2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards Nominees Named

Abigail Lapell, a Toronto-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, tops the list of nominees for the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards with four nominations: Contemporary Album of the Year and Solo Artist of the Year for her newest release, Anniversary, and Traditional Singer of the Year and Children’s Album of the year for her previous recording, Lullabies. Lapell previously received Canadian Folk Music Awards for English Songwriter of the Year in 2023 and 2020 and Contemporary Album of the Year in 2017.

Good Lovelies, Lucy MacNeil and The Andrew Collins Trio snagged three nominations each, while Derina Harvey, Rum Ragged, Ndidi O, Celidh Cardinal, Burnstick, Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen, Mélisande, and Miles Surawell each received two nominations. They are among 107 nominees from throughout Canada vying for awards in 20 categories to be presented during the CFMA 2025 Awards Weekend, April 3-6, in Ottawa, Ontario – the nation’s capital and where the awards were launched 20 years ago.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms. A record number of awards submissions were submitted this year, according to CFMA President Graham Lindsey. “It’s an exciting milestone that reflects not only the growth of the CFMA over the past 20 years but also the remarkable strength and resilience of the folk music community,” he said. “2025 marks our 20th anniversary – and that means 20 years of albums, nominees, connections built between artists and everyone who listens to them, supports them, and will make their careers possible,” Lindsey told AcousticMusicScene.com. “Doing the math, if we average about 80 distinct nominees each year – because every year we have some artists who are nominated in multiple categories – that’s about 1600 albums by Canadian folk musicians that we have let the world know are worthy of hearing.”

Lindsey also cited what he called the important work that CFMA is doing in forging connections between artists. “I spoke with one person who didn’t feel part of a community in the music world, and after the CFMA event earlier this year, they had found their folk family and were energized to keep making great music,” he said.

The 107 nominees for 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards represent a cross-section of urban and rural Canada – with all regions of the country represented, from the Atlantic provinces to the West and the far North, as well as significant representation from Quebec and Ontario. In addition, the strong bilingual and multicultural identity among the nominees reflects the diversity and vibrancy of folk music today, Lindsay noted. From a musical perspective, the artists nominated reflect a wide range of cultural influences ranging from Indigenous, Acadian, Quebecois, and African traditions to modern blues, punk, jazz, and more. The nominees in each category were chosen via two-stage jury process. More than 100 jurors, located across Canada and representing all of its official provinces, territories and languages determine the recipients in each category.

A complete list of the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows, while more information may be found online at folkawards.ca.

Children’s Album of the Year

• Abigail Lapell – Lullabies
• Bon Débarras – J’m’en viens chez vous!
• Henri Godon – Chants de vacances
• Seeka Sings – I Belong
• Will and Seeka – Will and Seeka: Friends with Everyone

Contemporary Album of the Year

• Abigail Lapell – Anniversary
• Boy Golden – For Jimmy
• Juurini – Aqqutinni
• Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine
• Lynne Hanson – Just A Poet
• Sandra Bouza – A Sound in the Dark

Contemporary Singer of the Year

• Camille Intson (Camie) – POEMS IN THE ASHES
• Derina Harvey (Derina Harvey Band) – Waves of Home
• Jeffery Straker (Jeffery Straker) – Great Big Sky
• Ndidi O (Ndidi O) – Simple Songs for Complicated Times
• Esther Wheaton (Onion Honey) – Foul Weather Friends

English Songwriter(s) of the Year

• Celeigh Cardinal, Brennan Cameron (Celeigh Cardinal) – Boundless Possibilities
• Kellie Loder (Kellie Loder) – Transitions
• Ndidi O (Ndidi O) – Simple Songs for Complicated Times
• Ruth Moody (Ruth Moody) – Wanderer
• Shayna Hayes (Shaina Hayes) – Kindergarten Heart
• Adrian Glynn, Brendan McLeod (The Fugitives) – No Help Coming

Ensemble of the Year

• Good Lovelies – We Will Never Be The Same
• Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen – Home
• Rum Ragged – Gone Jiggin’
• Sultans of String – Walking Through the Fire
• The Fugitives – No Help Coming

French Songwriter(s) of the Year

• Alexandre Poulin (Alexandre Poulin) – La somme des êtres aimés
• Michel Robichaud (Michel Robichaud) – Rallumer l’effort
• Reney Ray (Reney Ray) – L’album Temporaire
• Sara Dufour, Dany Placard (Sara Dufour) – On va-tu prendre une marche?
• Lennie Gallant, Patricia Richard (Sirène et Matelot) – Un monde de dissonances

Global Roots Album of the Year

• Dumai Dunai – Sometime Between Now and Never
• Jason Wilson and Ashara – Ashara
• Lemon Bucket Orkestra – Cuckoo
• Merrie Klazek – Dance Around the Sun
• Okavango African Orchestra – Migration

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year

• Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers (Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers) – Marks on the Ground
• Jason Burnstick, Nadia Burnstick (Burnstick) – Made of Sin
• Celeigh Cardinal (Celeigh Cardinal) – Boundless Possibilities
• Gabrielle Fontaine (Indian City) – Tomorrow
• Mimi O’Bonsawin (Live in Concert) – Live in Concert

Instrumental Composer(s) of the Year

• Alanna Jenish (Alanna Jenish ) – Daleview
• Karson McKeown, Tom Gammons, Tuli Porcher (Inn Echo) – Hemispheres
• Andrew Collins (The Andrew Collins Trio) – The Rule of Three
• Andre Valerio (Tio Chorinho) – Tempestuoso
• Pastelle LeBlanc (Vishtèn) – Vishtèn Connexions Expansion

Instrumental Group of the Year

• Masmoudi Quartette – Villes Éternelles
• Pipeslinger – The King’s Clothing
• Solidaridad Tango – DISTANCIA
• The Andrew Collins Trio – The Rule of Three
• Tio Chorinho – Tempestuoso

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

• Jason Fowler (Jason Fowler) – FORELSKET
• Jeremie Groleau (Jeremie Groleau) – Uphill
• Merrie Klazek (Merrie Klazek) – Dance Around the Sun
• Miles Zurawell (Miles Zurawell) – Far Afield
• Shaun Ferguson (Shaun Ferguson) – La Lumière De L’Ombre – L’Ombre De La Lumière

Single of the Year

• “What Would Love Do?” (Alternate Version) – Andrew Allen
• “Train Coming” (featuring Eric Gales) – Angelique Francis
• “Wildflower” – Asiah Holm
• “Same Old Me” – Geneviève Racette
• “Tell Me How” – Loryn Taggart
• “Meaning Well” – Mia Kelly

Solo Artist of the Year

• Abigail Lapell (Abigail Lapell) – Anniversary
• Connie Kaldor (Connie Kaldor) – Keep Going
• Loryn Taggart (Loryn Taggart) – The Lost Art of Pulling Through
• Mélisande (Mélisande) – Rembobine
• Orit Shimoni (Orit Shimoni) – Winnipeg
• Sue Foley (Sue Foley) – One Guitar Woman

Traditional Album of the Year

• Bradley Murphy – BEUL
• Brandon Isaak – One Step Closer
• David Francey – The Breath Between
• La Bottine Souriante – Domino !
• Lucy MacNeil – Angels Whisper
• Rum Ragged – Gone Jiggin’

Traditional Singer of the Year

• Abigail Lapell (Abigail Lapell) – Lullabies
• Fathieh Honari (Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow) – With Fatheih Honari
• Ken Whiteley (Ken Whiteley) – So Glad I’m Here
• Lucy MacNeil (Lucy MacNeil) – Angels Whisper
• Mélisande (Mélisande) – Rembobine

Vocal Group of the Year

• Good Lovelies – We Will Never Be The Same
• La Nef – RED SKY AT NIGHT
• Mikha.elles – Camino de mujeres
• Prairie Comeau – L’emprunt(e)
• summersets – small town story

Producer(s) of the Year

• Jason Burnstick, Nadia Burnstick (Burnstick) – Made of Sin
• Gal George Gjurin (Gal George Gjurin) – How about a kiss?
• Joshua Van Tassel and Christine Bougie (Good Lovelies) – We Will Never Be The Same
• David Boulanger (La Bottine Souriante) – Domino !
• (Marie Onile) – Les mots, l’élan et la chance

Young Performer(s) of the Year

• Amelia Parker – Forwards
• Irish Millie – GRACE
• Mary Frances Leahy – First Light
• Paige Penney – INFINITY
• The Salt Beef Junkies – Somewhere In Between

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries

• Irish Millie – GRACE
• James Hill – Uke Heads
• Jonathan Bélanger – Sur le Boulevard
• Kiran Ahluwalia – Comfort Food
• Nastasia Y – Kyiv Soul
• The Andrew Collins Trio – The Rule of Three

New/Emerging Artist(s) of the Year

• Derina Harvey Band – Waves of Home
• Lucy MacNeil – Angels Whisper
• Maggie’s Wake – Maggie’s Wake
• Miles Zurawell – Far Afield
• Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen – Home
• Solidaridad Tango – DISTANCIA