Steve Maloney, Janet Cull, Kubasonics lead Musicnl awards pack
The last 2017 trophies handed out at gala event, hosted by Alan Doyle
Two albums, two musical genres, three Musicnl awards- Sunday night was a rewarding one to cap off Steve Maloney’s busy and reflective year.
Maloney took home three awards — Ron Hynes SOCAN Songwriter of the Year, Alternative Artist of the Year and Country Artist of the Year - for the two very personal recordings he released in 2017. “Room With a View” was an album Maloney created for the RPM Challenge last February; a collection of what he calls “reflective cowboy songs,” written and recorded from the window on the top floor of his old place on Military Road on his last night in the house. “The Memory Game,” an EP he released at the end of August.
“The album draws from feelings of detachment and loneliness, contemplation and acceptance,” Maloney wrote on his blog when it was released. “It’s a long arm to the past for myself and turned into a very cathartic experience.”
Maloney led the pack of Musicnl Award winners with his three awards Sunday night, along with two other triple award winners.
Janet Cull, fresh from touring the province and being hand-picked by k.d. Lang to open her Mile One Centre show last month, won the Factor Album of the Year, Molson Coors Pop/rock Artist of the Year and the Travel
Bug and Posie Row Female Artist of the Year awards for her latest album, “Real Tough Love.”
Ukrainian-canadian speed folk band the Kubasonics won all three awards for which they were nominated: VOCM Group of the Year, Folk/roots Artist of the Year, and The Overcast Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year, for their album “Kubfunland,” released last April. The latter award was the only Musicnl trophy presented after a public vote.
When it comes to Musicnl’s industry awards, Andrew
Boyd of Rock Eden Magazine (also a member of rock band Waterfront Fire) led with two: Industry Professional of the Year and Outstanding Company of the Year.
Hosted by Alan Doyle at the St. John’s Convention Centre, the Musicnl awards gala wrapped up 2017 Musicnl Week, and a celebration of the provincial music industry’s 25th anniversary. Performers included Shanneyganock, Amelia Curran, Fortunate Ones and others.