The Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA) honours outstanding artistic and industry achievements in Western Canada. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of WCMA, Canada’s premier music industry gathering. 2025 Winners will be announced September 30 – October 4 in Victoria, British Columbia, during the BreakOut West Festival.
Congratulations to the nominees from B.C.’s music and sound recording industry! Read on to discover the full list of nominees from the province and cheer on the 10 B.C. musicians performing at the festival. Discover all nominees on the 2026 BreakOut West Spotify playlist.
2026 Artistic Nominees:
Blues Artist of the Year
- Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree
- Honeybear, The Band
- The Harpoonist
BreakOut Artist of the Year (Sponsored by FACTOR)
Children’s Artist of the Year
Classical Artist or Ensemble of the Year
Classical Composer of the Year
Country Artist of the Year
Electronic & Dance Artist of the Year
Francophone Artist of the Year (Sponsored by Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique)
Global Artist of the Year
Indigenous Artist of the Year
- Blue Moon Marquee & Northern Cree
- Garret T. Willie
Instrumental Artist of the Year
Jazz Artist of the Year
Metal & Hard Music Artist of the Year
Producer of the Year
- Andy Schichter – Park Sound Studio
- David Ziehr
R&B Artist of the Year
Rap & Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Rock Artist of the Year
Roots Artist of the Year
Spiritual Artist of the Year
Video Director of the Year (Sponsored by Manitoba Film & Music)
- Blair Coyle – Get My Baby Back “Paris Pick: Third Time’s a Charm”
2026 Industry Nominees:
Audio Engineering Award
- Anthony Dolhai
- Spencer Bleasdale – 604 Studios
- Stephanie Pockets Rangno – Vibe Cave Studios
Excellence in Visual Design
- Bronwin Parks – Feisty Creative
- Mark Mushet – Mark Mushet Photography
Impact in Artist Development
Impact in Live Music (Sponsored by Canadian Live Music Association)
Impact in Music Marketing
B.C. Musicians at BreakOut West Festival
Hosted by the Western Canadian Music Alliance, BreakOut West features a four-day music conference and a three-night festival, offering artists and industry professionals the chance to grow their careers through panels, keynotes, mentorship, networking, and live performances. 10 talented musicians and bands from B.C. will take the stage at BreakOut West’s music showcase festival.
Fleetwood Huey
Hailing from Surrey, Fleetwood Huey is an alternative hip-hop artist whose music is fueled by self-reflection and a healthy dose of wishful thinking. Influenced by everything from Ethiopian jazz and alternative rock to hip-hop, he has developed a refreshingly unique sound inspired by artists like Cage the Elephant, Joey Badass, and Isaiah Rashad. More than just music, Fleetwood’s songs act as a cathartic outlet, giving voice to feelings he once struggled to articulate.
Hope Slide
Hope Slide is an art-rock band from Vancouver that evolved from a recording project between songwriters Calvin Jay and Zane Klassen into a five-member, multi-instrumentalist collaboration featuring strings and horns. Fronted by Jay and Elena Massing, the band has toured across Canada alongside acclaimed indie rock artists including Panchiko, Friko, and Packaging. Their debut EP, Love Your Crooked Neighbour With Your Crooked Heart, explores loss and forgiveness through multiple vocalists and richly layered instrumentation. With a follow-up EP and national tour dates slated for 2027, Hope Slide are emerging as one of Western Canada’s most dynamic new voices.
Alexandria Maillot
Vancouver artist, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Alexandria Maillot creates music that is both nostalgic and refreshing, blending classic vibes with a contemporary twist. In a post-genre era, Maillot has steadily gained momentum through a growing catalogue of acclaimed releases, including a three-single debut for CBC q’s Thursday Headliner series with Tom Power. Her music has been featured on SiriusXM’s The Verge and placed in television series including My Life With the Walter Boys, Wynonna Earp, and Animal Control. Maillot has also toured extensively throughout North America and Europe, with performances at Reeperbahn Festival, Rifflandia, Halifax Pop Explosion, and Dawson City Music Festival.
Cold Fame
Alternative pop-rock duo Cold Fame is led by vocalist Jodi Pederson and guitarist Damian Anthony. Blending the energy of alternative rock with electronic and pop influences, the band has crafted a unique and emotionally charged sound inspired by classic horror tropes and suppressed feminine rage. Their high-energy live performances have landed them festival appearances alongside artists including Gwen Stefani, Fleet Foxes, Cold War Kids, Peach Pit, and Royal Blood. With anticipation building for their 2026 album Love, Lust & Violence, Cold Fame continue to establish themselves as one of Canada’s most exciting pop-rock acts.
Antonio Larosa
Antonio Larosa is a country-roots artist whose music blends the grit of blues, the soul of vintage rock, and the storytelling of classic country. Larosa creates songs that are heartfelt, lived-in, and unapologetically honest. Raised in Vancouver, he was drawn to the music of Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers, BB King, and Roy Orbison from a young age. After years of cutting his teeth on stages across Western Canada, he’s developed a reputation for his electric live shows, where blistering guitar work and vulnerable lyricism meet. In 2023, 2025, and 2026, Larosa was awarded Roots Artist of the Year by the BC Country Music Association, affirming the impact of his music and the path he’s been carving independently.
ZADA
Born in Ethiopia and based in Whistler, ZADA is a genre-defying artist blending alternative R&B with electronic textures, jazz, folk, and global rhythms into a sound that is both cinematic and grounded. Since releasing her debut album Water In The Desert in 2024, she has performed at SXSW, Mondo NYC, HoneyJam, and JUNOFest while earning acclaim from Billboard, BBC Radio 1, and CBC’s The Block. With recent singles “Access Denied” and “Breath Away,” ZADA continues to push sonic boundaries through raw lyricism and experimental production.
The Bankes Brothers
Five-piece rock band The Bankes Brothers are known for their electrifying live shows, tight musicianship, and timeless songwriting. Fronted by brothers Nelson and Morgan, the band blends classic rock influences with modern indie sensibilities, creating songs that feel authentic, bold, and emotionally resonant. Whether playing intimate clubs or major festival stages, they deliver a confident, road-tested presence shaped by years of touring and performing together. With a growing catalogue of releases and an ever-strengthening live reputation, The Bankes Brothers continue to establish themselves as one of Canada’s most promising rock acts.
Élodie Orsei
Élodie Orsei is a French-Canadian pop-soul artist from Western Canada whose sound blends the influences of Charlotte Cardin and Kali Uchis. Weaving together French and English, her songs explore love, self-discovery, and her Francophone culture. Following a Contact Ouest showcase, Élodie is bringing her magnetic live show across British Columbia ahead of a new EP set for release in fall 2026. Most recently a semi-finalist at the Granby International Song Festival, she has also been nominated for a Trille Or award and appeared on the Québec television program Belle et Bum.
daysormay
In the fall of 2010, Aidan Andrews, Carson Bassett, and Nolan Bassett were three six graders growing up in Vernon, B.C., who decided to fully dedicate themselves to music and began playing in cover bands. Sixteen years later, they form the members of daysormay, and already have an EP and two albums under their belt. With no intention of slowing down, the group has connected with 3-time Grammy and Juno award winning producer Chin Injeti and T-Minus for their second album, MODERATION, released in 2024. daysormay are known for their high energy live performances and have graced the stages at Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, The Great Escape in England, and Bumbershoot in Seattle, among others.
TK The Artist
TK is a dynamic, WCMA-nominated Afrosoul/Jazz fusion artist whose sound weaves together Neosoul, R&B, Jazz, and Afrobeats into a smooth, groove-rich experience. Originally from Nigeria, TK is known for the rare ability to sing and play drums simultaneously, creating a powerful live performance. His genre-bending style and infectious energy have earned him festival appearances and opener slots for artists including Cautious Clay, Earl Sweatshirt, and Bob Marley’s Wailers. Recently nominated for Afrobeats Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, TK continues to gain recognition within Canada’s vibrant music scene.
Art d’Ecco
Art d’Ecco combines decades worth of stylish, genre-bending music into his own subversively catchy sound and vision. A unique blend of glam rock, post-punk, and synth pop evoke the likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Robert Smith without tracing their lines too closely. In recent years d’Ecco has added more ambition to his releases, giving his reflections on nostalgia a cinematic sweep.
Discover all artists performing at the BreakOut West Festival on their official lineup playlist. Learn more about BreakOut West and the Western Canadian Music Awards on their website.
