Music PEI recently announced the nominees for the 2023 Music PEI Awards. Recognizing the outstanding achievements and contributions of PEI’s musicians and industry professionals, the Awards were adjudicated by a selection of independent music industry professionals both regionally and internationally.
Leading with seven nominations is rising star Lawrence Maxwell who earned nominations in every top category, including FACTOR Album of the Year, SOCAN Songwriter of the Year, Lennox Island First Nation Music Video of the Year, Whitecap Entertainment Entertainer of the Year and Holland College Musician of the Year. His album Ballad of Miles was also nominated for the Caledonia House Roots Recording of the Year and The Buzz Album Art of the Year.
Alicia Toner, Andrew Waite, Lennie Gallant, and The Burning Hell each received four nominations.
The public vote category, Whitecap Entertainer of the Year, is open until January 6 and includes Music PEI Award nominees Alicia Toner, Andrew, Waite, Cory Gallant, Lawrence Maxwell and Lennie Gallant. Visit awards.musicpei.com to cast a vote.
The 2023 Music PEI Awards will be handed out at the Music PEI Awards Party on March 12 as part of Music PEI Week, which runs March 8–12. Info/tickets: musicpei.com
The nominees for the 2023 Music PEI Awards are:
FACTOR Album of the Year
Dylan Menzie—Modern Classic; Lawrence Maxwell—Ballad of Miles; Lennie Gallant—Christmas Day on Planet Earth; The Burning Hell—Garbage Island; The East Pointers—House of Dreams
The Buzz Album Art of the Year
Andrew Waite—Andrew Waite (artwork: Brendan Henry); Brielle Ansems—Still Awake (portrait/painting: Sarah Eddie, based on photograph by Emily Coffin; graphic design: Brielle Ansems); Lawrence Maxwell—Ballad of Miles (art direction/illustration/layout: Aidan Searle); The Burning Hell—Garbage Island (artwork/graphic design: Emmie Tsumura); The Moneygoround—Cruisin’ and Swingin’ (Design & Layout: Aidan Searle; Inside Photo: Heather Doyle)
Combat Computers Digital Presence Award
Alicia Toner; BraedenV; Brandon Howard Roy; Hailey MacIsaac Knull
PEI Mutual Instrumental Recording of the Year
Atlantic String Machine—A Single Juniper Post; Kevin, Tim & Brent Chaisson—Dad’s Tunes; Lee Rosevere—Calm After the Storm; Natalie Williams Calhoun—Act 3; Tzu-Cheng Wang—Hello, PEI!
Rising Tide Community Fund Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year
Ava + Lily Rashed; Elijah MacDougall; Hazen Halls; Natalie Williams Calhoun; Nolan Compton
Atlantic Lottery Recording Sector Award
Adam Gallant; Andrew A. Melzer; SpaceCamp
The Guild Achievement in Classical Music
Atlantic String Machine; Lee Rosevere; Natalie Williams Calhoun; Under the Spire Music Festival
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Alicia Toner; KINLEY; Lawrence Maxwell; The East Pointers; The Moneygoround
Upstreet Craft Brewing Single of the Year
Alicia Toner—Tonight (feat. Joey Landrith); Brandon Howard Roy—Give Me Love; Cory Gallant—Daddy Was Saturday Night; Lennie Gallant—I’m Gonna Have A Merry Christmas Even If It Kills Me; The East Pointers—Stronger Than You Know
Lennox Island First Nation Music Video of the Year
Andrew Waite—”Full Time Tryin’ 2 Luv” (directed & animated by Brendan Henry); Brielle Ansems—”25 (Still Awake)” (directed by Ryan McCarville); Knull—”Devour” (directed by Kyle Gallagher); Lawrence Maxwell—”Back to Cape Breton” (directed by Shane Pendergast); The Burning Hell—”Nigel the Gannet” (directed by Ariel Sharratt)
Caledonia House Roots Recording of the Year
Andrew Waite—Andrew Waite; Brielle Ansems—Still Awake; Lawrence Maxwell—Ballad of Miles; Lennie Gallant—Christmas Day on Planet Earth; Nolan Compton—Born and Raised
Discover Charlottetown Rock Recording of the Year
Elijah MacDougall—The Boy That Would Be; Hazen Halls—Our Fires Fade to Candles, Vol.1; Hired Guns—One In The Chamber; Nolan Compton—Born and Raised; The Burning Hell—Garbage Island
Fiddling Fisherman Lookout R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
BraedenV—Trendsetter; Dr. Zoo—20; Hailey MacIsaac—Lumber; Logan Richard—Live at The Trailside; Nadia—Off the High (feat. Vince The Messenger)
Downtown Charlottetown Pop Recording of the Year
Elijah MacDougall—The Boy Who Would Be; Doug Hoyer—Getting Older; KINLEY—Daylight; Nick Doneff—The Late August Days; Nikkie Gallant—Subtle Motions
City of Charlottetown Rap/HipHop Recording of the Year
Adam Robbins—Coup de Grâce; BraedenV—Trendsetter; Spivey—Fever Dreams; TNA—Night Scenes; Vince the Messenger—If These Walls Could Talk; X-Plycit—X-It The Premises
Whitecap Entertainment Entertainer of the Year
Alicia Toner; Andrew Waite; Cory Gallant; Lawrence Maxwell; Lennie Gallant
Maritime Electric Live Sector Award
Craig Fair Music Productions; KINLEY; Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival; Shane Pendergast; Under the Spire Music Festival
KENT Community Contributor of the Year
Jay Diss; Maxine MacLennan; Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors; Richard Wood; Zoe & Holly O’Regan
Long & McQuade Educator of the Year
Island Rock Camps; Kirk White; Music Alive Program (Richard Pellissier-Lush & Ryan Elliot Drew)
SRL Solutions Industry Person of the Year
Alyssa Gallant; Faye Williams Wood
Arsenault Best Cameron & Ellis Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Haines; Maureen McTague; Maxine MacLennan
Cymba Music Publishing Live Music Production Professional of the Year
Chris Knox; Kyle Gallagher; Shawna Picard
Souris Credit Union Rooted to The Island
Christine Campbell; Jay Diss; Kiwi Jr.
Holland College Musician of the Year
Cory Gallant; Lawrence Maxwell; Nick Doneff; Nick Gauthier; Tzu-Cheng Wang
