It used to be that hundreds of music industry delegates marked their calendars to take part in BreakOut West’s Western Canadian Music Awards.
This year, COVID-19 restrictions have forced this bustling festival hub of music performance, business and camaraderie to refocus.
The 2020 awards ceremony is making history by hosting the inaugural online BreakOut West Home Edition from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9.
Although the 15-day immersive experience is digital, it will continue to offer artists and industry the opportunity to grow their career through keynote speakers, discussions, mentorship meetings, networking mixers and new music discoveries.
The best music makers from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, and Nunavut are represented. St. Albert linked artists, long recognized for their creativity and talent, are singled out in several categories.
Local nominees
Former Morinville singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal’s name is up in two categories: Indigenous Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
St. Albert's multi-award winning Dan Davidson is once again nominated as Country Artist of the Year. Also acclaimed in that group is the popular country band, The Dungarees, whose lead guitarist Kiron Jhass is a St. Albert musician.
Obsessions Octet, which includes local cellist Ronda Metszies and bassist John Taylor, was proposed for Jazz Artist of the Year. In the same category, Sandro Dominelli, one of the region’s go-to drummers and founder-owner of Dominelli School of Music, offers some pretty stiff competition.
And Travis Nesbitt, former lead singer for rock band Social Code, now making a name for himself across Canada behind the scenes, is nominated as Video Director of the Year for The Dungarees “Don’t Make Them Like They Used To.”
Although grateful for the nomination, Nesbitt said, “My goal is to wake up, work with friends and make the kind of art I like. And it was great to be nominated with The Dungarees, ‘cause they worked their bag off.”
And Metszies, who was originally slated to be touring Europe at this time with the octet before COVID-19 hit, sent the following email to the Gazette:
“The nomination is a great honour and a really lovely boost to our spirits amid so much uncertainty. We can’t wait to be back on stage together, once it is safe again!”
BreakOut West winners of the artistic and industry categories will be live-streamed.
Passes are available for $50 with discounts for members of the Western Canadian Music Industry Associations, SOCAN, CIMA and CLMA members.
For more information, visit breakoutwest.ca.
2020 WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS ARTISTIC NOMINEES
Blues Artist of the Year
Big Dave McLean - MB
Harpdog Brown - AB
Kat Danser & The Tall Tales - AB
Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - BC
Wide Mouth Mason - BC
BreakOut Artist of the Year
Alexandria Maillot - BC
Ariel Posen - MB
Begonia - MB
The Funk Hunters - BC
The Small Glories - MB
Children’s Artist of the Year
Beppie - AB
Ginalina - BC
The Kerplunks - BC
The Pianimals - MB
Will's Jams - BC
Classical Artist or Ensemble of the Year
Sponsored by Canadian Music Centre (CMC)
Land's End Ensemble with Ben Reimer and Karl Hirzer - AB
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra - MB
Margaret Carey - MB
Mark Takeshi McGregor - BC
The Vancouver Island Symphony - BC
Classical Composer of the Year
Carmen Braden - NT
Dorothy Chang - BC
Marcus Goddard - BC
Stephen Chatman - BC
Vincent Ho - AB
Country Artist of the Year
Dan Davidson - AB
Don Amero - MB
Hunter Brothers - SK
Jess Moskaluke - SK
The Dungarees - AB
Electronic & Dance Artist of the Year
Khanvict - BC
Miles Away - BC
RIELL - AB
Rumpus - SK
SkiiTour - BC
Francophone Artist of the Year
Beauséjour - MB
Kelly Bado - MB
Loig Morin - BC
Ponteix - SK
Renelle Ray - AB
Global Artist of the Year
Buckman Coe - BC
Casimiro Nhussi - MB
Mazacote - BC
Orchid Ensemble - BC
The Mariachi Ghost - MB
Indigenous Artist of the Year
Sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Blue Moon Marquee - BC
Burnstick - MB
Celeigh Cardinal - AB
Riit - NV
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - BC
Instrumental Artist of the Year
Apollo Suns - MB
Christine Hanson - AB
Joe Porter - AB
Mike Morrisseau - AB
Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres - BC
Jazz Artist of the Year
Audrey Ochoa - AB
Karl Schwonik - AB
Kent Sangster's Obsessions Octet - AB
Regina Jazz Society - SK
Sandro Dominelli – AB
Metal & Hard Music Artist of the Year
CRNKSHFT - BC
Dizzy Mystics - MB
Hellrazer - AB
Neck of the Woods - BC
Sleepwraith - AB
Pop Artist of the Year
Alexandria Maillot - BC
Luca Fogale - BC
Martin Kerr - AB
Nuela Charles - AB
Riit - NV
Producer of the Year
deadmen - MB
John Paul Peters - MB
Ryan Dahle - BC
Ryan Worsley - BC
Steve Bays - BC
R&B Artist of the Year
Hooper Turnt Sanger - BC
Iamtheliving - BC
Josh Sahunta - AB
Krystle Dos Santos - BC
Sebastian Gaskin - MB
Rap & Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Bdice - BC
Kimmortal - BC
Moka Only - BC
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - BC
Super Duty Tough Work - MB
Recording of the Year
Frazey Ford - BC
Hunting - BC
Nuela Charles - AB
Royal Canoe - MB
William Prince - MB
Rock Artist of the Year
Sponsored by Torque Brewing
Joey Landreth - MB
Mise en Scene - MB
Mobina Galore - MB
The Jerry Cans - NV
The Radiant - SK
Roots Artist of the Year
Del Barber - MB
Kacy & Clayton - SK
Leaf Rapids - MB
The Small Glories - MB
William Prince - MB
Songwriter(s) of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal - AB
Del Barber - MB
Kacy Anderson & Clayton Linthicum - SK
Nuela Charles - AB
William Prince - MB
Spiritual Artist of the Year
Danielle Savard - MB
Dee Daniels - BC
Fresh IE - MB
Jay Semko - SK
Katrina Van Humbeck - MB
Video Director of the Year
Sponsored by Manitoba Film and Music
Brock Davis Mitchell - Nuela Charles, Long Way Down - AB
Dustin Wilson, Zach Wilson - The Dead South, Diamond Ring - SK
Farhad Ghaderi - Jordan Klassen, Virtuous Circle - BC
Jorge Requena - The Mariachi Ghost, Cuerpo Mortal - MB
Travis Nesbitt - The Dungarees, Don't Make Em Like They Used To - AB
Visual Media Composer of the Year
Daniel Janke, Subconscious Password - YT
The Mariachi Ghost, Octavio is Dead! - MB
Tom Koroluk, Get Over It - MB
Wolf Willow, Etthén Heldeli: Caribou Eaters - SK
2020 WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS INDUSTRY NOMINEES
Audio Engineering Award
Ben Kaplan - BC
John Paul Peters - MB
Ryan Worsley - BC
Sheldon Zaharko - BC
Steve Bays - BC
Community Excellence Award
National Music Centre - AB
Red Tent - MB
The Vancouver Island Symphony - BC
West End Cultural Centre - MB
Winnipeg Music Project - MB
Excellence in Visual Design
Bronwin Parks, Feisty Creative - BC
Logan Tanner & Ron Baldoza, Trifecta Sound Co. - SK
Logan Thackray, Fallen Tree Records - AB
Shalom Toy, Cosmic Cavern Design - AB
Shan & Co. - AB
Impact in Artist Development
Birthday Cake Media - MB
Chronograph Records - AB
National Music Centre - AB
Regina Jazz Society - SK
West End Cultural Centre - MB
Impact in Live Music
Sponsored by Canadian Live Music Association
National Music Centre - AB
Squamish Constellation Festival - BC
West End Cultural Centre - MB
Winnipeg Folk Festival - MB
Winterruption YEG - AB
Impact in Music Marketing
Chronograph Records - AB
National Music Centre - AB
Susan Busse - SK
The Village Idiots - MB
Winnipeg Folk Festival - MB
