Neon Dreams, Morgan Toney, Julie Aubé among 2024 East Coast Music Award winners

The 2024 East Coast Music Awards are being held in Charlottetown this week, and on Thursday, May 2, the first slate of 11 winners were revealed — though there are no clear frontrunners, as no winning artist has taken home more than one award so far. 

Rising alt-pop artist Maggie Andrew, who was the 2024 Juno Wavemakers Ambassador for Halifax, won for African Canadian artist of the year, and pop duo Neon Dreams took home album of the year for Love Child Baby Dolphin. The East Pointers, who are up for seven total awards, won their nomination for group recording of the year, with the majority of their nominations still outstanding. 

The 36th annual awards show was co-hosted by CBC Music’s Damhnait Doyle and singer-songwriter Rose Cousins, and included performances by winners the East Pointers, Megan Toney, Maggie Andrew, Kayo, Jenn Grant and more. 

The classical awards will be revealed on May 4, and the remaining 25 awards will be handed out on May 5 during the East Coast Music Awards Part II. The winners so far are bolded below.

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African Canadian artist of the year

• Baraka
• Gary Beals
• Jah’Mila
• Maggie Andrew
• Valmy

Album of the year

• Braden Lam, Strange Paradise
• Jenn Grant, Champagne Problems
• Jimmy Rankin, Harvest Highway
• Neon Dreams, Love Child Baby Dolphin
• The East Pointers, Safe in Sound
• Tim Baker, The Festival

Fans’ choice entertainer of the year

• Dave Gunning
• Derina Harvey Band
• Christina Martin
• Classified
• Cloverdale
• Jimmy Rankin
• Kellie Loder
• Lennie Gallant
• Mallory Johnson
• Neon Dreams
• Pineo & Loeb
• Rum Ragged
• The East Pointers
• Tim Baker

Fans’ choice video of the year

• 2nd Generation, “Kina’mu” (Director: Matthew Ingraham)
• Ben Chase , “Saltwater Cowboy” (director: Matt Gaudet)
• Brooklyn Blackmore, “Great Minds Drink Alike” (directors: Robb Medwid, Devin Deuville)
• Classified, “People” (director: Brothers Boyd)
• Daniel James McFadyen, “Sunshine” (director: Griffin O’Toole)
• DeeDee Austin, “Buried Truth” (director: Michael Reid Boyd)
• Jenn Grant, “Judy” (director: Tessa Fleming)
• Jessica Rhaye and the Ramshackle Parade, “Come a Little Closer” (directors: Jordan Mattie, Jessica Rhaye)
• Lennie Gallant, “On the Minnehaha” (director: Patricia Richard and Lennie Gallant)
• Mallory Johnson, “Surprise Party” (director: Cecil Johnson)
• Postdata, “Try” (director: Griffin O’Toole)
• Rum Ragged, “Lazy Afternoon (Live)” (director: Tom Cochrane)
• Tim Baker, “Echo Park” (director: Tim Baker)

Francophone recording of the year

• Baie, Grand Bleu
• Beauxmont, Beauxmont
• Émilie Landry, Enfiler mes bottes
• Julie Aubé, Contentement
• La Patente, Le paradis des infidèles

Group recording of the year

• Hillsburn, Stories EP
• Jessica Rhaye and the Ramshackle Parade, Sunshine Baby
• Neon Dreams, Love Child Baby Dolphin
• The East Pointers, Safe in Sound
• Voodoo Sometimes, A Hummingbird’s Vice 

Indigenous artist of the year

• City Natives
• Jason Benoit
• Morgan Toney
• Silver Wolf Band
• Summer Bennett

R&B/soul recording of the year

• Avery Dakin, Bloom
• Gary Beals, The Melody Within
• JupiterReign, Intergalactic
• Kayo, Trip
• Lindsay Misiner & the 7th Mystic, Lindsay Misiner & the 7th Mystic

Rock recording of the year

• Andre Pettipas and the Giants, Under Control
• Elyse Aeryn, Joy State of Mind
• Fairgale, The Way It Was Before
• Good Dear Good, Arrival
• Hillsburn, Stories EP
• Kilmore, From the Inside

Solo recording of the year

• Braden Lam, Strange Paradise
• Christina Martin, Storm
• Dennis Ellsworth, Modern Hope
• Jimmy Rankin, Harvest Highway
• Tim Baker, The Festival

Songwriter of the year

• Braden Lam
• Carleton Stone
• Jenn Grant
• Kinley
• The Bombadils
• The East Pointers

Blues recording of the year

• Charlie A’Court, International Roots ‘n’ Blues Kitchen Party
• Joe H Henry, Keep the Fire Burning EP
• Jon Hines, A Pale Blue Dot
• Lookout Tower, Fields
• Wayne Nicholson, Gin House

Children’s entertainer of the year

• Bingly and the Rogues
• Donna & Andy
• Levon the Prince
• Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors
• The Swinging Belles

Choral recording of the year

• Choeur Louisbourg, L’appel
• Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus, Winter Awakening
• Luminous Ensemble, In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven
• Nova Voce, Painter of Wintertime
• Polaris, Truly Home

Classical composer of the year

• Adam Vincent Clarke, Prélude
• Andrew Staniland, Blackwood Sketches
• Edward Enman, Insights
• Jason Noble, Folk Suite
• Monica Pearce, Etiquette

Classical recording of the year

• Bill Brennan, Kaleidoscope: Music for Mallet Instruments
• Kate Read, After
• Ofra Harnoy and Mike Herriott, Portrait
• Tutta Musica, Ovation
• V2C Cello Duo, I and Thou

Contemporary roots recording of the year

• Jimmy Rankin, Harvest Highway
• Sirène et Matelot, Un monde de dissonances
• Tara MacLean, Sparrow
• The East Pointers, Safe in Sound
• Villages, Dark Island

Country recording of the year

• Ben Chase, That Was Then, This Is Now
• Émilie Landry, Enfiler mes bottes
• Jason Benoit, Time Traveller: the Album
• Justin Fancy, Whiskey & Me
• Youngtree and the Blooms, Youngtree and the Blooms

Dance recording of the year

• Alex Byrne, “In My Head”
• Cloverdale, “Up to No Good”
• DeeDee Austin, “Stay Dancin'”
• Lee Rosevere, “Needed You” featuring Kinley
• The Volta, “Save the Night” featuring Alessia Labate

Electronic recording of the year

• Leaving Laurel, when the quiet comes
• Lee Rosevere, Samplextra
• Nicole Ariana, Crybaby
• Qwinn, “Welcome to My Life”
• Rich Aucoin, “Space”

Folk recording of the year

• Dave Gunning, The Same Storm
• Jenn Grant, Champagne Problems
• Nico Paulo, Nico Paulo
• Sirène et Matelot, Un monde de dissonances
• Tim Baker, The Festival

Fusion recording of the year

• Gina Burgess, “Anuri”
• Kayo, “Afrobeats Affirmations” featuring aRenye, Million Vibes Tribe
• Morgan Toney, “Netukulimk”
• Pallmer, “Freshet”
• Xia-3, “Dance of the Yi Tribe”

Global recording of the year

• Ana & Eric, Our House From Here
• Cuerpos, En Dos Partes
• Tzu-Cheng Wang, Hello, PEI!
• Xia-3, Xia​-​3
• Yanan Liu (Tiffany Liu), Riding the Waves

Instrumental recording of the year

• Bill Brennan, Kaleidoscope: Music for Mallet Instruments
• Duane Andrews and the Hot Club of Conception Bay, Djangology
• Flying Pooka!, The Ecstasy of Becoming
• Inn Echo, Hemispheres
• Nicole Rampersaud, Saudade

Jazz recording of the year

• Flying Pooka!, The Ecstasy of Becoming
• Jackson\Wilson Duo, New Doors
• James Shaw, III/V
• Jérémie Carrier, Flowing
• Paul Tynan, Bicoastal Collective; Chapter 6

Loud recording of the year

• Dad Patrol, Pleaser
• Diner Drugs, 42
• Electric Spoonful, Still 2 Poor
• Kilmore, From the Inside
• Orchid’s Curse, The Decay

Pop recording of the year

• Good Dear Good, Arrival
• Kinley, Daylight
• Leanne Hoffman, The Text Collector
• Neon Dreams, Love Child Baby Dolphin
• The East Pointers, Safe in Sound

Rap/hip-hop recording of the year

• Black Rook, Black Rook
• Cavy, Energy Thief
• City Natives, Still Chief’n
• Harmz, Better Watch EP
• Stephen Hero, Paper Flowers
• The Umbrella Collective, Welcome to Studio UC!

Rising star recording of the year

• Good Dear Good, “Coffee and Sunshine”
• Jay Heart, “After the Tone”
• Kilmore, “Firestone”
• Noah Malcolm, “Feel the Same”
• Terra Spencer, “At Your Service”
• The Bombadils, “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming”

Roots/traditional recording of the year

• Brad Reid, The Bridge
• Inn Echo, Hemispheres
• Kitchinparti, No Word of a Lie
• La Famille LeBlanc, Perdrais-je mon temps… (Would I be losing my time…)
• Morgan Toney, Resilience

Song of the year

• Classified, “People”
• Jenn Grant, “Judy”
• Tara MacLean, “Sparrow”
• The Bombadils, “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming”
• The East Pointers, “We Will Meet Again”
• Tim Baker, “Some Day”

Industry Award nominees

Artist management of the year

• Derrick Sturge (Pharos Music Inc.)
• Dwayne Marcial
• Faye Williams Wood
• Hurricane Music
• Todd Mercer

Audio engineer of the year

• Ben B. Creelman
• Jamie Foulds
• John D.S. Adams
• Matt Dines
• Scott Ferguson

Event of the year

• 2023 Canada Games IllumiNation Festival
• Halifax Jazz Festival
• Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival
• Under the Spire
• We Stand on Guard Again

Innovator of the year

• Before the Dinosaurs
• Eirinn Fraser
• Katrina Lopes
• Lindsay Connolly
• Tara MacLean

Media person of the year

• Doug Gallant
• Katie Kelly
• Mike and Kristen
• Richard Lann
• Zach Snow

Producer of the year

• Andrew A. Melzer
• Clint Curtis
• Corey LeRue
• Jenn Grant and Daniel Ledwell
• Keith Mullins

Venue of the year

• First Light Centre for Performance & Creativity
• The Arts Guild PEI
• The Carleton
• The Ship Pub
• Under the Spire

Video director of the year

• Brothers Boyd
• Cecil Johnson
• Karen Robinson
• MooseCanFly
• Noah Malcolm

Visual artist of the year

• Ashley Anne Clark
• Heidi-Lyn O’Connor, East Track Mind
• Jessica Rhaye
• Jud Haynes
• Krista Power

Honourary Awards

• Director’s Special Achievement Award: Bruce Guthro.
• Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award: Denis Parker.
• Musicians’ Achievement Award: Deryl Gallant.
• Industry Builder Award: John Poirier.
• Bucky Adams Memorial Award: Scott Parsons.
• Stompin’ Tom Awards: Pamela Morgan, Ian Alistair Gosbee, Stephen Muise, Zachary Atkinson, Kerri Wynne Macleod.