Self-aware singer-songwriter Lowell, and genre-blending artist and multi-instrumentalist Les Louanges have been announced as winners of the 2019 Slaight Music Emerging Songwriter Award, presented by the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Established in 2017, the Award celebrates the current achievements and future potential of Canadian songwriters on an upward trajectory in their career.
“To be considered part of Canada’s incredible roster of growing talent is an absolute honour,” said Lowell. “I’m quickly learning that songwriting, while rewarding, can also be a relentless pursuit, and it’s support like this back home that keeps me going. Thank you.”
Travelling back and forth between L.A. and Toronto, Lowell co-wrote two EPs with JUNO Award-winning artist Bülow, spawning the hit “Not A Love Song” and the Halsey-approved “You and Jennifer.” The Calgary-born pop writer and artist also collaborates with Jason Evigan, J Kash, T-Minus, John Ryan, and more. She co-wrote Madison Beer’s debut LP and the first single, “Dear Society,” which has quickly garnered more than 30 million streams. Lowell crafted her own recent Arts & Crafts-released LP, which earned song placements on Grey’s Anatomy and The Bold Type, and her single “War Face” charted on alternative radio. She recently signed to TAP Management (Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Hailee Steinfeld), and is currently working alongside Steinfeld on her upcoming EP.
Last week, Lowell and fellow winner in the Francophone category, Les Louanges, were honoured at the SOCAN Gala in Montreal. In addition to receiving a cash prize, and access to songwriting camps, the winners will attend the SOCAN Awards in Toronto in the spring of 2020.
“As a Francophone songwriter, I’m really happy to be honored in the rest of Canada, and I hope this prize will help my music cross the language border and be exported across Canada,” said Les Louanges.
Les Louanges is Vincent Roberge. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Les Louanges creates a jazz-infused, undeniably groovy pop sound, boasting poetic yet easy-to-relate-to lyrics. With music born in the streets of Lévis, Québec, Les Louanges was first heard at the Francouvertes, and today is saluted as one of the most important new artists out of the province. After releasing his first EP, Le Mercure, an indie-rock gem, Les Louanges came back strong with his first album, La nuit est une panthère, released in September 2018, via Bonsound.
In Montréal in the Spring of 2019, Les Louanges was awarded the Rapsat-Lelièvre Prize, presented by a partnership between Québec and Belgium, thereby asserting his growing buzz overseas. Locally, Radio-Canada then named Les Louanges as Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Soon after, he kicked off the summer season at Les Francos de Montréal. In the span of a few days, Les Louanges was granted the prestigious Félix-Leclerc Award, and played his biggest show ever in front of a sold-out Club Soda. As he’s finishing up his upcoming EP Expansion Pack, he welcomed a nomination on the Polaris Music Prize Short List, for his very first album.
The 2017 winners of the Slaight Music Emerging Songwriter Award were Jessie Reyez (Anglophone) and Charlotte Cardin (Francophone). For more information on the award, visit the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame website.