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Morgan Toney
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Music News Digest: Music Nova Scotia Award Nominees Announced, Maidie Music House Launches to Support Black Music Talent in the Province
This week: A rough debut for the Line Spike Frontenac festival, the nominees for the Canadian Screen Music Awards are announced, the ARC program announces its participants and more.
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Awards News
Music Nova Scotia has announced the 2025 Music Nova Scotia Music & Industry Award nominees. Award submissions cover 23 music and 7 industry categories, and Morgan Toney leads the way with five award nominations. Following close behind with four nods is KAYO, and with three nominations each are Braden Lam, Jah’Mila, KC Okoye, Million Vibes, Mo Kenney, and PINEO & LOEB. Check the full list of nominees here.
Voting for the 2025 Music & Industry Award winners is now open, with an Aug. 5 deadline. All Music Nova Scotia members in good standing are eligible to vote here.
– Now in its fourth year, the Canadian Screen Music Awards (CASMA) is an annual celebration of composer’s excellence in scoring original music for the screen. Launched and administered by Screen Composers Guild of Canada, these awards feature musical works in 12 categories covering feature film, television, animation, documentary, games and interactive media. The SCGC will also present a special award for distinguished services to the industry.
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The gala will be held in Toronto on Sept. 10, and the nominations list is now out. Notable names on that list include Mark Korven (recent winner of the inaugural Billboard Canada Screen Composer of the Year Award), Todor Kobakov, Steph Copeland, Amin Bhatia, Murray Lightburn (The Dears), Andrew Lockington, Tom Third, Jesse & Josh Zubot and Ari Posen. See the full list here.
Festivals News
The TD Halifax Jazz Festival runs this weekend. Headlining on July 17 is Juno-winning saxophone ace Mike Murley with his Trio and special guest Renee Rosnes. The Bill Frisell Trio headlines on July 18. Tickets here.
– When new rural Ontario festival Line Spike Frontenac announced its launch in March, it did so with plenty of hype, declaring that "it will make history as one of the largest pre-Canada Day music events in the nation — a bold and brilliant 'Power of Positivity Musical Harvest' set in the breathtaking hills of Frontenac County."
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The fest took place on June 28 and 29, but was a financial failure, with the Kingston Whig-Standard reporting that "The organizer of last month's Line Spike Frontenac music festival says he owes about $225,000 to performers and suppliers. Jeremy Campbell had initially envisioned 50,000 tickets being sold, but lowered those expectations to 10,000. Alcohol sales were prohibited at the event after the festival’s liquor licence was revoked. Walk off the Earth headlined Saturday evening and Burton Cummings the next night.
Campbell pledges the fest will return, posting this on the website: "Despite the roadblocks & setbacks, you were part of history in Harrowsmith, Ontario. We're gearing up for Line Spike 2026. Same same place... almost same time, June 27th & 28th, 2026. Bands will not be known until some point in he new year, but we will be putting the call out for presales very soon!"
Industry News
Veteran music executive Katrina Lopes has announced the launch of Maidie Music House, described as "the first full-scale artist development company built by and for Black talent in Nova Scotia. Rooted in cultural legacy, Maidie Music House is an initiative that directly tackles the lack of infrastructure Black artists have faced for generations, as evidenced in Music Nova Scotia's 2022 "Black Music Matters" report."
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The Nova Scotia-raised, Toronto-based Lopes has made a mark over the past 15-plus years via her company KL Management, with a client list that has long featured platinum-selling artist Shawn Desman. Maidie Music House will officially launch on Friday, August 1 in Halifax with a star-studded concert at The Garden featuring performances by Reeny, Zamani, Hailey Smith and Jody Upshaw.
– Funded by Creative BC, the Province of British Columbia, FACTOR and the Government of Canada, the ARC program is the province’s flagship artist accelerator designed to help musicians build lasting careers in today’s industry. The supervisor of the program, Music BC recently named the 15 emerging artists selected for the 2025 ARC program: Adewolf, Cassidy Waring, Computer, Connor Nelson, Dawson Gool, Emma Alves, Fleetwood Huey, Haleluya Hailu, Jody Glenham, Kaya Ko, Posh Coat, Rebecca Sichon, SNOWCHILD EDGE, Tess Anderson and Tiger Really.
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ARC offers a comprehensive, multi-phase experience that blends industry insight with hands-on creative development. This includes The Retreat, a week-long residency designed to foster collaboration and experimentation, and The Show, a showcase event where each artist performs live for an audience of invited industry professionals. New this year, Nettwerk Music Group has partnered with ARC to offer additional support around digital strategy, audience growth and exposure to streaming platforms. More info here.
– Emerging music professionals are now invited to apply to be part of the 2025 VIFF Amp cohort, attending the Music in Media Summit from Oct 7–11 in Vancouver. The summit explores every aspect of music in film, television and new media, from composition to song placement for film, television, advertising and video games.
Selected applicants will be given free entry to expertly curated masterclasses, case studies, panel discussions, tailored networking opportunities, breakout sessions and musical showcases. Applicants must: Be an emerging music professional: a songwriter, composer, or music entrepreneur who seeks to build a career in film, television and/or new media. Be able to travel to Vancouver, Canada to attend all in-person sessions over Oct 7–11. Apply here.
– The deadline to apply to join the Music PEI Board of Directors has been extended to July 20. This is a governance board and meets once a month. These Board positions are 3-year terms. Submit your application here.
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Artists News
R&B artist and actor Sean Jones has announced a summer residency at the Palais Royale event venue in Toronto. This historic venue has featured such legends as Count Basie and Duke Ellington, and will now host Jones for four Revival shows (July 16 and 30, Aug. 13 and 27). Previously, Jones had a very popular residency, Soul In The City, at another landmark Toronto location, Casa Loma. His combination of smooth and soulful vocals and charming showmanship makes these shows highly recommended. Tickets here.
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