Winners of 2021 East Coast Music Awards unveiled; Neon Dreams snags album of the year

Classified, Les Hay Babies, Maxim Cormier, Rich Aucoin and Rose Cousins have emerged as the big winners of the 2021 East Coast Music Awards, snagging two of Atlantic Canada’s biggest music prizes each.

The awards were announced Sunday evening as part of a show hosted by Heather Rankin and livestreamed on the ECMA’s social media platforms.

Top accolades went to Halifax’s Neon Dreams for album of the year, Prince Edward Island’s Catherine MacLellan for songwriter of the year and Cape Breton’s Beolach for fans’ choice entertainer of the year.

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READ MORE: East Coast Music Awards push virtual bash to June from May

New to the awards this year was the category of African Canadian artist of the year, which went to Halifax’s Zamani.

The late Rita MacNeil was also inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Altogether, artists from Cape Breton earned six ECMA awards, mainland Nova Scotia claimed 16 awards, New Brunswickers took home nine, P.E.I. artists snagged four and artists from Newfoundland and Labrador claimed six.

6:17 ECMA announces award nominees, initial details of 2021 Festival