Dozens of nominees were honoured last week as the finalists for this year’s Capital Music Awards were announced during a ceremony at the National Arts Centre.
The awards, organized by the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, will cap the annual Capital Music Week celebration in October.
The 2026 nominees, unveiled May 20 at the NAC’s Peter A. Herrndorf Place, recognize the achievements of local performers, producers, promoters, educators and others across 12 categories.
OMIC executive director Melanie Brulée said getting nominated for a Capital Music Award gives a big boost to local artists.
“It’s kind of like when you release an album,” she said. “There’s so much hype that you can do before that, use that, use it in your bio, use it on your socials, you know, make a series about it, or whatever the case is. This is what’s going to get eyes on you.”
Brulée also took the occasion to announce an initiative called “Portraits of a Music City,” part of Capital Music Week and the city’s 200th anniversary celebrations.
“We’re going to shine a light on photographers and local artists and local venues,” said Brulée. “I think the photographers and videographers are sometimes the unsung heroes, because they’re showing up to these shows, they’re paying for tickets sometimes to take photos, and they’re not really getting the honoring that they should. So we thought this is a good way for us to highlight those folks.”
The initiative, funded by the city, will showcase local photographers’ prints of local artists in eight local cafés. A music documentary film festival will also be part of Capital Music Week this year.
Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Matthew Luloff, himself a musician, was in attendance for the announcement, along with the city’s nightlife commissioner, Mathieu Grondin.
Grondin spoke about this year’s Canada After Dark nightlife forum scheduled for Oct. 7-8, which is timed to coincide with Capital Music Week. He also highlighted recent funding from Ottawa Tourism for the city’s nightlife sector.
Emma Gabriel, nominated for Album of the Year for Crushed and also for Video of the Year for her song Sunrise, described her reaction to being a double nominee as a mix of surrealism, empowerment and connection to her peers.
“I worked extremely hard,” she said, calling Crushed “my coming-of-age story … (I was) diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. There’s a lot of layers to it, so it was a very deep and personal album,” she said. “There (are) so many talented artists in Ottawa. I felt extremely honoured that out of everybody who submitted, I was recognized for my work.”
Capital Music Award nominees get more exposure for their music and production over the summer approaching October’s music week and awards show. Gabriel said she intends to re-release a deluxe version of Crushed in addition to performing at Club SAW for Pique on June 13 and at the Chreece Hip-Hop Festival in Indianapolis on Aug. 29.
“I think the biggest thing is going to be revisiting that album,” said Gabriel. “People are jumping onto my new stuff, and I think now’s the time to really remind them of what’s still there.”
The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, a non-profit member-driven organization established in 2016, is a consortium developed by the city to enhance Ottawa’s music sector. OMIC launched Capital Music Awards and Capital Music Week in 2020 to celebrate local excellence and innovation.
Jurists composed of artists and industry professionals select the nominees for 12 categories, five of which are partially determined by votes from the public. An additional prize, The Community Impact Award presented by Lyrics for Life, will be announced on awards night.
Capital Music Week runs from Oct. 2-10, with awards night scheduled for Oct. 9 at the NAC’s Southam Hall.
Capital Music Awards — Nominees
Solo Artist of the Year
- Elizabeth Royall
- Graham Lindsey
- Lucas Haneman
- Malia Rogers
- Nicole Arrage
- Sofia Duhaime
Group of the Year
- The Angelique Francis Band
- Jessica Pearson and the East Wind
- Le Diable à Cinq
- School House
- Satellite Birdhouse
- The New Hires
Newcomer of the Year
- Alliance SuPRM
- Amanda Keeley
- Augustine May
- Genna Giampaolo
- Saturn Sunrise
- Vaan Thibz
Single of the Year
- Maeesha B – “Undercover”
- Mia Kelly – “Sea to the Moon”
- Orchidae – “Sun and the Stars”
- School House – “Morning Light”
- New Hires – “Where the Sun Sets”
- Vaan Thibz – “I Lied (Version Française)”
Album of the Year
- The Angelique Francis Band – Not Defeated
- Emme Gabriel – Crushed
- Jessica Pearson and the East Wind – LIVE from Motel Chelsea
- Raphael Weinroth-Browne – Lifeblood
- Tara Shannon – Cover Story
- Kate Weekes – Rideau Roots
Video of the Year - Alliance SuPRM – “UFLF”
Production: Dreamland Films & LeFLOFRANCO - Emma Gabriel – “Sunrise”
Production: Emma Gabriel & Jackson Wells - J3M – “J3M”
Production: Rebeca Ortiz & Tyler Klementti - Le Diable à Cinq – “Le tour de la montagne”
Production: Saison Épisode - Malia Roger – “I could Barely Drive”
Production: Malia Rogers & Tim Mombourquette - Vaan Thibz – “I Lied (Version Francaise)”
Production: Matiou / Matthew Daoust
Music Educator of the Year - Chantal Hackett
Sing Song Studios - Danah-Lee Krieger
More Than A Song Studios - Garett Barr
Hilson Avenue Public School - Sherryl Fitzpatrick’s School of Music
- JazzWorks Canada
- MASC – Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities
Live Music Curator of the Year - Calum Jeacle/Congrego
- Catalyst Ottawa
- Somerset Jams
- The Rainbow Bistro
- Gina Varelas-Stapper/Chiron Promotions
- The NXT Level
Live Music Venue of the Year - Art House Café
- Avant-Garde Bar
- LIVE! On Elgin
- The Rainbow Bistro
- The Bronson
- Red Bird
Best Promotions and Arrangements
- Angelique Francis & Kiran Francis for Angelique Francis Band: “We’re Over”
- Antoine L Collins & Matt R. Devost for Antoine L Collins “It’s Complicated (feat. Kellylee Evans)”
- Marc-Antoine Joly & Céleste Lévis for Céleste Lévis “Dans tes yeux”
- Graham Lindsey for Graham Lindsey “Walking Tune”
- Liam Schwisberg & Paolo Pace for Lessons in Crime “Reply ASAP”
- Josh Harts for Vaan Thibz “I Lied (Version Française)”
Songwriter of the Year
- Augustine May – “And I Think We’ll Know Everything”
- Céleste Lévis – “Promis, jure”
- Emma Lamontagne – “Inevitable”
- Malia Rogers – “I Could Barely Drive”
- School House – “That Old me”
- Vicki Brittle – “The Way That It Goes”
Sound Engineer of the Year
- Charae Degrow
- Goldstripes
- Jim Bryson
- Naledi Sunstrum
- Steve Foley
- Mike Giamberardino
