Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce Nominees

On October 28th, the Canadian Folk Music Awards announced the nominees for the 21st edition taking place on April 9-12, 2026 in Calgary.

Leading the nominations are Toronto singer-songwriter AHI and Nova Scotia duo Cassie and Maggie with five nominations each. Other artists who were recognized with multiple nominations this year include Max Francis with four nominations, Boreal, Claire Morrison, Jessica Pearson & The East Wind, and The Fretless (featuring Madeleine Roger) with three nominations each, and Amir Amiri Ensemble, Aysanabee, Irish Millie, Kazdoura, Lennie Gallant, Matthew Byrne, Mia Kelly, Oktoecho, PIQSIQ, Terra Spencer, The Barrel Boys, and Wyatt C. Louis who were each honoured with two nominations. 

The 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees are:

Young Performer(s) of the Year / Jeune artiste(s) de l’année

• Ella Gunning Parker – Look Alive

• Irish Millie – Between Then and Now

• Luka Hall – To Be Honest

• Max Francis – Home

• Salt Beef Junkies – Unnamed Demo

New Artist(s) of the Year / Découverte(s) de l’année

• Claire Morrison – Where Do You Go at Night?

• Jessica Pearson and the East Wind – LIVE from Motel Chelsea

• Kazdoura – Ghoyoum (Clouds)

• Robert Thomas and the sessionmen – The Way We Roll

• Wyatt C. Louis – Chandler

Contemporary Album of the Year / Album contemporain de l’année

• AHI – The Light Behind The Sun

• Boreal – Winterbirds

• Claire Morrison – Where Do You Go at Night?

• Sacred Wolf Singers X Simon Walls – L’nu’k Mawiejik

• The Fretless (featuring Madeleine Roger) – Glasswing

Contemporary Singer of the Year / Chanteur contemporain de l’année

• AHI – The Light Behind The Sun

• Julian Taylor – Pathways

• Kyle McKearney – To The River

• Mia Kelly – To Be Clear

• Stephen Fearing – The Empathist

Global Roots Album of the Year / Album traditions du monde de l’année

• Ahmed Moneka – Kanzafula

• Amir Amiri Ensemble – Ajdad – Ancestors, Echoes of Persia

• Joaquin Nunez & Habana Safari – Ruta de la Clave

• Kazdoura – Ghoyoum (Clouds)

• Selcuk Suna – The Space Between

Stan Rogers Traditional Singer of the Year / Prix Stan Rogers Chanter traditionnel de l’année

• Sam Allison (Lotus Wight) – Original Works for Voice and Banjo

• Maggie MacDonald (Cassie and Maggie) – Gold and Coal

• Mathieu Baillargeon (La Déferlance) – Âmes des bois

• Matthew Byrne – Stealing Time

• Michael Darcy (Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps) – Homemade

Traditional Album of the Year / Album traditionnel de l’année

• Cassie and Maggie – Gold and Coal

• Matthew Byrne – Stealing Time

• Max Francis – Home

• Richard Wood – Richard Wood Live! An Evening of Celtic Music

• The Barrel Boys – Chicken In The Window

French Songwriter(s) of the Year / Auteur-compositeur(s) francophone de l’année

• Fred Dionne – Eldorado

• Guillaume Arsenault – Les plantes continuent de pousser même quand tu dors – Face B

• Maude Carrier – Les journées grises

• Sandie Valiquette – Forêt Marine

• Yves Marchand – Tellement naturel

English Songwriter(s) of the Year / Auteur compositeur(s) anglophone de l’année

• AHI – The Light Behind The Sun

• Mia Kelly – To Be Clear

• Shane Pendergast – Winter Grace

• Suzie Ungerleider – Among the Evergreens

• Terra Spencer – Sunset

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year / Auteur compositeur(s) autochtone de l’année

• Amanda Rheaume – The Truth We Hold

• Asiah Holm – The Mask That You Made

• Aysanabee – Edge Of The Earth

• Inuksuk Mackay, Tiffany Ayailk (PIQSIQ) – Legends

• Wyatt C. Louis – Chandler

Instrumental Composer of the Year / Compositeur(s) ou compositrice(s) de l’année

• Anne Lindsay – SOLOWORKS 2

• Dane George – Spring Buds

• Eric Abramovitz, Rebekah Wolkstein, Drew Jurecka (Schmaltz & Pepper) – Schmaltz & Pepper

• Max Francis – Home

• Trent Freeman, Karrnnel Sawitsky, Eric Wright, Ben Plotnick (The Fretless (featuring Madeleine Roger) – Glasswing

Children’s Album of the Year / Album jeunesse de l’année

• Ginalina – All the Earth Speaks

• Heather Feather – Together

• James Culleton – Superfolk

• Marky Weinstock & Friends (a.k.a. Dr. Marky) – “Here for you!”

• Oh Clementine – One Thousand Mornings

Instrumental Group of the Year / Groupe instrumental de l’année

• Amir Amiri Ensemble – Ajdad – Ancestors, Echoes of Persia

• Amir Eslami – Multicultural Wind Ensemble

• Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira – Here To Stay

• Ladom Ensemble – Sofreh Tisch

• The Fretless (featuring Madeleine Roger) – Glasswing

Ensemble of the Year / Groupe de l’année

• Boreal – Winterbirds

• Cassie and Maggie – Gold and Coal

• Garçons à Marier – La Dot

• Jessica Pearson and the East Wind – LIVE from Motel Chelsea

• The Southern Residents – Folk Signals

Vocal Group of the Year / Groupe vocal de l’année

• Boreal – Winterbirds

• Cassie and Maggie – Gold and Coal

• Jessica Pearson and the East Wind – LIVE from Motel Chelsea

• PIQSIQ – Legends

• The Barrel Boys – Chicken In The Window

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award / Prix Innovation musicale Oliver Schroer

• AHI – The Light Behind The Sun

• Calgaréal – Vanishing Points

• Cassie and Maggie – Gold and Coal

• Oktoecho – Saimaniq Sivumut

• Payadora – Legend of Carau

Producer(s) of the Year / Réalisateur(s) de l’année

• Ben Plotnick (Loud in the Pines) – Every Colour Left

• Colin Buchanan & Davy Gallant (Lennie Gallant) – Shelter From the Storms

• Jim Bowskill (Brooks & Bowskill) – Blissful State of Mind

• Liam Duncan (Boy Golden) – For Eden

• Rayannah (Claire Morrison) – Where Do You Go at Night?

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year / Instrumentiste solo de l’année

• Max Francis – Home

• Olivia Barrett – Elsewhere

• Rachel Therrien – Mi Hogar II

• Scott Duncan – Grandpa & Me

• Yves Cloutier – Fleuve

Solo Artist of the Year / Artiste solo de l’année

• Duane Andrews – Duane Andrews And The Hot Club Of Conception Bay

• Heather MacIsaac – The Moon’s Daughter

• Lennie Gallant – Shelter From the Storms

• Mallory Chipman – Songs to a Wild

• Terra Spencer – Sunset

Single of the Year / Monoplage de l’année

• Edge Of The Earth – Aysanabee

• Human Kind – AHI

• Lost and Found – Sultans of String feat. Shannon Thunderbird

• To Fail – Rachel Cousins

• You Were There – Irish Millie

Album Artwork of the Year / Pochette de l’année

• Kevin Hutchings – Halcyon Days

• Nastasia Y – Kyiv Soul

• Oktoecho – Saimaniq Sivumut

• Ru Rose – Revival

• The Arrogant Worms – Canadian Famous