(January 24, 2021) - SaskMusic is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Saskatchewan Music Awards, held this evening as an online event. The show was themed around ‘retro communication formats,’ with references to Windows 98, AOL chats, MySpace, and more, acknowledging with a wink the virtual communication that has become a part of our daily life during the pandemic, and especially for artists and industry who have turned to livestreamed concerts, online conferences, and video co-writing as ways to stay creative and connected.

 

Performers for the virtual event - ADEOLUWA, Last Birds, Belle Plaine, and The North Sound – were filmed for the SMA show in special closed-door performances leading up the event, with acceptance speeches from the winners collected as close to ‘show time’ as possible to preserve the suspense.

 

Weyburn-born Tenille Arts secured three awards, for Single, Album, and Country Artist of the Year. Arts recently was named one of CMT’s “Next Women of Country 2021,” with “Somebody Like That” currently sitting at #15 on the Billboard U.S. Country Airplay charts. The song also reached #9 in Canada on the Billboard Hot Country charts, with Tenille having performed the song live on NBC’s Today Show and The Bachelor. The singer/songwriter also picked up the Canadian Country Music Association’s ‘Rising Star’ award in September.

 

Saskatoon’s Broadway Theatre was a double winner this year, for Industry Achievement and Venue of the Year, having taken these same two awards in 2019. The theatre was noted for strong show offerings pre-pandemic, as well as their continued advocacy and fundraising activities in the community through 2020.

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SaskMusic is very proud of all the nominees and winners this year, and now moves into final preparations for the Very Prairie Series, educational and network-building initiatives for the Saskatchewan music industry, which will be held as free online events throughout February. Updates on Very Prairie will be available on SaskMusic’s social media accounts, and www.veryprairie.ca.

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SaskMusic would like to thank Creative Saskatchewan, the Government of Saskatchewan, and FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) for their support of these events.

 

The 2020 Saskatchewan Music Award Winners

Alternative Artist of the Year: Close Talker

Country Artist of the Year: Tenille Arts

Electronic Artist of the Year: RUMPUS

Experimental/Contemporary Artist of the Year: The Garrys

Hip Hop Artist of the Year: Factor Chandelier

Indigenous Artist of the Year: The North Sound

Metal/Loud Artist of the Year: The Basement Paintings

Rock/Pop Artist of the Year: W3APONS

Roots/Folk Artist of the Year: Jeffery Straker

Music Video of the Year: Dylan Hryciuk - Versa Films for Spiritbox, "Blessed Be"

Single of the Year: Tenille Arts, "Somebody Like That"

Album of the Year: Tenille Arts, “Love, Heartbreak, & Everything in Between”

Industry Achievement: Broadway Theatre

Producer of the Year: Bart McKay

Venue of the Year: Broadway Theatre

 

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View the 2020 Nominee Announcement page

 

More information:

SMA logo (PDF, PNG)

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Watch the 2020 Saskatchewan Music Awards replay on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tqvuqGZHZQ8

 

Winner graphics (JPG, PNG)

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SaskMusic is a non-profit, member-based association that represents, promotes and develops the artists and commercial music industry of Saskatchewan, Canada both domestically and internationally. We offer one-on-one guidance, workshops, marketing and export assistance, career development opportunities, peer sessions, artist and business listings, and more. From songwriters and freelance musicians to studios, we work with artists and industry members from across our province, in an extensive range of genres and skill levels. SaskMusic is a source of information and resources for both the public, and the music industry.