PEI ensemble Vishtèn Connexions cleaned up at the East Coast Music Awards this past week, taking home three awards for Album of the Year, Folk Release of the Year and Fusion Release of the Year.
They are the first Francophone Acadian band to ever win the top album honour.
They won it for their album, Expansion, a tribute to founding Vishtèn member, Pastelle LeBlanc, twin sister to co-founder Emmanuelle, who died of breast cancer in 2022 at the impossibly young age of 42.
The album features collaborations with a host of East Coast artists, providing a means for the remaining members of the original trio, Emmanuel and Pascal Miousse, to carry on with Pastelle in spirit.
Their three ECMAs make them the second most winningest act of this year’s behind only Classified.
Here are the rest of the winners in the folk, roots, Indigenous and global music categories.
African Canadian Artist of the Year: Maggie Andrew, NS
Artiste acadien(ne) ou francophone de l’année: Les Hay Babies, NB
Blues Release of the Year: Campbell & Johnston – “Find Your Way,” NS
Country Release of the Year: Brett Matthews – “If I Die Today (feat. Classified),” NS (Cape Breton)
Folk Release of the Year: Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma,” PEI
Fusion Release of the Year: Vishtèn Connexions – “Kouma,” PEI
Global Music Release of the Year: Ana Luísa Ramos – “Clouds,” NL
Indigenous Artist of the Year: Deantha Edmunds, NL
Roots Release of the Year: Quote The Raven – “Already Gone,” NL
Songwriter of the Year: Old Man Luedecke – “The Raven and The Dove,” NS
Traditional Release of the Year: Rum Ragged – “Paddy Hyde,” NL
