Sign up today for Women in Music Canada directory

Story by Women in Music Canada | Monday December 6th, 2021

Women in Music Canada invites individuals throughout the Canadian music ecosystem to sign up today to the organization’s official directory. It’s a valuable resource to connect to women and people of under-represented gender identity across the country, and a way to expand one’s professional network and gain more career opportunities

The Women in Music Canada directory is the only nationwide resource for music organizations and businesses to find talented and experienced women and under-represented gender identity professionals to fill roles within their company, tour, board, conference panels, and more. It presents a clear opportunity for Canadian music organizations of all kinds to be part of ongoing change to create more diversity, equity, and inclusion in every part of our industry.

The Women in Music Canada (WIMC) directory is supported by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, and Ontario Creates.

Sign up and join today!

Legendary SOCAN member Joni Mitchell awarded at 2021 Kennedy Centre Honors

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday December 7th, 2021

Legendary singer-songwriter and SOCAN member Joni Mitchell  accepted a Kennedy Center Honor, one of the most prestigious lifetime-achievement awards in American culture, at a ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021.

The iconic Mitchell – who’s faced health issues in the wake of an aneurysm in 2015 that left her temporarily unable to walk or talk – has come a long way back within a few short years, attending the gala in person, walking onto the stage to accept, and addressing her challenges with her usual humour, grace, and strength.

“I always think that polio was a rehearsal for the rest of my life,” she said as she accepted her award, referring to the disease she suffered aged nine. “I’ve had to come back several times from things. And this last one was a real whopper. But you know, I’m hobbling along, but I’m doing all right!” She also described the award as “a fantastic honour… enjoy yourselves, I’m gonna go back and sit down!”

Other honourees at the 44th annual edition of the event were singer-songwriter Bette Midler, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels (who’s originally from Canada), Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, and opera singer Justino Díaz. The show will be broadcast on CBS on Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Photo by Camille Gladu-Drouin, of/de Laurence-Anne, récipiendaire du EP Indie-rock et du prix de l’Artiste de l’année / winner of both Indie-Rock EP and Artist of the Year

GAMIQ 2021: and the winners are…

Story by Eric Parazelli | Monday December 6th, 2021

The 2021 edition of the Gala Alternatif de la Musique Indépendante du Québec (GAMIQ) took place, in front of a live audience and online, on Dec. 5, 2021, at Café Campus, in Montréal. A total of 32 Luciens (the trophy named after Lucien Francoeur, leader of the legendary band Aut’Chose) were handed out.

Among the most prestigious awards were two that went to Laurence-Anne, who won the Artist of the Year award, as well as the Indie-Rock EP award for Accident, while the Revelation of the Year Award went to Valence. The two prizes in the Rap/Hip-Hop categories were both awarded to women: Calamine (for her album Bullet Proof), and Marie-Gold (for her EP Règle deux).

The evening was hosted by Kayiri and set to music by the very in-your-face Fuck Toute. It also featured, as usual, several performances highlighting the diversity and richness of the Québec independent music scene, including those by Éric Goulet, The Blaze Velluto Collection, Meggie Lennon, Paul Cargnello, Willows, R41NBOW TR4$H, Super Plage, Guim Moro, Après l’asphalte, Rosario Caméléon, and Kaya Hoax, all of whom performed between the awards, celebrating the vitality of Quebec’s emerging music scene.

Here’s the complete list of the winners of the 16th edition of GAMIQ:

  • Artist of the Year: Laurence-Anne
  • Espoir 2022 : Meggie Lennon
  • Revelation of the Year: Valence
  • Rock Album of the Year: The Blaze Velluto Collection— We Are Sunshine
  • Rock EP of the Year: Dany Placard—Astronomie (suite)
  • Country Album or EP: Léa Jarry — L’heure d’été
  • Album or EP : Cédric Dind-Lavoie – Archives
  • Album or EP OFF Quebec: P’tit Belliveau –… chante Baptiste
  • Jazz album or EP: Misc—Partager l’ambulance
  • Experimental Album or EP: Bell Orchestre – House Music
  • World Album or EP: Pierre Kwenders & Clément Bazin – Classe Tendresse
  • Metal Album or EP: Thisquietarmy x Away (Michel Langevin)— The Singularity, Phase I
  • Punk Album or EP : Maxime Gervais – Une nouvelle forme de joie
  • Electro Album: Super Plage – Super Plage II
  • Electro EP: Navet Confit – Skydancer EP
  • Folk Album : Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project— J’ai bu
  • Folk EP : Maude Audet – Sessions de mai
  • Rap/Hip-Hop album : Calamine – Boulette Proof
  • Rap/Hip-Hop EP : Marie-Gold—Règle deux
  • Pop Album : Gab Paquet –La Force d’Éros
  • Pop EP: Beat Sexü—Deuxième chance
  • Indie-Rock Album: Antoine Corriveau—Pissenlit
  • Indie-Rock EP: Laurence-Anne—Accident
  • Video – People’s Choice: Les Hay Babies – En Californie
  • Video – Critics’ Choice : Jesuslesfilles – Troisième semaine
  • Cultural initiative: Aire Ouverte
  • Festival: Festival BleuBleu
  • Producer of the Year: Musique Nomade
  • Press Relations: Larissa Relations Médias
  • Record Label of the Year: Pantoum Records
  • Management Team: Ambiances Ambigues
  • Media: CISM
  • Venue: L’Esco