French Canada’s top music awards are shining a bright light on Ottawa artists this year. The Association des professionels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM) unveiled their 2021 Prix Trille Or nominations last weekend, which includes 12 local #ottmusic artists in at least 21 of the 27 categories.
Among the 51 artists nominated, you’ll find Ottawa names such as Céleste Lévis (best online show), Louis Venne (best album), and the extraordinary Mehdi Cayenne, who is nominated in a whopping 9 categories including best album, solo artist, songwriter, music video, production and arrangements.
The local nominees (A–Z):
Céleste Lévis
De Flore
Frédéric Levac
Hey, Wow
Geneviève & Alain
Jean Cloutier
LeFLOFRANCO
Le R Premier
Louis Venne
Marie-Clo
Mehdi Cayenne
Mélissa Ouimet
Yao
Songwriting duos Geneviève & Alain and De Flore are also nominated in several categories. Both acts are nominated for group of the year. Geneviève & Alain get an additional nod for folk group of the year while De Flore are also nominated for emerging artist and best EP.
The new album Hannah-Carillon by jazz saxophonist Jean Cloutier earned a nomination for best EP; and the composer is nominated for jazz artist of the year. Hannah-Carillon is the street corner in Vanier where Cloutier has lived for more than 35 years and that’s where he composed this entire record.
Odds look good for an Ottawa musician to win hip hop artist of the year, given Le R Premier and LeFLOFRANCO account for two of three nominations in the category. They’re up against Acadian rapper Jacobus.
The public is invited to vote for the best song award, which includes Mehdi Cayenne and Marie-Clo among the nominees. The award winners will be named during a virtual gala recorded at the National Arts Centre and broadcast by Unis TV on May 29, 2021.
2021 nominations
Artiste Solo
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
Mehdi Cayenne
Ponteix
Rayannah
Groupe
Beauséjour
De Flore
Geneviève & Alain
Hey, Wow
Pat Groulx et les Bas Blancs
Auteur.e et/ou compositeur.trice
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
Mehdi Cayenne
Paul Cournoyer
Ponteix
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Album
Anique Granger – Le Ruban de la Cassette
Louis Venne – Comme une bête dans les headlights
Mehdi Cayenne – Radio Batata
Ponteix – Bastion
Rayannah – Nos Repaires
EP
De Flore– Figure Déserte
Éemi – Honey
Jean Cloutier – Hannah-Carillon
Mimi O’Bonsawin – Elle Danse
Renelle Ray – trille
Album de l’Acadie
Caroline Savoie – Pourchasser l’aube
Chloé Breault – Plage des Morons
Joey Robin Haché – Trente
Les Hay Babies – Boîte aux lettres
Matt Boudreau – Armageddon
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Découverte (artiste ou groupe)
De Flore
DJ Unpier
Les Soliloques
Mimi O’Bonsawin
Reney Ray
Chanson primée
Beauséjour – “Lucille Starr”
Damien Robitaille – “Il me semble”
Marie-Clo – “Red Flag”
Mehdi Cayenne – “Molly”
Rayannah – “En attendant demain”
Spectacle
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
DJ Unpier
Les Rats d’Swompe
Mélissa Ouimet
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Spectacle en ligne
Céleste Lévis
Damien Robitaille
DJ Unpier
Les Rats d’Swompe
Mélissa Ouimet
Artiste solo ou groupe – Jazz
Jean Cloutier
Marie-Véronique Bourque
Janie Renée
Artiste solo ou groupe – Rock / Alternatif
Louis Venne
Ponteix
Hey, Wow
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Artiste solo ou groupe – Folk / Roots / Trad
Anique Granger
Geneviève & Alain
Pat Groulx et les Bas blancs
Artiste solo ou groupe – Hip-Hop / Rap
Jacobus
Le R Premier
LeFLOFRANCO
Artiste solo ou groupe – Pop
Rayannah
Damien Robitaille
Paul Cournoyer
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Coup de cœur des médias
Anique Granger
Damien Robitaille
Mehdi Cayenne
Ponteix
Rayannah
Export Ontario
De Flore
DJ Unpier
Les Rats d’Swompe
Mehdi Cayenne
Reney Ray
Export Ouest
Beauséjour
Cristian De La Luna
Ponteix
Rayannah
Shawn Jobin
Export Acadie
Caroline Savoie
Isabelle Cyr
Joseph Edgar
Laurie LeBlanc
Pierre Guitard
Initiative artistique
Anique Granger – Le ruban de la cassette
Damien Robitaille – Chanson du jour
Le Réveil – Application mobile du Réveil – En direct!
LeFLOFRANCO – #HautesVibrations
Reney Ray – Conférence musicale sur la prévention du suicide
Vidéoclip
Louis Venne – “Drift”
McLean – “Kyrie hérisson”
Ponteix – “Faux pas”
Mehdi Cayenne – “Croque pomme”
Yao – “Étrange absurdité”
Présence web
Damien Robitaille
Geneviève & Alain
Mehdi Cayenne
Rayannah
Reney Ray
Conception visuelle
Éemi – Honey (SCKUSE)
LeFLOFRANCO – Force inhérente (Jeff Homère & Agung Yuwanda)
Janie Renée – #jesuisUFO (Lucie Lavallée & Herb Cells)
Ponteix – Bastion (SCKUSE)
Rayannah – Nos repaires (Rayannah & SCKUSE)
Réalisation et arrangements
Frédéric Levac – Eaux turbulentes (Fred Levac)
Loig Morin – Citadelle (Loig Morin)
Mehdi Cayenne – Radio Batata (Mehdi Cayenne, Mark Lawson, Olivier Fairfield, Charles Fairfield, Nicolas Quéré, Anthony Cazade)
Ponteix – Bastion (Mario Lepage & Fred Levac)
Rayannah – Nos repaires (Rayannah & Mario Lepage)
Prise de son et mixage
Frédéric Levac – Eaux turbulentes (Fed Levac & Jean-Philippe Levac)
Jean Cloutier – Hannah-Carillon (Normand Glaude & Dave Bignell)
Loig Morin – Citadelle (Loig Morin & Chris Potter)
Ponteix – Bastion (Fred Levac)
Reney Ray – Reney Ray (Reney Ray & Denis Coulombe)
Émission musicale télé, radio ou web
Marc Lalonde – Can-Rock
Machine Gum Productions – Balade
Anique Granger – Le ruban de la cassette
Mathilde Hountchégnon – Court-Circuit
DJ Unpier – Les barquettes d’Unpier
Entreprise
Productions PB5 – Patrick Bourbonnais
L’Armure du Son – Christian Djohossou
Groupe JKB – José Bertrand & Véronick Diress
36 Mille – Mathilde Hountchégnon
Bienvenue Records – Pier-Bernard Tremblay