One thing about our Edmonton scene: the municipal sound is not easy to pigeonhole — further proven by the just-announced Edmonton Music Awards nominees.
On that topic of crossing genres, it’s definitely a good year to be powerhouse singer Celeigh Cardinal, up for seven EMAs, including Album, Female Artist, Single, Indigenous Recording, Singer/Songwriter and Roots/Folk Recording of the year — plus the online-voted People’s Choice Award.
On the other side of the sonic planet, meanwhile, crisp and raucous metalhead Striker is up for six prizes. including Album, Single, Group, Metal Recording and Music Video of the year, and with 78 other local acts. is also up for the People’s Choice popularity click-and-vote.
Besides Striker, Group of the Year nominees are Derina Harvey Band, nêhiyawak, The Dungarees and Whale and the Wolf.
The night of seven live performances and 27 awards will be held June 28 at Winspear. Red carpet will be at 6 p.m., the show kicking off at 7:30 p.m.
Joining Cardinal in the race for Female Artist of the Year are Lindsey Walker, Lyra Brown, Mallory Chipman and Olivia Rose. Josh Sahunta, Justin Hogg, Martin Kerr, Mike Dominey and Rellik are on deck for Male Artist of the Year.
For Album of the Year, it’s between Cardinal’s Everything and Nothing At All, Walker’s This Desolate Bliss, self-titled albums each by Striker and the Dungarees, and the Royal Foundry’s Lost in Your Head.
This year’s program sees three new categories covering instrumental, francophone and Latin music.
A Legacy Award will be announced soon, and you can vote for the People’s Choice award on the Edmonton Music Awards site.
The hilarious Bridget Ryan will host the gala once again, and tickets are available starting at 10 a.m. Monday through the Winspear Box Office.
Striker is up for five EMAs.
2018 Edmonton Music Awards nominees:
Album of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal — Everything and Nothing at All
Lindsey Walker — This Desolate Bliss
Striker — Striker
The Dungarees — The Dungarees
The Royal Foundry — Lost in Your Head
Single of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal — There Ain’t No Way
Scenic Route To Alaska — Slow Down
The Royal Foundry — Never Have Time
Striker — Former Glory
Whale and the Wolf — Touch
Group of the Year
Derina Harvey Band
nêhiyawak
Striker
The Dungarees
Whale and the Wolf
Female Artist of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal
Lindsey Walker
Lyra Brown
Mallory Chipman
Olivia Rose
Male Artist of the Year
Josh Sahunta
Justin Hogg
Martin Kerr
Mike Dominey
Rellik
Blues Recording of the Year
Boogie Patrol — Man on Fire
Danielle Dayton — Run
Dylan Farrell — Stranger
Lusitania Lights — Classics
Old Jack Tap — Ain’t Gettin’ Any Better
Pop Recording of the Year
Carter & The Capitals — Get Down
High Love — No Longer Yours
Laur Elle — Fade
Lyra Brown — A Little Vulture Told Me
The Royal Foundry — All We Have
Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year
Conch — Alive (feat. Lexi Paz & Stevie Raikou)
Dizzy — Ride With Me
K-Blitz — Watch You Go
Mitchell Lawler — Ease Up
Str8 Gutta — Chillin’ Wit A Bawse
Country Recording of the Year
Andrea Nixon — Song Without a Name
Brenda Dirk — Shades On
El Niven and the Alibi — Next To Me
Olivia Rose — Hometown Sundowns
The Dungarees — Anywhere With You
Metal Recording of the Year
All Else Fails — Beneath the Waves
Juliet Ruin — Ugly Side
Silence the Machine — Breathe
Striker — Former Glory
The Order of Chaos — Night Terror
Indigenous Recording of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal — There Ain’t No Way
Kristen McArthur — Haters Chorale
nêhiyawak — Disappear
World Music Recording of the Year
Bardic Form — Longhorn
Electric Audrey 2 — Accidental Beach
Farhad Khosravi — Sleeping in Sorrow
Lex Justice — Crazy World
Mustiboy — Atele feat. Delishears
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Ann Vriend — All That I Can
Boogie Patrol — Man on Fire
Carmen Lucia — Sweetest Things
Josh Sahunta — Summertime
Lia Cole — Hooked
Dance/Electronic Recording of the Year
Brother Octopus — On My Own (feat. Soft Violence)
Iamhill — On Camera
Laur Elle — Fade
RIELL — Eye to Eye
Shaker Thief — Chemical
Instrumental Recording of the Year
Audrey Ochoa — Afterthought
Bardic Form — Longhorn
Defend the Rhino — When Kids Play
Stephanie Urquhart — Os-Tomato
The Faceless Pianist — Before Time
Jazz Recording of the Year
Audrey Ochoa — Afterthought
Mallory Chipman — Tune for the Troubadour
Quarto & Sound — Movement 1
Rubim de Toledo — The Gap
Stephanie Urquhart — Os-Tomato
Latin Recording Of The Year
Cristian De La Luna — Sabes
Marc Beaudin — Hecho En La Habana
Yordanis Lamoru — Como nadie
Singer-Songwriter of the Year
Ayla Brook & the Sound Men — Break Up Songs
Celeigh Cardinal — There Ain’t No Way
Lyra Brown — A Little Vulture Told Me
Mark Times — Saskatchewine
Martin Kerr — Mr Liao
Rising Star (18 and Under)
Amanda Penner — Beautifully Ruined (Don’t Want to be Found)
Dylan Ella — Ghost Boy
Keltie — Someone Tell Her
Krissy Feniak — Mess With Me
Rareflower — Skunkbag
Roots/Folk Recording of the Year
Ayla Brook & the Sound Men — Break Up Songs
Celeigh Cardinal — There Ain’t No Way
Mark Times — Saskatchewine
Rebecca Lappa — Valiant of Vimy
VISSIA — Mountaineer
Adult Alternative Recording of the Year
Celeigh Cardinal — There Ain’t No Way
Dana Wylie — Hallelujah Leonard Cohen Hallelujah
El Niven and the Alibi — Next To Me
FKB — Bright Lights
Lyra Brown — A Little Vulture Told Me
Indie Rock Recording of the Year
Brunch Club — Sure, Fine
Lindsey Walker — Window
Lusitania Lights — Classics
My Sister Ocean — Looking For Connection
The New Haunts — Writing on the Wall
Rock Recording of the Year
Kane Incognito — Young & Able
On the Frontline — Walls
The Royal Foundry — Never Have Time
Wares — What You Want
Whale and the Wolf — Touch
Music Video of the Year
Iamhill — On Camera
Kelborne — Cavalier
Letters From Pluto — Cold Right Now (Redekopp Remix)
Lyra Brown — A Little Vulture Told Me
Striker — Former Glory
Artist to Watch
Jasmine Singh
King of Foxes
Lia Cole
Talltale
The Denim Daddies
People’s Choice
Full list online at yeglive.ca