The 2026 MusicNL award nominees were announced on Thursday, July 30 at a press conference at Spirit of Newfoundland, as well as on a live stream feed on YouTube.

Leading the way with five nominations was Port-Aux-Poutines and Rachel Cousins, followed by Mallory Johnson and With Violet, both with four categories. Ben Diamond, Becca Bartlett, Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill, The Irish Descendants, Liz Fagan Band, WEKU and Silver Wolf Band were each nominated in three categories.  

With 117 nominees spread across 36 categories, from genre-specific artist awards to industry, media, and volunteer honours, the 2026 MusicNL Award Nominees list captured just how much the Newfoundland and Labrador music industry has grown.

Overview of 2026 MusicNL Awards Nominations
2026 MusicNL Award Nominee List

OVERVIEW OF 2026 MUSICNL AWARDS NOMINATIONS

2026 MUSICNL AWARDS NOMINEE LIST

Alternative Artist of the Year

Claire Porter

Liz Fagan Band

Mark Bragg

Rev Dave and the Sin Eaters

The Proper Things

WEKU

Artist Manager of the Year

Jeff Sheppard

Linda Hickey

Matt Dines

Classical Artist of the Year

Alan Klaus

Rob Power

Robert Humber

Country Artist of the Year

Carolina East

James Cutler

Jason Benoit

Josh Janes

Justin Fancy

Paige Penney

Electronic Artist of the Year

DOEUX

Feminotica

Jay Mach

Medians

potem

Shieldeater

Event of the Year

Bloom United in Music

Newfound Music Festival

Opera on the Avalon’s Fall Festival

Showcase on Da Rock

Theatre Hill Jazz Jam

Folk Artist of the Year

Becca Bartlett

Colleen Power

Evan AuCoin

Mallory Johnson

Matthew Byrne

Rachel Cousins

Silver Wolf Band

Global Music Artist of the Year

Ana Luisa Ramos

Nana Kwame Obese

WEKU

Zay Nova

Graphic Artist of the Year

Halfcase

Scott Sheppard

Tara Thompson

Group of the Year

Liz Fagan Band

Port-Aux-Poutines

Silver Wolf Band

The Irish Descendants

The Proper Things

With Violet

Indigenous Artist of the Year

Elizabeth Sheppard

James Cutler

Silver Wolf Band

Industry Professional of the Year

Debbie Brown

Matt Dines

Meghan Herder

Mike McDonald

Robert Buck

Rozalind MacPhail

Instrumental Artist of the Year

Ben Diamond

Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill

Elder Caius

Ian Foster

The Ames Window

Wade Tarling

International Touring Artist of the Year

Ana & Eric

Ben Diamond

Port-Aux-Poutines

Jazz Artist of the Year

Andrew Gosse

Beep Bop

Duane Andrews 

L’Artiste Francophone de L’Année

Adrian House

Colleen Power

daisy jay

Liz Fagan Band

Loud Artist of the Year

DAHLIA

IRØNVEIL

Sea Dogs

Yes, Officer

Media Person of the Year

Presented by Ray Agency

Alyssa Crocker

Heather Barrett

Zach Snow

Music Educator of the Year

Presented by Long & McQuade Musical Instruments

Ben Chapman-Smith Music

Ben Diamond

Dr. Dylan Maddix 

Emily Martin

Port-Aux-Poutines

Rozalind MacPhail

Music Video of the Year

Adrian House – “Noël Noël”

Director: Adrian House

Editor, Producer: Noah Bender

Director of Photography: Noah Bender

Participants: Adrian House, Julien Bouchard, Axel Belgarde, Jenna Maloney, Kristen English, Mariève Therriault, Chris Driedzic, Laura Penney

Ana Luisa Ramos – “Clareia”

Director and Video Editing: Eric Taylor Escudero

Camera  and Directors of Photography: Michelle Lacour, David Eguiguren

Stage Design: Bruno Vinhas

Produced by: Ana Pitol

Becca Bartlett – “Cicadas”

Directed by: James Newhook and Becca Bartlett 

Edited and Produced by: Cesar Espinosa and James Newhook 

Director of Photography: James Newhook 

Color Graded by: Cesar Espinosa 

Starring: Emma Beach, Makailla Palliyaguru, Maeggan Palliyaguru and Breanna Lynch

Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill – “Tunnels of Light”

Director: Bruce Alcock

Editor, Producer: Bruce Alcock

Design, Direction, and Animation: Bruce Alcock

mosthated – “Midsummer”

Director, Editor, and Director of Photography: Adam Martin

Rachel Cousins – “To Fail”

Director: Stephen Green

Producer: Stephen Green

Editor: Brad Tulk

Set and Creative Design: Hilda Cousins & Rachel Cousins

The Ennis Sisters – “Wildfire”

Director: Cecil Johnson

Producer: Cheryl Hickman

Director of Photography: David Howells

Editor: Maïka Hearson

Outstanding Company of the Year

Atlantic Music & Merch

Making Music Academy Inc

NARA Community

Opera on the Avalon

Spectrum Queer Choir, Inc.

The Citadel House

Pop Artist of the Year

H.A.G.S.

Judith

Julia Dawson

With Violet

Rap / Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

Albert Dalton

Janet Cull & Decay

mosthated

Recording Engineer/Producer of the Year

Ben Chapman-Smith Music

Bill Brennan

Dean Stairs

Louis McDonald

Matt Dines

Mike McDonald

Rising Star of the Year

Beep Bop

Feminotica

Judith

Julia Dawson

Nana Kwame Obese

The Way East

WEKU

Rock Artist of the Year

Presented by George Street Association

George Morgan

MADELINE

Matthew Hare

The Way East

Tobirus

Zay Nova

Side Musician of the Year

Adam Baxter

Jacob Earle

Jamie Moran

Wade Tarling

Solo Artist of the Year

Ben Diamond

Claire Porter

Ian Foster

MADELINE

Mallory Johnson

Paige Penney

Songwriter of the Year (Non Performer)

Amelia Curran

Daniel Adams

Peter Daniel Newman

Sound on Screen of the Year

Adam Foran

Andrew Gosse

Darcy Scott

Traditional Artist of the Year

Kitchinparti

Roblo’s Rock

The Irish Descendants

Venue of the Year

City of St. John’s – Downtown Pedestrian Mall

Olde House Shows

The Battery Café

The Majestic Theatre

The Ship Pub

Trinity Hall Inc

Volunteer of the Year

Alick Tsui and Christopher Deacon

Glenn Pardy

“MK Sisters Productions” (Lydia, Lina and Rosemary Makaga)

Ron Hynes Songwriter of the Year

Becca Bartlett

Evan AuCoin

Mallory Johnson

Port-Aux-Poutines

Rachel Cousins

With Violet

Yes, Officer 

Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year

Presented by VOCM

Josh Janes

Justin Fancy

Kitchinparti

Mackenzie Critch

Mallory Johnson

Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts

Port-Aux-Poutines

Rachel Cousins

The Ennis Sisters

The Irish Descendants

With Violet

Album of the Year

Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill – Dreaming in Gamelan

Duane Andrews – Duane Andrews And The Hot Club Of Conception Bay

Matthew Byrne – Stealing Time

Port-Aux-Poutines – Oui B’y

Rachel Cousins – What Hasn’t Killed Me

Robert Humber – into air