Though Drake was not in attendance, his affect was unmistakable on the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) Awards held in Toronto. The Toronto rapper swept all 4 rap classes, successful for his tracks “Jimmy Cooks,” “Wealthy Flex,” “Spin Bout U” that includes 21 Savage, and “Wait For U” with Future and Tems. He was additionally honored as Songwriter of the 12 months within the performer class.
The occasion, held on the Historical past venue, celebrated the contributions of quite a few songwriters, composers, and music publishers, drawing a crowd of trade professionals.
One of many evening’s most poignant moments got here from Arkells lead singer Max Kerman, who accepted the SOCAN Award for Nationwide Achievement alongside his bandmates. Kerman devoted the award to Allyson Van Niekerk, a faithful fan who not too long ago handed away from breast most cancers at age 42. He recalled assembly her at a live performance the place she joyfully danced onstage with the band.
Kerman shared that the band carried out their music “All Roads” at Van Niekerk’s celebration of life, emphasizing the deeper significance of music past streaming metrics. “What means essentially the most to us on this indulgent, fortunate job we now have is the privilege of writing a music that may maintain house in somebody’s life — like Allyson,” he stated.
Different songwriters additionally mirrored on the profound affect of their work. Elizabeth Lowell Boland, a Calgary-raised singer-songwriter often known as Lowell, expressed her pleasure about contributing to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album. “Being part of historical past — within the small method that I used to be — was essentially the most wonderful a part of my life up to now,” she acknowledged. Boland took house two trophies, together with one for nation music, and shared the award along with her co-writer Nathan Ferraro. She additionally gained for rock music for her collaboration on “Blame Brett” by The Seashores.
Tobias Jesso Jr. was one other standout of the night, successful awards for Worldwide Achievement and Dance Music for his work on Dua Lipa’s “Houdini,” in addition to an R&B award for Daniel Caesar’s “All the time.” Tom Cochrane honored Somali Canadian rapper Okay’naan with the Cultural Impression Award for his iconic 2009 hit “Wavin’ Flag.” Pop singer Lu Kala, who gained for Viral Tune, carried out her monitor “Fairly Woman Period” as a part of the night’s opening medley.
Previous to the present, Lu Kala emphasised the often-overlooked function of songwriters, stating, “A variety of instances once we rejoice music, songwriters are the individuals who nobody thinks about; they get the shortest finish of the stick. Tonight, I actually simply need the songwriters within the room to really feel seen.”
The SOCAN Awards served as a reminder of the very important contributions of Canadian artists to the music trade, showcasing each established names and rising abilities.
