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Music News Digest: Canadian Blues Music Awards 'Fully Overhauls' Maple Blues Awards Following Controversy
After criticism over lack of recognition for Black artists, the Toronto Blues Society has replaced its long-running awards show. Also this week: IMSTA FESTA returns at Toronto Metropolitan University, Opera Atelier celebrates its 40th anniversary and more.
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The long-running Maple Blues Awards, produced by the Toronto Blues Society to honour the best in Canadian blues since 1997, are no more. In its place as Canada's only national blues music awards programme, are the just-inaugurated Canadian Blues Music Awards, an incorporated national not-for-profit whose mandate is to govern all the processes leading up to the awards ceremony.
Last year's Maple Blues Awards faced heavy criticism for its winner list, which awarded only white artists (with one exception, Indigenous Artist of the Year, Crystal Shawanda.) The Toronto Blues Society held town halls to decide how to create greater transparency and accountability within the organization.
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Quinta Wint, the chair of the Toronto Blues Society, explained the decision in a letter on the organization's website.
"Dear Friends,
On behalf of the TBS, I want to share our full support for the Canadian Blues Music Awards (which fully replaces the Maple Blues Awards). This is much more than a name change. The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul, a whole new program created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast.
This new chapter is the result of many thoughtful conversations and countless volunteer hours from the Governing Committee. Their dedication has been remarkable, and their vision clear: to establish an awards program that reflects the strength and diversity of our national blues community.
One of the most significant changes is that the Canadian Blues Music Awards now operate as a separate entity from the TBS. TBS is no longer involved in governance, nominations, judging, voting, or any other processes. We will, however, proudly continue to host the awards ceremony, a role that allows us to celebrate our artists while ensuring the recognition process is carried out independently and transparently.
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If I may, I’d like to encourage you to visit the Canadian Blues Music Awards website at www.canadianbluesmusicawards.awardstage.com/ and take some time to look around.
We are excited about this bold new direction and grateful for everyone who has contributed to making it possible. Together, we can ensure that the Canadian Blues Music Awards truly celebrate the extraordinary talent, passion, and resilience of blues artists across our nation.
We look forward to welcoming you at the next awards ceremony (Monday, March 30, 2026) and to continuing the celebration of Canadian blues in all its forms."
Consideration for all awards is by submission only, while a Fan Favourite Award (the only category that is open to the public) engages the public in a write-in vote. For artists, submissions are required, and all entries must be based upon recordings: For the 2025 awards, released Sept. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2025. All applications, submissions, and fan votes are entered on the online platform here. Entries are open until October 31.
– IMSTA FESTA, described as "Toronto's largest free celebration of music technology," returns on Saturday, October 18, to Toronto Metropolitan University. The lineup brings together Grammy-winning engineers, international stars and top innovators for a full day of hands-on workshops, master classes, product demos and live showcases.
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Four major industry figures are featured as spotlight guests:
Young Guru: Known for his engineering work with Jay-Z, he's helped shape the sound of modern hip-hop and R&B and is also known as a lecturer and educator.
Kevin Lyttle: An international recording star best known for the No. 4 hit "Turn Me On."
Rafa Sardina: Producer/engineer with 19 Grammys to his name. He has worked with Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Michael Jackson and more.
Richard Devine: Electronic musician and sound designer, known for his experimental synth work and collaborations with leading technology brands.
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Master Classes & Workshops will be conducted by entertainment lawyer and author Paul Sanderson, engineer Jeff Wolpert, mixers Jack Eblem and Justin Gray, songwriter/musician Eddie Bullen and classical composer Christos Hatzis. HMore information and registration here.
Industry News
Artist submissions for Contact East 2026 are now open here, until Oct. 26. Contact East is the Atlantic Presenters Association's biggest biennial event and Atlantic Canada's longest-running multi-disciplinary performing arts booking conference. The event brings together performing arts presenters, managers, and agents attend to check out performances from a diverse range of artistic genres, including but not limited to: music, cabaret, dance, Deaf, Disability and Mad arts, circus arts, theatre, comedy, youth-oriented programming, and cultural performances. Contact East 2026 will take place in Saint John, NB, from April 8-11.
– Fuse: Music Residency 2026 is described as an interdisciplinary residency for musicians, hosted by the Banff Centre and featuring collaborative mentors and a creative environment. Musicians, singers, conductors, and concert experience creators working in Classical, Jazz, Electronic, and related disciplines are invited to apply here by Nov. 19. The program runs April 13-May 2.
– The Women in Music Canada nonprofit organization (which is not affiliated with Billboard Women in Music) has recently announced that the first Women in Music Global Summit will take place in Toronto from March 2–4, 2026.
The three-day event at the Allied Music Centre and TD Music Hall in downtown Toronto will bring together women and gender-diverse leaders during International Women’s Week. Expect panels, keynotes, workshops and mentorship, a songwriting showcase and networking and community building opportunities. On March 5, the Women in Music Canada organization also hosts its fourth annual Honours event at Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto. Nominations must be submitted via the WIMCanada nomination form by Nov. 28.
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– The acclaimed Opera Atelier celebrates the milestone of 40 years of operation with a staging of Mozart’s classic fairy tale, The Magic Flute, coming to The Elgin Theatre in Toronto, October 15-19. Featuring the Opera Atelier debut of coloratura soprano star Rainelle Krause, the family-friendly production will open Opera Atelier’s 2025/26 season, fully staged and directed by Opera Atelier co-artistic director Marshall Pynkoski and choreographed by Opera Atelier co-artistic director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg. Info and tickets here. Check out a promo video here.
Artists News
A veteran of Toronto’s indie music scene, singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Mahabir co-founded the much-loved '80s alt-rock band Groovy Religion and has since gone on to become a solo recording artist. Mahabir’s 2015 debut solo album, Angel in Parkdale, made him a Juno nominee for breakthrough artist. He is now readying the release of a new record, Peace Love War & Hate, the last album recorded, engineered and produced by the late and legendary Grammy-winning producer/engineer Peter J. Moore (Cowboy Junkies, Bob Dylan) at his Concord Sound Studio in Toronto. Musicians on the record include John Borra and Blue Rodeo’s Michael Boguski and Glenn Milchem. Here's a brand new video, directed by filmmaker Rob Stefaniuk (Suck, Phil The Alien).
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– Veteran folk/roots troubadour Stephen Fearing is set to begin an Ontario tour, joined by his Danish backing band and folk music notables The Sentimentals. The tour, in support of Fearing's current solo album, THE EMPATHIST, begins on Oct. 16 at Midland Cultural Centre, followed by a Toronto show at Hugh's Room Live (Oct. 17), then dates in Guelph, London, Kingston and Burnstown. Full itinerary here. A new video for one of the album cuts, “Best Road I’ve Known,” has just been released.
– The fascinating life story and career of the late Edmonton jazz singer Judy Singh is explored in a new documentary film, Have You Heard Judi Singh?. The former wife of guitar genius Lenny Breau, Singh was of Black and Punjabi descent. She collaborated and recorded with jazz greats Tommy Banks and Woody Shaw and gained some attention in the '60s and '70s, and this doc will reignite interest in her work. It screens at Reel World Film Festival in Toronto on Oct. 18 (tickets here), the Vancouver Black Independent Film Festival (Oct. 30-Nov. 1) and the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (Nov. 6-16) before becoming available for streaming on the British Columbia broadcaster, The Knowledge Network.
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