame, Dump Babes, Field Guide, Genevieve Racette, Gloin, Grimelda, Malika Tirolien & Caulder Nash GeminiCrab, NADUH, Rich Aucoin, Sam Tudor, STORRY, The Jins and zouz.
– Al Miller, a highly-regarded Toronto musician and sound engineer, died in July, 2023, at age 63, but he has not been forgotten by the local community. He played in such bands as Bunchofuckingoofs, J.P. Wasson Band and Living Proof and did the sound in many prominent city clubs. Some of those he worked with will help celebrate his life on May 25, with a tribute show at The Phoenix Concert Theatre. A stellar lineup includes The Sadies, Change of Heart, Bruce McCulloch (Kids In The Hall), Suckerpunch, John Borra, Nothing In Particular, J.P. Wasson Band and more. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
On May 2, veteran Vancouver shoegazers MOVIELAND returned with a new collection of songs, Now & Then, a followup to last year's reissue, Then & Now. Band leader/frontman Alan D. Boyd explains that this new work "is a selection of songs that came together over the 30 years I’ve been in London,”. Some were written in basements in the '90s, some were demos that had been waiting for the right time, and a couple came together just days before we hit record.” Assisting on the record are members of such noted outfits as Eagles of Death Metal, The Vaccines, Idyl Tea and Old Reliable. Here's a taste.
Queens of the Stone Age
The stripped-back performance saw Queens of the Stone Age surrounded by skulls and bones in the Catacombs of Paris.
Queens of the Stone Age have announced the release of their unique live performance in the Catacombs of Paris as a concert film and album.
Recorded in July 2024 and set to be released on June 6 via Matador Records/Remote Control Records, the unique performance saw the rock outfit head beneath the surface of Paris to perform within the sprawling 200-mile ossuary. According to a description of the location, its foundation is built out of “several million bodies buried in the 1700s,” with many of the walls composed of skulls and bones.
Frontman Josh Homme had dreamed of organizing such a performance since visiting almost two decades earlier, though was denied permission by the city of Paris, who had never previously allowed a band to play within. However, the respect the band held for the location ultimately resulted in their performance officially being sanctioned.
“The Catacombs of Paris are a fertile ground for the imagination,” said Hélène Furminieux of Les Catacombes de Paris. “It is important to us that artists take hold of this universe and offer a sensitive interpretation of it. Going underground and confronting reflections on death can be a deeply intense experience.
“Josh seems to have felt in his body and soul the full potential of this place. The recordings resonate perfectly with the mystery, history, and a certain introspection, notably perceptible in the subtle use of the silence within the Catacombs.”
The unique nature of the location results in Homme and his bandmates – Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore – being backed by three-piece string section as they perform a stripped-back set planned and played with deference to the Catacombs.
Recorded live with no overdubs or edits, the performance is paired with the acoustic ambience of dripping water, echoes and natural resonance as atmospheric lighting spotlights the band.
“We’re so stripped down because that place is so stripped down, which makes the music so stripped down, which makes the words so stripped down,” Homme explains. “It would be ridiculous to try to rock there. All those decisions were made by that space. That space dictates everything, it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there.”
Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs will be available to rent or purchase via the band’s website, with an audio-only release to be announced in the coming weeks.
Notably, this isn’t Queens of the Stone Age’s first subterranean gig, with the group previously performing 2,300 feet underground at German salt mine, Erlebnisbergwerk Sondershausen, in November 2007. Originally planned for wider release, the semi-acoustic performance is yet to see the light of day, with the band’s split with Interscope Records assumed by fans to be the reason for its indefinite delay.
This article was first published by Billboard U.S.