2024 East Coast Music Awards nominations announced

During a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 23, the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) announced its nominees for the annual East Coast Music Awards. Prince Edward Island’s band The East Pointers received the most nominations, including a nomination for Album of the Year for Safe in Sound.

This is the second year in a row that The East Pointers lead the competition after receiving a total of six nominations last year and a total of 29 nominations since 2015. 

The East Coast Music Awards is a five-day musical event showcasing and celebrating East Coast music and its artists. Over 250 artists will be in Charlottetown for the festival set to take place from May first to fifth this year.

“There is such a vast collection of talent here,” said Sean Casey, member of Parliament for Charlottetown, P.E.I., “and we are so proud to have it back.”

The nominations for music and industry awards took place during a press conference held on Tuesday, Jan. 23, in Charlottetown, PEI. The event featured live performances by local artists such as C. Ruth and KINLEY.

KINLEY was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year and Pop Recording of the Year for “Daylight”.

Mainland Nova Scotia artists received the most nominations by region, with a total of 88, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador (52), Prince Edward Island (41), New Brunswick (24) and Cape Breton (18).

Among Halifax’s artists, singer-songwriter Jenn Grant and pop duo Neon Dreams were nominated in several categories. 

Grant received six nominations, including Album of the Year for Champagne Problems and Song of the Year for “Judy”.

Neon Dreams received four nominations including Album of the Year and Group Recording of the Year for “Love Child Baby Dolphin”.

Cape Breton’s Jimmy Rankin also received four nominations, including for Album of the Year for Harvest Highway.

This will be the 36th year that the ECMAs celebrate the creation of music in Atlantic Canada.

“This isn’t just about sharing music,” said Dennis King, premier of Prince Edward Island during Tuesday’s press conference. “It’s about sharing who we are. It’s about sharing what we’ve been, what we’ve come from and, more importantly, where we’re going as a society, as a province and as a country.”