THE WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC ALLIANCE
ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2023
WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC ARTISTIC AWARDS
INDUSTRY AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED
ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14
KELOWNA, BC – October 11, 2023 – Celebrating the best artistic talent in western Canada, the Western Canadian Music Alliance is thrilled to reveal the winners of the 2023 Western Canadian Music Artistic Awards. The winners were announced this evening during the BreakOut West Opening Reception, held at Metro Hub in the heart of the Cultural District in Downtown Kelowna, where BOW 2023 officially kicked off. See below for the full list of Artistic Award recipients, and watch the reveal video here.
The winners of the 2023 WCMA Industry Awards will be revealed at the Industry Awards Brunch on Saturday, October 14 at the BOW host hotel – Delta Grand Okanagan – at 10:00 a.m. PT. Honourees include Willie Thrasher who will receive the 2023 Heritage Award, Kevin Walters Industry Builder Award recipient, Mint Records, and Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Rascalz.
A full list of 2023 WCMA nominees, in both the artistic and industry categories, can be found here.
BreakOut West’s 21st annual event is now officially underway, with conference sessions running from October 11-15, and the three-night music festival taking place from October 12-14. Full conference and festival schedules can be found at breakoutwest.ca or by downloading the BreakOut West mobile app.
Congratulations to all the 2023 Western Canadian Music Artistic Award winners!
2023 WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS ARTISTIC WINNERS
BreakOut Artist of the Year (Sponsored by FACTOR) – Katie Tupper (SK)
Children’s Artist of the Year – Beppie (AB)
Classical Artist / Ensemble of the Year (Sponsored by Canadian Music Centre [CMC]) – musica intima (BC)
Classical Composer of the Year – Vincent Ho – Sandman’s Castle, R1ddler (AB)
Country Artist of the Year – JoJo Mason (BC)
Electronic & Dance Artist of the Year – Modern Biology (BC)
Francophone Artist of the Year (sponsored by APCM (Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique) – Sala (MB)
Global Artist of the Year – Ruby Singh (BC)
Indigenous Artist of the Year – Blue Moon Marquee (BC)
Instrumental Artist of the Year – Jasmine Jazz (BC)
Jazz Artist of the Year – Melody Diachun (BC)
Metal & Hard Music Artist of the Year – KEN mode (MB)
Pop Artist of the Year – Begonia (MB)
R&B Artist of the Year – Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds (MB)
Rap & Hip Hop Artist of the Year – Snotty Nose Rez Kids (BC)
Recording of the Year – Snotty Nose Rez Kids (BC)
Rock Artist of the Year – The Royal Foundry (AB)
Roots Artist of the Year – William Prince (MB)
Songwriter(s) of the Year (Sponsored by The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada [SOCAN]) – Young D, Yung Trybez – Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Hot Planet (BC)
Spiritual Artist of the Year – Stirling John (AB)
Video Director of the Year (Sponsored by Manitoba Film & Music) – Mayumi Yoshida – Different Than Before (BC)
About the Western Canadian Music Alliance / BreakOut West:
The Western Canadian Music Alliance is a pan western organization created by the Alliance Member Music Industry Associations (MIA’s) of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, The Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory, and in partnership with Nunavut, to promote and celebrate western Canadian music. WCMA, with the financial support of each provincial and territorial government partner, FACTOR, the Government of Canada and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters, WCMA annually hosts their core artist and industry development event, BreakOut West. The event is held in a different western Canadian city on a rotational basis and is the prime music industry event in western Canada. BreakOut West 2023 will be held October 11 – 15 in Kelowna, BC, and includes a five-day music conference, three-night multi-genre music festival and special events. The 2023 Western Canadian Music Artistic Awards and Industry Awards will be announced in October 2023.
WCMA’s head office is in Winnipeg. We recognize the ancestral lands, from Treaty One Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.
