Folk Canada Announces 2025 Ontario Folk Music Award Nominees

  • Folk Canada is pleased to announce the nominees for the 2025 Ontario Folk Music Awards, in recognition of the outstanding work and contributions of Folk artists and musicians from across the province of Ontario.
  • Presented in partnership with the National Arts Centre, the 31st annual Ontario Folk Music Awards will take place on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at the National Arts Centre and will formally launch the Folk Music Ontario Conference. The event will feature performances by a select number of nominated artists and special guests, and for the first time in 2025 will include two brand new categories, Music Video of the Year and the Culture in Climate Award, which recognizes an individual, organization, or company in Canada’s Folk music sector that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to climate action and environmental responsibility. Still to be announced are the Estelle Klein Award recipients, the first ever Culture in Climate recipient, the laureate for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and the Taylor Mitchell Bursary recipient. 
  • Tickets to the award ceremony are available by RSVP to those who have already registered for this year’s Folk Music Ontario Conference. Please click here for more information and to reserve your ticket.
  • The 2025 nominated artists come from all across Ontario, including Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto Mississauga, Guelph, Windsor, Peterborough and more.
  • Established in 1987 and now in its 38th year, the 2025 Folk Music Ontario Conference will take place October 15-19 in Ottawa, Ontario at the Delta Hotels Ottawa City Centre and welcomes attendees from across the country to the event.
  • To learn more, Folk Canada invites interested parties to visit the website and sign up for their newsletter. You can also register for the 2025 Folk Music Ontario Conference here.
  • The 2025 Ontario Folk Music Award Nominees are:
  • Song of the Year
  • “Weighing Down” by Julian Taylor (Julian Dean Taylor, Tyler James Ellis)
  • “There is a Power” by Larry Folk (Lawrence J Folk)
  • “Just A Little Bit” by Lynne Hanson (Lynne Hanson, Blair Michael Hogan)
  • “Only the Strong Survive” by Sam Drysdale (Sam Drysdale, Ally Sou, Tal Vaisman)
  • “Best Remembered” by Savannah Shea (Savannah Shea)
  • “Train Coming” by The Angelique Francis Band (Angelique Francis, Kiran Francis)
  • Album of the Year
  • “Anniversary” by Abigail Lapell
  • “Precious Diamonds” by Adrian Sutherland
  • “Kanzafula” by Ahmed Moneka
  • “Ghoyoum” by Kazdoura
  • “Slice of Life” by Larnell Lewis
  • “Azadi” by Tamar Ilana
  • Recording Artist of the Year
  • Abigail Lapell
  • Jessica Pearson and the East Wind
  • Julian Taylor
  • Steven Taetz
  • The Angelique Francis Band
  • Tragedy Ann
  • Performing Artist of the Year
  • Bruno Capinan
  • Gal George Gjurin
  • Irish Millie
  • Jessica Pearson and the East Wind
  • Sultans of String
  • Tennyson King
  • Music Video of the Year
  • “Precious” by Adrian Sutherland
  • “Khayal” by Kazdoura
  • “Only the Strong Survive” by Sam Drysdale
  • “Every Morning” by Tragedy Ann
  • “Waltz of the Birds and the Bees” by Willowbrook