The Indigenous Music Awards were handed out at Club Regent Event Centre on Friday, May 18, 2018. (BUIO ASSIS PHOTO)
Activist and community leader Michael Redhead Champagne speaks at Friday’s Indigenous Music Awards. (BUIO ASSIS PHOTO)
The best and brightest musical talent was honoured Friday at the Indigenous Music Awards.
Attendees packed the Club Regent Event Centre for the awards show, which honoured 20 musicians and bands.
Red dresses donned the stage during the awards ceremony in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ individuals to receive their IMA Award Drum.
Pat Vegas took home this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Redbone — inspiring Indigenous artists to breakthrough into mainstream genres. Redbone was inducted into the Native American Music Association Hall of Fame in 2008 and was recognized by the Smithsonian in New York City in 2013 as the first Native American rock band to have a #1 single in the United States and internationally.
The IMAs are part of the Manito Ahbee Festival, celebrating Indigenous arts, culture, and music in Winnipeg. The 13th annual festival runs May 16-20.
The winners:
BEST BLUES ALBUM
Robert “Freightrain” Parker – Freightrain Live
BEST HAND DRUM ALBUM
presented by MeDian Credit Union
Young Spirit – Mewasinsational – Cree Round Dance Songs
BEST FOLK ALBUM
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs
BEST INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Jan Michael Looking Wolf – Flute Medicine
BEST INUIT, INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE, OR FRANCOPHONE ALBUM
Shauit – Apu peikussiak
BEST NEW ARTIST
presented by SiriusXM
Ansley Simpson – Breakwall
BEST POW WOW – CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
presented by Sodexo
Black Bear Singers – Notcimik
BEST RADIO SINGLE
presented by Indigenous Music Countdown
Carsen Gray – “Wanna See You” feat. DJ Shub
BEST RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM
Supaman – Illuminatives
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
presented by APTN
Pat Vegas
BEST PRODUCER/ENGINEER
Supaman – Supaman
BEST RADIO STATION PROGRAM – PROMOTING INDIGENOUS MUSIC
presented by Fox Lake Cree Nation
Indigenous Music Countdown – Native Communications Inc.
BEST GOSPEL ALBUM
Callie Bennett – Awake Arise Shine
BEST ROCK ALBUM
presented by CBC Manitoba
Relic Kings – Armoury
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
presented by Casinos of Winnipeg
Desiree Dorion – Tough Street
BEST ELECTRONIC MUSIC ALBUM *NEW*
Once a Tree – Phoenix
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST
The Imbayakunas – New Ground
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
presented by Exclaim!
Buffy Sainte-Marie – “The War Racket”
BEST POP ALBUM
presented by Assiniboine Credit Union
Indian City – Here & Now
BEST POW WOW – TRADITIONAL ALBUM
presented by Dreamcatcher Promotions
Northern Cree – mîyo kekisepa, Make A Stand
