On August 22, MusicNL announced the 2025 award nominees. Leading the way is Mallory Johnson with 6 nods, followed by Quote The Raven with 5 categories, and XIA-3, Natasha Blackwood, Mick Davis and Thin Love, and Justin Fancy with 4 nominations each. Deantha Edmunds, Jake Nicoll, Nico Paulo, Rube & Rake, and Port-Aux-Poutines are among 13 artists nominated in 3 categories. 

In total, there are 177 award nominees across 35 award categories, including three new awards offered for 2025:  Songwriter of the Year (non-performer), Sound on Screen Award, sponsored by Panoramic Pictures and International Touring Artist of the Year.

The awards will be handed out as part of MusicNL Week, taking place in St. John’s, NL from November 12 to 16, along with public performances, a gala, and an industry development conference.

AWARDS & NOMINATION SUMMARY

AND THE NOMINEES ARE

Alternative Artist of the Year

Adrian House

Bus People

Jake Nicoll

Kelly McMichael

Selina Boland

Swimming

Artist Manager of the Year

Derrick Sturge – Pharos Music Inc.

Hilda Cousins

Lea-Ann Biddiscombe-Penney

Meg Tucker – Mega Talent Inc.

Classical Artist of the Year

Deantha Edmunds

Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra

Robert Humber

Country Artist of the Year

Andrew Smith

Carolina East

Justin Fancy

Mackenzie Critch

Mallory Johnson

Rev. Dave and the Sin Eaters

Electronic Artist of the Year

Andrew Gosse

Ben Diamond

DOEUX

Medians

potem

STURNE

Event of the Year

Presented by Canadian AV

George Street Festival

HeavyNFLD Fest

Lawnya Vawnya 14

Opera on the Avalon – Fall Festival

Our Songs Songwriters Circle for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada

Sound Symposium XXI

Folk Artist of the Year

Dave Whitty

Hannah Green

Kathy Stock

Quote the Raven

R Sheaves

Rube & Rake

Youngtree and Carole Bee

Global Music Artist of the Year

ANIL

Ben’s Ekman Spiral

De la Paz Latin Music

Judith

XIA-3

Graphic Artist of the Year

Presented by College of the North Atlantic

Andrew Boyd

Nora de Mariaffi

Scott Sheppard

Group of the Year

Atlantic Jazz Collective feat. Norma Winstone and Joe La Barbera

Mick Davis and Thin Love

Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts

Quote the Raven

Rube & Rake

XIA-3

Indigenous Artist of the Year

Deantha Edmunds

Elizabeth Sheppard

STURNE

Industry Professional of the Year

Presented by Genoa Design

Ben Chapman-Smith Music

Debbie Brown 

Dustin Parsons

Mike McDonald

Robert Buck

Rozalind MacPhail

Instrumental Artist of the Year

Duane Andrews And The Hot Club Of Conception Bay

Ian Foster

Wanderer Born

XIA-3

International Touring Artist of the Year

Presented by Capital Auto Group

Ana & Eric

Jake Nicoll

Kellie Loder

Mallory Johnson

Port-Aux-Poutines

Quote the Raven

Rum Ragged

Jazz Artist of the Year

Atlantic Jazz Collective feat. Norma Winstone and Joe La Barbera

De la Paz Latin Music

Natasha Blackwood

L’Artiste Francophone de L’Année

Ben’s Ekman Spiral

Port-Aux-Poutines

Loud Artist of the Year

Kaspam Cult

Paranoia

Smoke Signals

Wild Step

Media Person of the Year

Presented by Ray Agency

Dustin Parsons

Glenn Pardy – NL Live Events

Jake Thompson – NL Now

Music Educator of the Year

Presented by Long & McQuade

Amy Collyer-Holmes

Ben Chapman-Smith Music

Emily Martin – Shine Music

Meghan Herder

Port-Aux-Poutines

Rozalind MacPhail

Music Video of the Year

Presented by Chara Pictures

Jenina MacGillivray – “Highway Dreamer” 

Directed by Alexandra Trnka

Directors of Photography: Alexandra Trnka with additional footage by Nicolas Trnka

Justin Fancy – “Break my Heart again” 

Directed by Stephen Green (City Centre Media) 

Edited by Brad Tuck (City Center Media)

Mallory Johnson – “f*ck that” 

Directed by Cecil Johnson

Quote the Raven – “Already Gone” 

Directed, Produced, Edited by Cody Westman

Director of Photography: Troy Maher 

Sherry Ryan – “Old House at Black Brook” 

Co-directed by Andie Bulman and Rodrigo Iñiguez

Director of Photography Rodrigo Iñiguez

Edited by Christopher Darlington

The Order of the Precious Blood – “Terrified” 

Written by Paul Warford

Directed by Shane Mills

Director of Photography: Troy Maher

Production Designer: Justin Wiseman

Outstanding Company of the Year

Atlantic Music and Merch

Lawnya Vawnya

Opera on the Avalon

Pharos Music Inc.

Rogers TV – Out of the Fog

The Citadel House

Pop Artist of the Year

Becca Bartlett

Jenny Mallard

Nico Paulo

Rachel Cousins

Summer Bennett

With Violet

R&B Artist of the Year

ANIL

Judith

Thandi Marie

Zaynab Wilson

Recording Engineer/Producer of the Year

Clint Curtis

Daniel Adams

Dean Stairs

Lou McDonald 

Matt Dines

Michelle LaCour

Rising Star of the Year

Evan Watts Smith

Ever Sweet

R Sheaves

The Lost & Found

Youngtree and Carole Bee

Zealya 

Rock Artist of the Year

Andrew Rodgers

Madeline

Mike Jenkins

Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts

Zealya 

Side Musician of the Year

Hunter Madden

Jamie Moran

Natasha Blackwood

Solo Artist of the Year

Andrew Gosse

Andrew Rodgers

Justin Fancy

Natasha Blackwood

Nico Paulo

Rachel Cousins

Sound on Screen of the Year

Presented by Panoramic Pictures

Christian Howse

Duane Andrews And The Hot Club Of Conception Bay

Ian Foster

Mallory Johnson

Traditional Artist of the Year

Presented by VOCM

Ever Sweet

Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne

Kitchinparti

Matthew Byrne

Port-Aux-Poutines

Venue of the Year

Bud Light Main Stage

Peter Easton Pub

The Battery Café

The Majestic Theatre

Volunteer of the Year

Anchor Media NL

David Eguiguren

Out of the Fog Hosts

Ron Hynes Songwriter of the Year

Adrian House

Jake Nicoll

Mick Davis and Thin Love

Natasha Blackwood

R Sheaves

Rube & Rake

XIA-3

Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year

Presented by VOCM

Andrew Rodgers

Justin Fancy

Kellie Loder

Mallory Johnson

Mick Davis and Thin Love

Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts

Nico Paulo

Quote the Raven

Rachel Cousins

With Violet

Album of the Year

Atlantic Jazz Collective feat. Norma Winstone and Joe La Barbera – Seascape

Kelly McMichael – After The Sting Of It

Mallory Johnson – over the party

Mick Davis and Thin Love – Garbage Street

Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra feat. Deantha Edmunds – Alikeness

Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts – Under The Influence