by Howard Campbell
ONTARIO, Canada – Reggae, which has experienced its recent share of lows in Canada, got a boost on September 29 with the inaugural Reggae North Music Awards which took place at the Rose Theatre in Brampton, Ontario.
Tony Anthony, founder and main organiser of the event, told South Florida Caribbean News that he, “feels incredibly proud and grateful for how everything came together.” He added that the large turnout showed that reggae still has a strong following in Canada, especially Ontario where there is a large Jamaican and West Indian community.
“Sunday night was a celebration of the vibrant reggae and dancehall community in Canada, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement and love for the music. The performances were powerful, the audience was engaged, and the recognition of these talented artistes was truly special,” said Anthony.
Reggae North Music Awards Winners
Awards were handed out in 18 categories. They included Entertainer of The Year which went to Exco Levi, a multiple winner of the reggae Juno Award. Kirk Diamond, another Juno winner, won Male Vocalist of The Year with Ammoye taking the female equivalent.
Steele won Reggae Song of The Year (Male) for You Know You Want to Be Loved. Tonya P won Reggae Song of The Year (Female) with Free.
Jimmy Reid was presented with the Living Legend Award for 60 years in the music industry.
Anthony, a singer, has played a prominent role in the Canadian reggae scene for over 30 years. He said the dearth of events recognising Caribbean music excellence, influenced him to start an awards show.
Juno Awards
In September, the Juno Awards organizers announced they would remove the reggae category. They cited repeated nominations and slow music sales as reasons. It was reinstated days later.
