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The 2023 Saskatchewan Music Awards begin to a sold-out audience, December 2/2023 in Saskatoon

Watch the 2023 Saskatchewan Music Awards on YouTube!
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The 2023 Saskatchewan Music Award Winners

(Saskatoon) For Immediate Release December 2, 2023

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The sixth annual Saskatchewan Music Awards were held tonight, celebrating the Saskatchewan music industry in a packed show at the iconic Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon. Awards in twenty-one categories were handed out, accompanied by performances from current and former SMA nominees Adéola, Eliza Mary Doyle, Greenwing, Grimelda, Patrick Moon Bird, Thinktank, and youth performers Halle Ponton and Rebecca Strong. Halle and Rebecca were selected after a call was put out for youth performers, as a way of encouraging our talented emerging artists.

 

The show was opened by a special performance of the Treaty 6 Flag Song by Aaron Tootoosis, and a blessing given by Joseph Naytowhow and Cheryl L’Hirondelle. A highlight of the evening was the tribute to our Indigenous Music Achievement Award honouree, Edmund Bull, led by Ted Whitecalf, with Bull himself performing a song.

 

Double winners of the evening were Jess Moskaluke, for Country Artist of the Year and Single of the Year (“Heartbreaker”), music collective Trifecta Sound Co. in Industry Achievement and Music Company or Organization of the Year, and Katie Tupper, who picked up R&B Artist of the Year, as well as Music Video of the Year as part of the creative team for her video, “She Said.”.

 

Album of the Year was selected through a combination of public voting and an industry jury, and went to Jake and the Kid for their “Baby Bro” EP.

 

The awards program was recorded for later broadcast on Rogers TV / Shaw Spotlight community TV channels across Saskatchewan, and online viewing.

 

A leader amongst music makers in the province, Edmund Bull of Little Pine First Nation is known far and wide as the head singer and drumkeeper for the award-winning Red Bull Singers, as well as being an accomplished solo artist in the country genre. Under his leadership, Red Bull achieved acclaim as one of the top pow-wow groups in North America, thrilling dancers and audiences around the globe for over 25 years, while releasing more than a dozen albums. Accompanied by the Red Bull Singers, Edmund has performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. As he developed his skills as a musician in both traditional and contemporary music, Edmund created a unique style and sound, singing and writing music that has inspired and uplifted listeners. Edmund has been named Best Male Artist, and Red Bull received the award for Pow Wow Recording, from the Native American Music Awards (including Red Bull performing at the inaugural NAMA event in 1998); as well, the Red Bull Singers were nominated for JUNO Awards for “Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording” in 1996 and 2000. Edmund continues to perform, including recently sharing a song at the Elders National Conference in Edmonton.

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An After Party celebration was held following the awards show at Amigos Cantina, with music by Theo Noble, Dump Babes, and DJ Rain.

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SaskMusic expresses our sincere congratulations to all the nominees and winners, and is honoured to be working with and representing such a talented field of creators and behind-the-scenes industry members.

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SaskMusic thanks everyone who attended these events and encourages everyone to continue to support the music scene by attending live music events, and streaming, purchasing and sharing the music of our local Saskatchewan artists.

 

We would like to thank Creative Saskatchewan, the Government of Saskatchewan, and FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) for their support of the SMAs and SaskMusic.

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The 2023 Saskatchewan Music Award Winners

Winner graphics downloadable here

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  • Afrobeats Artist of the Year: Rooky (Saskatoon)

  • Album of the Year: Jake and the Kid, “Baby Bro” (Regina)

  • Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year: Falynn Baptiste (Saskatoon)

  • Country Artist of the Year: Jess Moskaluke (Langenburg/Rocanville)

  • Electronic Artist of the Year: FOOTWURK (Regina)

  • Hip Hop Artist of the Year: Skizza and AK Productions (Saskatoon / White City)

  • Indigenous Music Achievement Award: Edmund Bull (Little Pine First Nation)

  • Industry Achievement: Trifecta Sound Co. (Regina)

  • Inspirational or Spiritual Artist of the Year (TIE): Deeper Life (Strasbourg)   and    Elenee (Lloydminster)

  • Instrumental or Ambient Artist of the Year: Factor Eight (Saskatoon)

  • Metal or Hard Rock Artist of the Year: Flash Back (Regina)

  • Music Company or Organization of the Year: Trifecta Sound Co. (Regina)

  • Music Professional of the Year: Micheal Lander (Saskatoon)

  • Music Video of the Year (TIE): “She Said” by Katie Tupper: Ryley Konechny (co-director), Molly Schikosky (co-director, producer), Katie Tupper (producer) (Saskatoon); and “Tous les matins” by Alexis Normand: Lindsay Arnold, director, animator and editor (North Portal)

  • Pop Artist of the Year: Marissa Burwell (Regina)

  • Producer of the Year: Bart McKay (Saskatoon)

  • R&B Artist of the Year: Katie Tupper (Saskatoon)

  • Rock Artist of the Year (TIE): GreenWing (Saskatoon)   and    The Steadies (Saskatoon)

  • Roots or Folk Artist of the Year: Jake Vaadeland (Cut Knife)

  • Single of the Year: "Heartbreaker,” Jess Moskaluke (Langenburg/Rocanville)

  • Venue or Festival of the Year: SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival (Saskatoon)

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The Saskatchewan Music Awards are proudly presented by SaskMusic. For more information please email info@saskmusic.org, or call 1-800-347-0676.

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NEWS HITS

Thank you to friends in the media for sharing SMA news and artists! Visit the links for more information.

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EventPhotos
Saskatchewan Music Awards
 
EVENT PHOTOS NOW AVAILABLE
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Matt Braden Photography
Nominee reception and awards show: click to get photo downloads

Please note: You may use these images freely as long as credit remains attributed to Matt Braden Photography wherever they are used.

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Additional photos: Backstage

Here are some additional shots of winners with their trophies and general show shots and after party taken by SaskMusic staff. No credit is necessary.

After Party Update

We are please to announce our lineup of live performers for the SMA After Party! This post-awards gathering will be held at Amigos (806 Dufferin Ave) and will feature live music by DJ Rain, Dump Babes, and Theo Noble.

 

Doors open at 9pm to the public, $10 entry. Music starts at 11pm following the SMAs. After-party tickets will be handed out to show attendees at the Broadway, but please be advised this event will be subject to capacity.

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Indigenous  Music Achievement Award Honouree: Edmund Bull

We are extremely pleased to announce our Indigenous Music Achievement Award honouree for 2023, Edmund Bull. He will be recognized for his legacy and impact on music at the Saskatchewan Music Awards celebration, Saturday December 2 in Saskatoon.

 

Edmund Bull of Little Pine First Nation is known far and wide as the head singer and drumkeeper for the award-winning Red Bull Singers, as well as being an accomplished solo artist in the country genre. Under his leadership, Red Bull achieved acclaim as one of the top pow-wow groups in North America, thrilling dancers and audiences around the globe for over 25 years, while releasing more than a dozen albums. Accompanied by the Red Bull Singers, Edmund has performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. As he developed his skills as a musician in both traditional and contemporary music, Edmund created a unique style and sound, singing and writing music that has inspired and uplifted listeners. Edmund has been named Best Male Artist, and Red Bull received the award for Pow Wow Recording, from the Native American Music Awards (including Red Bull performing at the inaugural NAMA event in 1998); as well, the Red Bull Singers were nominated for JUNO Awards for “Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording” in 1996 and 2000. Edmund continues to perform, including recently sharing a song at the Elders National Conference in Edmonton.

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Album of the Year Update

We’re pleased to announce the 2023 Album of the Year Nominees – Short List!

 

In previous years, we revealed our Top Ten albums with a 10-1 countdown in the days leading up to the Awards. This year, we are announcing our entire Top Ten without rankings. Due to a number of ties in our Top Ten spot calculations, there are 14 amazing albums included on this year’s Short List.

 

This Short List has been determined through a combination of jury marks and public voting. The Album of the Year recipient

will be announced at the Saskatchewan Music Awards on December 2. Congratulations to these artists on moving onto the Short List of nominees!

 

Adéola Afrocology

Alexis Normand Mementos

Deeper Life What We're After

Ellen Froese For Each Flower Growing

GreenWing Late Bloomer

Hunter Brothers Burning Down The Barn

Jake and the Kid Baby Bro

Kara Golemba Keep These Stories Safe

NUTANA NUTANA

Raj Ramayya Spice Age Adventures

Shantaia Exes and Friends

Son of Han SON OF HAN

New Jacobin Club Empire of Dis

Untimely Demise Maverick

 

PS If you haven't already, we highly recommend exploring our Long List playlist, representing some of the exceptional music released in Saskatchewan this past year.

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Live Performer Update

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Join us for the sixth Saskatchewan Music Awards, Saturday December 2, 2023 from the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon, celebrating the best in Saskatchewan music this year. 


Awards will be handed out in 21 categories, accompanied by live performances by Adéola, Eliza Mary Doyle, Greenwing, Grimelda, Patrick Moon Bird, Thinktank, and our Youth Performers for this year - Halle Ponton and Rebecca Strong. More announcements to come! Learn more about these artists. 


Get your tickets now (update - sold out) and scroll down to see all of this year's nominees.

 

Our thanks to Creative Saskatchewan and the Government of Saskatchewan for your support of this event. 

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Public Voting

for Album of the Year, Industry Achievement, Music Company or Organization of the Year, and Venue or Festival of the Year has now closed (November 6/23).  Stay tuned for updates!

For Release October 26, 2023

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The 2023 Saskatchewan Music Award Nominees

 

SaskMusic is pleased to reveal the 2023 Saskatchewan Music Award nominees. The sixth annual awards celebration will honour excellence and celebrate the achievements of those in the Saskatchewan music industry over the past year, with artistic and industry nominees being recognized in 21 different categories. Live performances will include Saskatchewan artists from an array of musical styles, with performers to be announced next week.

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The show will take place at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon on Saturday, December 2, 2023.  Tickets are now on sale at https://broadwaytheatre.ca/events.

 

The public is invited to participate by voting on four SMA categories this year. Beginning October 27 through midnight November 6, voting links will be open via www.saskmusicawards.com for Album of the Year, Industry Achievement, Music Company of the Year, and Venue or Festival of the Year. One vote per verified email address will be accepted over the course of the voting period.

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SaskMusic Executive Director Lorena Kelly explains, “The Awards provide an opportunity for us to applaud the great music produced in our province, and gather together for a beautiful event. The live music industry is still struggling to recover from the setbacks of the pandemic, so it’s important that we take time to celebrate and acknowledge the many successes we’ve achieved. We look forward to celebrating with fellow music lovers on December 2!”

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Follow along for event updates and information here at www.saskmusicawards.com, and on SaskMusic’s social media.

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SaskMusic thanks Creative Saskatchewan and The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) for their support of our association and this event.

 

How were the nominees arrived at?

Artists and industry professionals were invited to make submissions for nominations through a call distributed to the SaskMusic subscriber list and promoted broadly on our social media channels.

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Submissions to all categories, with the exception of Single of the Year and the Indigenous Music Achievement Award, went to juries comprised of peers and music industry professionals located across Canada. Single of the Year nominees and winner are determined solely by industry data (streams and airplay), while the IMAA recipient has been selected by SaskMusic’s Indigenous Advisory.

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For the 2023 submission guidelines and details click here.

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For Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

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Hotel Bookings

Coming to Saskatoon for the SMAs? Reserve your room at the Park Town Hotel on Spadina using the “2312SASKMU_001" block by November 25 to receive our group rate ($129.00 standard queen, $139.00 double queen), https://www.parktownhotel.com/ .

 

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The 2023 Saskatchewan Music Award Nominees
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The SMA logo and graphic elements this year have been created by Gabrielle Giroux, Encore Graphics.

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ARTISTIC CATEGORIES

 

Afrobeats Artist of the Year

Adéola

Adeoluwa

Emanali

Jemo

Rooky

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Country Artist of the Year

Hunter Brothers

Jess Moskaluke

Jordyn Pollard

Katelyn Lehner

Shantaia

Teagan Littlechief

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Electronic Artist of the Year

Flatland Funk

FOOTWURK

Guidewire

Theo Noble

Tim Damage

Tyler Cater

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Hip Hop Artist of the Year

Factor Chandelier

Nige B

Pimpton

Rukky Erifeta

Skizza and AK Productions

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Inspirational or Spiritual Artist of the Year

Cyndi Aarrestad

Deeper Life

Elenee

Landon Jorgenson

Servant

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Instrumental or Ambient Artist of the Year

crookedfoot

Factor Eight

Jesse Brown

Peace Flag Ensemble

Sean Bougie Guitar

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Metal or Hard Rock Artist of the Year

Augurium

Flash Back

Grimelda

New Jacobin Club

Untimely Demise

Zayd

 

Pop Artist of the Year

Lova Lamp

Marissa Burwell

Merv xx Gotti

Raj Ramayya

Vikki Minor

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R&B Artist of the Year

Ariel

BTHEGHOST

Katie Tupper

Lyssa and the Try-Tones

People of the Sun

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Rock Artist of the Year

Autopilot

Dead Levee

GreenWing

NUTANA

The Radiant

The Steadies

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Roots or Folk Artist of the Year

Alexis Normand

Eliza Mary Doyle

Ellen Froese

Jake Vaadeland

Keiffer McLean & The Curiosity Club

Wolf Willow

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Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year This category is open to all genres.

Cupid's Heart

Falynn Baptiste

Nige B

Patrick Moon Bird

Teagan Littlechief

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Single of the Year - Spotify Playlist  YouTube Playlist       

"Burning Down The Barn," Hunter Brothers

"Forever," Kiinging

"Heartbreaker," Jess Moskaluke

"Hoarfrost," Jesse Brown

"Hung Over You," Shantaia

"Jacquemus," Tesher

"Know You," Shantaia

"Stardust," Raj Ramayya

"Symfonia," Ariel

"What Colour You Drive," Hunter Brothers

 

Music Video of the Year - YouTube Playlist                 

“Arrows,” Son Of Han - Prehistoric Productions

“George Thorogood,“ Grimelda - Blair Colwell (director), Dylan Evans (videographer), Jason Hamil (post-production)

“Heartbreaker,” Jess Moskaluke - Andrew Parry, Munz Media

“Hidden Valley,” Alexis Normand - Matt Braden Photography (director), Alexis Normand (producer)

“Losing Friends,” TOVA - Leke Esubiyi and Victor Oriola

“She Said,” Katie Tupper - Ryley Konechny (co-director), Molly Schikosky (co-director, producer), Katie Tupper (producer)

“Silent Story,” Zayd - Jeremy Ratzlaff and Matt Reeb

“The Other Side,” Softlung - S.J. Kardash (Producer, Director, Writer) & Josiah Maningas (Videographer and Editor)

“Tous les matins,” Alexis Normand - Directed, animated and edited by Lindsay Arnold

“Woman No,” Katie Tupper - Ryley Konechny (co-director), Katie Tupper (producer)

 

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INDUSTRY CATEGORIES

The recipient of this year’s Indigenous Music Achievement Award will be announced next week.

 

Producer of the Year (updated Nov 10/23)

Bart McKay

Chris Dimas

Glenn Ens, Sheldon Corbett, Paul Runalls, Chris Atkinson

Ross Nykiforuk

Ryan Andersen

S.J. Kardash

Walter Jeworski

 

Music Professional of the Year

Connor Stewart

Graham Tilsley

Jackie Kroczynski

Jesse Brown

Matthew Facca

Micheal Lander

 

The following categories open for public voting October 27:
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INDUSTRY

 

Industry Achievement
Recognizing excellence in the provision of skills and/or services and by those helping to build the community and music industry of the province. The winner will be determined by a combination of industry jury and public vote.

 

Community Arts Mentorship Program (C.A.M.P.)

Creative City Centre

GRR!

Regina Public Library's Digital Media Studio

Shannon Josdal

Trifecta Sound Co.

 

Venue or Festival of the Year

Recognizing live music venues and music festivals that strove to celebrate and present live music. The winner will be determined by a combination of industry jury and public vote.

 

Artesian

Mae Wilson Theatre

Ness Creek Music Festival

Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Festival

Regina Folk Festival

SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival

 

Music Company or Organization of the Year

Recognizing a music business/organization that has demonstrated excellence in services, sales, or craftsmanship in their offerings to the public and/or music industry. The winner will be determined by a combination of industry jury and public vote.

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Creative City Centre

GRR!

Nolita Studios

School of Rock Regina

Trifecta Sound Co.

Versa Films

 

ARTISTIC

Albums of the Year: The Long List
Long List Sampler on Spotify
Long List Sampler on YouTube

Recognizing an album-length project released by a Saskatchewan artist between September 15, 2022-September 25, 2023 in any genre. A jury of industry professionals and peers has helped to create this Long List. A combination of public vote and industry jury will now determine our Top Ten: the Album of the Year nominees for 2023. The following 36 albums will open to public voting October 27.

 

We will reveal the Top Ten through the week prior to the awards show. The top-placing album overall will receive the Saskatchewan Music Award for Album of the Year.

 

Aaron Karpinka, The Current

Adéola, Afrocology

Alexis Normand, Mementos

Brock Fehr, More Sense

Dan Cugnet, Badlands and Badlands II

Deeper Life, What We're After

Eliza Mary Doyle, Pretty Strange

Ellen Froese, For Each Flower Growing

Factor Eight, II

Falynn Baptiste, Home

GreenWing, Late Bloomer

Hunter Brothers, Burning Down The Barn

Jake and the Kid, Baby Bro - EP

Jesse Brown, 20023

Kara Golemba, Keep These Stories Safe

Lova Lamp, everything U feel

Nige B, U R What U R

NUTANA, NUTANA

Patrick Moon Bird, Away From the City

Peace Flag Ensemble, Astral Plains

People of the Sun, People of the Sun

Prasunuh, Always Timeless

Raj Ramayya, Spice Age Adventures

Richard O. Burdick, Found These: Three (19th century horn music)

Runway, Runway

Ryan Hicks, Experience

Shantaia, Exes and Friends

Shirley & The Pyramids, Maid of Time

Softlung, Second Chances

SON OF HAN, SON OF HAN

Surf Dads, Baby Blue

The Corner Hotel, Earth from the Moon

The New Jacobin Club, Empire of Dis

Theo Noble, Noble World

Untimely Demise, Maverick

Wishbook, Everything Fades

October 25/2023 -

Join us online for the Nominee Announcement

SaskMusic will announce the nominees of the 2023 Saskatchewan Music Awards at 10:00am SK time, Thursday October 26/2023 here and on our social media channels including Instagram and Facebook. â€‹

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The announcement will reveal nominees in numerous artistic and industry categories. 
 

The awards are intended to honour excellence and celebrate the achievements of our Saskatchewan music industry members over the past year. The 2023 awards will take place at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon on Saturday, December 2/23. Tickets will also go on sale October 26. 

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SaskMusic sincerely thanks Creative Saskatchewan (www.creativesask.ca) and The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) for their support of this event.

 

Proudly Presented by SaskMusic.

For updates, visit this page, and make sure you’re subscribed to the SaskMusic E-Release.

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Questions? Contact SaskMusic at 1-800-347-0676 (toll free within Sask) or 306-347-0676.

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