Boogey the Beat Wins The 2025 Henry Armstrong Award Celebrating Indigenous Musicians
The accolade aims to develop, elevate and support emerging Indigenous artists nationwide.
With National Indigenous History Month well under way, Anishinaabe DJ and producer Boogey the Beat has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Henry Armstrong Award.
Since launching in 2022, the bursary and mentorship program has been created to empower Indigenous artists within the Canadian music industry. It's named after MDM Recordings Inc. president and founder Mike Denney’s grandfather, Lloyd Henry, and mother Gloria Denney (née Armstrong), both Six Nations Lower Mohawk members.
The award is open to all Indigenous music artists nationwide. Following the application window, a jury of Canadian music industry professionals selects the winner. The chosen act receives a $10,000 bursary, along with a tailored mentorship program.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, the artist — born Lesley Boulanger — builds each song around a percussive heartbeat, then adds vocals and other instruments, letting the drum lead the way. It’s an homage to the sounds of Sundance, a sacred ceremony.
With a handful of singles and an album under his belt, Boogey sees his music as a voice unto itself, encouraging audiences to find joy and have fun while remembering there was a time when Anishinaabe artistic traditions were banned.
Notably, the budding artist has collaborated with The Halluci Nation (formerly a Tribe Called Red) and Snotty Rez Nose Kids on a handful of tracks on his 2023 record, Cousins. The latter of which worked one of Boogey’s top-streamed songs on Spotify, “Run for Cover.”
“Grateful beyond words to be recognized for carrying forward culture through sound. This is more than a win — it’s a reminder that our stories, our rhythms, and our voices matter,” he shared on Instagram.
The genesis of the unique accolade began in the spring of 2021, following the initial uncovering of the 215 Indigenous children in the Kamloops Residential School mass grave. Denney called upon his fellow industry and quickly formed a committee united to promote inclusivity, equity and equality in the Canadian Indigenous Music space.
Past winners of the Henry Armstrong Award include Kyle McKearney (2022), Kaeley Jade (2023) and City Natives (2024) — all of whom have settled into their niches within the music sphere. McKearney went on to receive the Contemporary Singer of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards, while Jade won Indigenous Songwriter of the Year at the same award show in 2024.
