2021 Trille Or Awards Gala announces nominees

Story by Eric Parazelli | Monday February 8th, 2021

The Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM) has announced the nominees for at the 2021 Trille Or Awards Gala, that will take place May 29 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. A total of 52 artists and Franco-Canadian music-industry professionals are nominated in 29 categories.

“Just because we can’t gather together, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t celebrate those who work in the field of French-Canadian song and music. In fact, this is the perfect time to recignize the perseverance and resilience of our artists!” said Stef Paquette, President of the APCM. For the third year in a row, the Trille Or gala will be broadcast live on Unis TV.

The public is invited to participate in the selection of the winner in the Chanson primée category. The APCM has set up an online vote, at  trilleor.ca. People can vote between February 5t and March 5 (At midnight ET) to choose your winning song of this 11th edition.

Moreover, during Trille Or Week, from May 26-29, 2021 – primarily intended for artists and music industry professionals – the gathering will offer a wide variety of programming, including conferences, artistic and professional development activities, networking events, music showcases, and the Trille Or industry evening. The vast majority of the programming will be carried out in virtual mode ,and will be unveiled soon.

Following are the nominees in a few of the most popular categories. For a complete list of nominees, visit the Gala des prix Trille Or website.

Author(s) and/or Composer(s)
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
Mehdi Cayenne
Paul Cournoyer
Ponteix

Solo Artist
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
Mehdi Cayenne
Ponteix
Rayannah

Band
Beauséjour
De Flore
Geneviève & Alain
Hey, Wow
Pat Groulx et les Bas Blancs

Album
Anique Granger – Le Ruban de la Cassette
Louis Venne — Comme une bête dans les headlights
Mehdi Cayenne — Radio Batata
Ponteix — Bastion
Rayannah — Nos Repaires

Breakthrough (Artist or Band)
De Flore
DJ Unpier
Les Soliloques
Mimi O’Bonsawin
Reney Ray

Chanson primée
Beauséjour — “Lucille Starr”
Damien Robitaille – “Il me semble”
Marie-Clo — “Red Flag”
Mehdi Cayenne — “Molly”
Rayannah – “En attendant demain”

Canadian Live Music Association launches #ForTheLoveOfLive campaign

Story by SOCAN | Tuesday February 9th, 2021

The Canadian live music industry has launched #ForTheLoveOfLive, a new awareness campaign to bring attention to the damage that COVID-19 shutdowns have caused Canada’s live music industry – the artists, festivals, venues, promoters, clubs, concert halls, arenas, talent agencies, unions, crew, and many others working in the supply chain that connect Canadians with extraordinary live music experiences.

The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is asking fans, industry, and all those who miss live music to share their memories and support their friends and neighbours who make up this industry.

“Live music is a major economic driver across the country, and we know that Canadians will want to return to live music venues, when it is safe to do so,” said Erin Benjamin, President and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association. “Real people in your community are at risk of losing their jobs forever. They need additional, ongoing, targeted support from governments, to ensure that when COVID measures are lifted, Canadians continue to have access to the artists and live music experiences they know and love.”

The live events industry was one of the first to shut down, prioritizing the safety of artists, crews, and fans by cancelling or postponing thousands of events across the country. And with ongoing uncertainty, live events will be among the last to return. Since shutting down in March 2020, the industry has experienced a crippling 92% annual revenue loss.

“The venue ladder is a crucial part of building a fan base and maintaining a sustainable living as an artist. It’s been heartbreaking to watch beloved venues close – venues where so many careers were started and so many memories were made. When we are able to return to live performances, and it’s safe to do so, support will be crucial to our artists and our stages,” said Miranda Mulholland, JUNO-nominated artist, and Vice-Chair Massey/Roy Thomson Halls.

 Fans are encouraged to join the live music industry and support this campaign by sharing their favourite  live  music  memories,  concert  videos,  and  photos  on  social  media,  using the

#ForTheLoveOfLive hashtag. For more about the impact of the necessary COVID measures on the Canadian live music industry, fans are encouraged to visit www.canadianlivemusic.ca/fortheloveoflive.

The Situation in Numbers

Before March 2020, the Canadian live music industry created 72,000 jobs and contributed approximately $3 billion to the national GDP.  Since March of 2020, the industry has reported:

  • 92% average revenue
  • 64% of the industry is at risk of permanent
  • One in four arts, entertainment, and recreation workers lost their job in 2020. That’s 114,400 artists, technicians, marketing staff, arts administrators, and other cultural workers who could no longer earn a living out of their profession.
  • $99M in GPP lost due to the shutdown of music venues in Toronto alone (as of October 2020).
  • 85% of professional musicians agree that if they can’t perform live, they will have a difficult time making a living.
  • More live music venues are predicting to close, losing jobs and the future of Canadian music.
  • Over three times as many individuals and organizations report very high or high levels of stress and anxiety today (76% and 79%, respectively) as compared to before COVID-19 (26% and 25%).
  • The live music industry has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic – extending to musicians, live music venues, staff, crews, music festivals, and Canadians believe that these sectors/professions need support from governments to help recover from the pandemic.
Photo by Heather Pollock

Video: The Breakdown – “How do I know when a song is finished being mixed?”

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday February 4th, 2021

Words & Music is pleased to extend its helpful “how-to” series for our members, “The Breakdown,” into the realm of short, question-and-answer videos.

In this episode, former SOCAN A&R Representative Racquel Villagante talks with Toronto-based mixing and mastering engineer Jason Dufour, who worked as an assistant at the legendary Phase One, and was later hired as staff engineer at Revolution Recording. Jay has since gone independent and is quickly joining the ranks of the industry’s elite. Dufour has mixed consecutive No. 1 singles for July Talk, and won Recording Engineer of the Year at the 2017 JUNO Awards for his work on their Alternative Album of the Year-winning release Touch. Known for his relentless work ethic, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail, Jay has dedicated his life to the art of mixing records.

Our question this time is, “How do I know when a song is finished being mixed?”