Photo by Victor Diaz-Lamich/Francos

Hubert Lenoir wins 2018 Prix Félix-Leclerc

Story by Eric Parazelli | Monday June 18th, 2018

The Hubert Lenoir tsunami leaves no stone unturned; the latest finds him winning the 2018 Prix Félix-Leclerc. Hubert Lenoir has become the latest in a long line of young singer-songwriters that benefitted from the prize, awarded simultaneously to a Québécois and a French-from-France artist – this year, Foué is Lenoir’s the trans-Atlantic counterpart.

Once again, SOCAN has contributed a $2,500 cash prize to the winner, which Lenoir received this year from SOCAN Montréal A&R Representative Widney Bonfils. The singer-songwriter also received a $2,500 cash prize from Groupe Editorial Musinfo, a practicum at the Chantier des Francos before his performance at La Rochelle, and a further $5,000 cash and $5,000 in tour support from Rythme FM.

Lenoir was chosen by a jury, assembled by the FrancoFolies de Montréal, of journalists and industry representatives – that included Eric Parazelli, SOCAN Paroles & Musique Editor and Francophone Communications Specialist.

Lenoir has made countless heads turn since launching his album Darlène in early 2018. He was nominated alongside SOCAN members AMÉ, Andréanne A. Malette, Claude Bégin, Corridor, FouKi, Pierre-Hervé Goulet, Roxane Bruneau and Sara Dufour.

Photo by Grant W. Martin Photography

SOCAN Awards 2018 honour, celebrate Canada’s music creators, publishers

Story by Howard Druckman | Monday June 18th, 2018

See the Winners List

The songwriters, composers and music publishers who create and promote some of the most successful songs in the world gathered in Toronto tonight with industry representatives from throughout Canada’s music ecosystem for the 29th annual SOCAN Awards. The gala ceremony honoured Canada’s music creators and publishers across an array of genres, including Rap, Pop, R&B, Rock, Film & Television, Dance, Folk/Roots, Jazz, Country, Classical and more.

This year, the iconic Burton Cummings and the legendary Sarah McLachlan were each honoured,  Cummings with the SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award, for more than 50 years of songwriting success and excellence, and McLachlan with the SOCAN Global Inspiration Award for her unparalleled accomplishments as a singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and advocate for women.

Shawn Mendes, SOCAN Awards 2018

Shawn Mendes accepts his Songwriter of the Year honours at the 2018 SOCAN Awards.

McLachlan played a moving, solo-piano rendition of “Angel,” while Cummings, who was introduced by renowned producer Daniel Lanois, delivered an inspired two-song performance for a thrilling close to the show.

The SOCAN Awards featured many other memorable performances, from host Brett Kissel, Dear Rouge, Rose Cousins (who won the Folk/Roots Music Award), The Launch winner Logan Staats, Toronto rapper Sean Leon and the SOCAN orchestra led by screen composer, Steph Copeland .

Also receiving SOCAN Achievement Awards were global pop phenomenon Shawn Mendes, and Rihanna, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar co-writer Frank Dukes, both of whom earned SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Awards. Rockers Our Lady Peace were on hand to receive the National Achievement Award, as were Screen Composer of the Year Keith Power, and Neville Quinlan and Cheryl Link of peermusic Canada, the Publisher of the Year. Though unable to attend, the sensational Alessia Cara earned the International Achievement Award, a Dance Music Award and International Song Award for “Stay,” her hit with Zedd.

 

Rose Cousins, SOCAN Awards 2018

Folk/Roots Award winner Rose Cousins perfoms “Grace” at the 2018 SOCAN Awards.

Fast-rising singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar was presented with the SOCAN Breakout Award, and also earned an R&B Music Award for “Get You.” Jazz composer Christine Jensen won the Hagood Hardy Award, Jocelyn Morlock earned the Jan V. Matejcek New Classical Music Award, and The City of Hamilton took home the Licensed To Play Award for the municipality’s unwavering commitment to fair music licensing.

SOCAN Awards for most performed songs, including broadcast and streaming, were presented to Shawn Hook, who won a Pop Music Award for “Reminding Me” (featuring Vanessa Hudgens), and Virginia to Vegas, who won for both “Lights Out” and “Selfish.” The Glorious Sons accepted a Rock Music Award for the hit “Kill the Lights,” while Travis Wood and Gavin Slate were on hand to accept a Country Music Award for “Chills,” performed by the James Barker Band.

Many of SOCAN’s #ComposersWhoScore won for their film and television projects, including the brothers Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna, who won both an International Film Music Award and an Achievement in Feature Film Music Award for their work on the animated movie Storks. Greg Fisher and Derek Treffry earned both the Domestic Non-Fiction TV Music Award and the International TV Series Music Award for their work on Border Security: Canada’s Front Line.

Brett Kissel, SOCAN Awards 2018

SOCAN Awards 2018 host Brett Kissel opens the show with a performance of “Anthem.”

“Canadian music creators and publishers continue to attain remarkable success, both at home and throughout the world,” said SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste. “We’re pleased and proud to recognize the great achievements of our songwriters, composers, and music publishers, and we warmly congratulate all of tonight’s SOCAN Award recipients for their exceptional accomplishments.”

Sponsors of the 2018 SOCAN Awards are Gowling WLG, Crowe Soberman, Yamaha Canada Music, Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (ACTRA RACS), Hargraft, Long & McQuade, Music Canada, Ontario Media Development Corporation and Actra Fraternal Benefit Society (AFBS). Official charity partners are the Unison Benevolent Fund and the SOCAN Foundation. At the event, Unison was presented with all of the profits from the sale of SOCAN-branded merchandise over the last year.

The annual Gala de la SOCAN in Montréal, which celebrates and honours the work of SOCAN’s Francophone members, will take place in October of this year.

 

 

Sean Leon, SOCAN Awards 2018

Sean Leon performs at the 2018 SOCAN Awards.

Photo by Gary Laranja

SOCAN holds meetings with #ComposersWhoScore

Story by Howard Druckman | Monday June 18th, 2018

SOCAN held three meetings with our #ComposersWhoScore, and representatives of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC), for the fourth straight year, to strengthen our relationship with that community. This time, we held three separate meetings, in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver, and surveyed our screen composer members in advance to determine the subjects they most wanted to address – which were international and internet royalties. At all of the meetings, there was a very healthy dialogue between SOCAN and our members, with lots of questions from the attendees.

The Toronto gathering was held June 2, 2018, as a panel at The Harris Institute in downtown Toronto, moderated by SOCAN’s Paul Stillo. SOCAN’s Connor Chapman explained how we take pro-active measures to collect international royalties for our members, including an increase in the number of personal visits to our affiliate performing rights organizations in recent years. SOCAN’s James Leacock discussed cable versus internet revenue, noting that a modest decline in cable has been limited to certain genres of programming/stations, while SOCAN has dramatically increased the number of services that it’s licensing in the past three years. SOCAN members Janal Bechthold and Greg Fisher explained the Screen Composers Guild of Canada model agreement and rate card, which help to guide music creators in doing business for movies and television.

Karine Melchior, SOCAN Screen Composers Meeting, 2018, Montreal

In Montréal on June 6, 2018, SOCAN’s Karine Melchior updates our #ComposersWhoScore about royalties for music used in advertising. (Photo: Eric Parazelli)

The Montréal meeting, held June 6 at Centre Phi, was facilitated by SOCAN’s Geneviève Côté, except for a digital platforms panel led by SOCAN’s Eric Parazelli. After an update on royalties for music used in advertising, presented by SOCAN’s Karine Melchior (who also organized the entire event), Paul-Étienne Côté, composer and founder of the music agency Circonflex, spoke about his transition from composing film and TV scores to creating music for advertising. After some information offered by SOCAN’s James Leacock, Pauline Boisbouvier, Chief of Development and Production, Digital and Brand Content for Zone3, asked about scoring content specifically aimed at digital platforms. Screen composers Nathalie Bonin and François-Xavier Dupas discussed the stakes and challenges in the growing sector of scoring interactive and video games. Michel Corriveau, winner of last year’s SOCAN Screen Composer of the Year Awards at the Montréal gala, generously shared his experience and advice in negotiating screen music contracts. And Julien Boumard Coallier, of The SOCAN Foundation, explained the organization’s various programs for screen composers.

The Vancouver meeting was held June 9, at the Canadian Music Centre. SOCAN’s Sara Pavilionis and James Leacock presented information on international royalties, internet royalties, and the online tools SOCAN has to offer to screen composers. Other SOCAN personnel in attendance were Gary Laranja and Coralie Hummel, and SOCAN members at the event included Craig Northey, Hal Beckett, Peter Allen, Dave Ramos, Robin Hughes, and Daniel Ross. Many of the attending members said that they were leaving the meeting armed with new information, which was our goal.

SOCAN Screen Composers Meeting, 2018, Vancouver

SOCAN’s Sara Pavilionis and James Leacock present information on international and internet royalties to our #ComposersWhoScore in Vancouver, on June 9, 2018. (Photo: Gary Laranja)