Kellie Loder, Jah'Mila, Lisa LeBlanc, more win at 2023 East Coast Music Awards
CBC
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the East Coast Music Awards, and the first of two award nights took place in Halifax on May 4.
Newfoundland songwriter Kellie Loder was the only musician to come away with more than one award so far, for fans' choice entertainer of the year and songwriter of the year, while Nova Scotia-based reggae artist Jah'Mila nabbed one for global recording of the year. New Brunswick's Lisa LeBlanc came away with French recording of the year while P.E.I.'s the East Pointers, who tie Classified with the most nominations at six apiece, won songwriter of the year. The remaining awards will be given out on May 7.
The evening was hosted by This Hour Has 22 Minutes' Trent McClellan, and performance highlights included rap/hip-hop recording of the year winners City Natives' powerful "The Honour Song Remix," featuring Hubert Francis from Elsipogtog First Nation, followed by folk recording winners Fortunate Ones' bittersweet "Heavy Heart," and Aquakultre performing his hit "Africvillean Funk" alongside Trobiz, who is featured on the song, and a stageful of supports including African Canadian artist category winner Zamani. April Wine's Myles Goodwyn was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and featured a high-energy medley including Jimmy Rankin and Christine Campbell.
Earlier this year, Halifax promotions manager Jocelyn MacLean called the East Coast Music Association an "all-boys club" in an interview with CBC, pointing out "there are categories where there are no women represented." Those 2023 categories include rap/hip-hop, blues, dance, roots and jazz recordings of the year, as well as producer of the year, among others.
But at the May 4 broadcast, the ECMA winners hit more than gender parity, with eight awards going to acts with women-identifying or non-binary members, and seven going to acts with solely men. We'll find out how those numbers look during the second half of the awards on May 7, when the remaining 23 musician-related categories will be handed out.
Below, the winners so far are bolded, and the list will be updated on the weekend.
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