Adéola  2023 nominee

Adéola, a versatile artist hailing from Nigeria and now calling Regina home, is a passionate Canadian musician who brings years of experience to the world of Afrobeats. By day, Adéola is a dedicated Project Manager, but under the stage lights, this multifaceted international talent transforms into a captivating performer. With a deep-rooted connection to his cultural heritage and a profound love for Afrobeats, Adéola blends Afrobeats, R&B, and hip-hop soulful style. On December 22, 2022, Adéola unveiled the "Afrocology" album. Comprised of nine soul-stirring tracks, this album delves into the very essence of Afrobeats. It weaves stories of love and cultural influences, drawing inspiration from the vibrant and dynamic mix of the Nigerian and Canadian entertainment scenes. 

 

Adéola's music isn't just about beats; it's a cultural journey, an expression of inspiration, and a testament to the power of music to connect people across borders. With his evocative sound and engaging performances, Adéola is making waves in the world of Afrobeats and inspiring positivity wherever his music is heard.

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Eliza Mary Doyle   2023 nominee

Bright, feisty, and fierce, this banjo playin’ troubadour of exceptional talent and vision has been gracing stages around the world for the past 20 years with her spontaneous and contagious energy. She is a JUNO and international award-winning artist who, together with her band can be described as “sweet as honey and raw as hide”. Eliza's discography goes back to 2003, and since then, she's recorded on 23 albums, toured Canada, the US, Europe and the UK extensively, and crafted her musicianship to rise in excellence as a leader in this province as a banjo player, performer, teacher and songwriter.

 

Recently Eliza has developed important programming for Saskatchewan's under-served and remote communities. Along with cofounder Holly Yuzicapi, CAMP (Community Arts Mentorship Program) is strengthening communities through music and arts mentorship. Currently, she spends her time between the north and Nashville, and is continually working on new music and inspiring those around her.

 

 

Greenwing   2023 nominee

Established in 2021, GreenWing's early days saw them living through COVID lockdowns and the harsh Saskatchewan winter while finding sanity through collaborating on a collection of songs, and the hopes of one day returning to stages and touring. Their album "Late Bloomer" leans heavily on driving rhythms and pop-laden hooks, reminiscent of the punk and post-rock they grew up listening to while incorporating themes of self-reflection, grief, and a newfound sense of self.

 

Once lockdowns lifted, GreenWing quickly made a name for themselves with tour dates that featured their signature singalong hooks, infectious driving energy, and chaotic stage presence. In short order, the band was enlisted for opening gigs for the likes of Three Days Grace, Daniel Romano, Mom Jeans, Dirty Nil and Reignwolf, garnered multiple nominations and making multiple "Best Of" lists.

 

Grimelda   2023 nominee

Since their early teens, Blair Colwell and Skyler Cafferata have been exploring the sonic landscape with little boundaries. Working together in the indie-punk outfit, Go Jeff!!!, and apart in projects ranging from acoustic folk to thrashy skate-punk, they each developed a distinct musical perspective that is both broad and focused. Drawing influence from the likes of Q and not U, Liars, and Nick Cave, Grimelda throw out catchy, eclectic post-punk noise arranged in whatever way they see fit - raw, heavy and strange. Lyrics come from both parties and cover a lot of ground; from imaginary murder mysteries to personal life experiences all wrapped up in surreal metaphors, vivid imagery and a touch of humour. For better or worse, this naturally different 2-man band won't go unnoticed.

 

Patrick Moon Bird   2023 nominee

Patrick Moon Bird is an Indigenous multi-instrumental musician and producer from Prince Albert. A Lo-Fi Bedroom Pop Artist. Patrick has been playing music for over 20 years. Starting with Metal music, Patrick shaped his sound with his knowledge of music theory. Patrick has many influences, most notably Joji, Mounika, and Idealism. Established in 2018 with his debut single Dear Me, which was written and produced in his home studio using only his iPhone, Patrick has come a long way from those, developing his own style.

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Patrick had a successful 2022/2023 with performances at Ness Creek, Remai Modern's LUGO 2023, Pride in The Park, and Chesterfest. Recently releasing 2 albums and 15 singles, he's had songs added to Apple's Indigenous Now playlist, used in several podcasts, garnering over 1.5M streams of his tracks to date and over 10K monthly listeners on Spotify. 

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Thinktank   2022 nominees

Performing since 2021, Thinktank has gone on to play shows including Regina Folk Fest, Frost Fest, Swamp Fest, and the annual Christmas Hardcore show at the Exchange. Thinktank blends hip-hop, electronic, ambient, dance, and R&B music together into something whole and unique, amassing a strong following due to the duality of their live shows. THINKTANK’s shows can be described as both energetic and introspective. At any time, members of the audience will be dancing to the max, while others sit back with their thoughts — the group’s live performances invite people into both realms.

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Our Youth Performers for this year:

Halle Ponton

Singer/songwriter Halle Ponton began releasing covers to social media at 14 years old and quickly grew a following for her powerful and attention-demanding vocals. Her musical style is reminiscent of artists like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, with powerful choruses complemented by intimate verses. At 15, Halle released her first single “Tired Of Waking Up” with singer/songwriter Carson Shmyr, which has accumulated over 190,000 streams, was briefly on Spotify's top 100 in the UK, and on iHeart Radio in Ontario. Halle has continued writing and releasing music with significant success, and started performing live earlier this year, including a Western Canadian tour and other dates. 

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Her first album “Is This What Real Life Is?” was just released in October, with concepts of love, loss, and growing up; it was mixed and mastered by American producer Alysha Amerson and Saskatchewan producer Josh Palmer. 
 

Rebecca Strong

Rebecca is a 20-year-old Indigenous performer from Prince Albert.  She is Dene Suline and her home town is Stony Rapids, SK. Rebecca was born into a musical family and has been performing her entire life; her first time on a stage was 5 years old at Voices of the North. Rebecca has taught herself piano and ukulele, and is becoming known for her live performances on TikTok, where she has amassed over a quarter million followers. She has also performed in many local shows like the Winter Festival in Prince Albert, Search for the Stars, SaskTel Indigenous Youth Awards and many more. Social media and music are her biggest passions and what she aspires to do as a career. 

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