Pauzé, Ruffsound, Goncalves, Editorial Avenue, DRTWK Among the Big Winners at SOCAN Francophone Awards

Montréal, December 7, 2020 – Nearly 100 SOCAN Awards in 23 musical categories will be presented to Canada’s most successful francophone songwriters, composers, and music publishers through a special virtual presentation of the 31st annual Gala de la SOCAN, which takes place online for the first time in its history on December 7, 2020.

Follow @socanmusique on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#GALASOCAN) to join in the week-long celebration of nearly 100 award winners announced today. Videos featuring acceptance speeches, trophy unboxings, Apple Music playlist and interviews will be presented throughout the week via a dedicated website at 2020 SOCAN Awards.

“The Montréal SOCAN Awards are different this year,” says interim CEO Jennifer Brown, “The extraordinary circumstances we all face aren’t stopping us from proudly celebrating the impressive domestic and international achievements of songwriters, composers, and music publishers in Québec and French-speaking Canada. Music has the power to make our hearts soar and comfort us through tough times. It is more important than ever to recognize the role that music creators and their publishers play in our lives. SOCAN thanks and congratulates all SOCAN Award winners for their extraordinary and invaluable contributions to our lives.”

SOCAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

• Jean-François Pauzé. Twenty-five years after the release of his first song with the legendary group Les Cowboys Fringants, and following the immense success of their album “Les Antipodes” and the biggest hit of their career, “L’Amérique pleure,” Jean-François Pauzé, the band’s main songwriter, receives the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Award.
• Jean-Phi Goncalves. For A remarkable 2019 that included compositions in TV series “Cerebrum” and “Une autre histoire,” the movie “Jouliks,” and the Cirque du Soleil production “Alegria in the Night,” Goncalves receives the SOCAN Screen Composer of the Year Award. Goncalves also wins a SOCAN Award for the theme for “Le Tricheur” in the Television Music – National, Variety or Public Affairs Program category.
• Ruffsound. A key producer on the Québec rap and pop scene, Marc Vincent has shone with his versatile work on several major releases in 2019, including Loud, Eli Rose, Koriass, Cœur de pirate, and Lary Kidd. He is honoured with the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – Producer Award.
• Editorial Avenue. Daniel Lafrance and his team earned the SOCAN Publisher of the Year for their commitment to guiding music creators on their road to success.
• DRTWRK. Michael Suski’s accomplishments in 2019 are impressive and they include a production credit on Kanye West’s “Jesus is King” album, which was nominated at the Grammy’s and won two American Music Awards, a collaboration with Timbaland, working on Joyner Lucas’s album, as well as producing the track “Let It Fly” by Lil’ Wayne and Travi$ Scott. Suski is honoured with the SOCAN International Award.

SOCAN Achievement Award winners each receive “The SOCAN,” the world’s first and only major music industry trophy that’s also a musical instrument, incorporating five custom bronze crotales created by world-class percussion instrument maker SABIAN of New Brunswick.

SPECIAL AWARDS

• Shay Lia. Rarely has a Montréal R&B artist had such a sensational introduction. Her collaborations with Kaytranada, among others, and “Dangerous,” her first EP, rapidly made her a force to reckon with on the international scene. She receives the SOCAN Breakthrough Artist Award
• Karo Laurendeau. She receives the SOCAN Country Music Award for a remarkable year in 2019, notably by winning four trophies during the Gala Country for her album “La fureur de vivre” as well as for her involvement in the country music industry throughout Québec.
• Kaytranada. The SOCAN Electronic Music Award could not go to a more deserving artist than Kaytranada whose album “BUBBA” has earned him rave reviews around the world and three nominations at the next Grammy gala.
• Souldia. Kevin Saint-Laurent’s meteoric rise, his countless shows and numerous collaborations allowed street rap to finally take its deserved place in the music ecosystem. He receives the SOCAN Hip-Hop/Rap Music Award.
• Tout le monde en parle. The SOCAN Partner in Music Award is awarded to a business that consistently ethically plays a major role in the promotion of songwriters and visual artist. Thanks to the undeniable flair of its musical director, Marie-France Long, the popular weekly talk-show Tout le monde en parle has become one of the most valuable exposure opportunities for Québec’s emerging talent.
• Alexandra Stréliski. The Hagood Hardy Award for Instrumental Music was rightfully earned, her magic touch on the piano has travelled far and wide, making her one of the world’s foremost composers.
• Farangis Nurulla Khoja. Her works have been performed in concerts and international festivals of contemporary music in Europe, North America and Asia. She has also received numerous awards and prizes, including the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. The Jan V. Matejcek Award for New Classical Music is now part of her expansive collection of trophies.

POPULAR SONG AWARDS

The creator and publishers of the 10 most played songs in 2019 each win a Francophone Popular Song Award:

• CARROUSEL, performed by Eli Rose; ON PERD LA TÊTE, performed by LGS; OUVRE TES YEUX SIMON !, performed by Les Trois Accords ; POUR TOI, performed by Ariane Moffatt; COTON OUATÉ, performed by Bleu Jeans Bleu; DANS LA NUIT, performed by Cœur de Pirate and Loud ; FLATTE!, performed by Fred Tremblay; TOUT LE MONDE, performed by Corneille ; ALLEYS (V.F), performed by Domeno and Kaïn; and LENDEMAIN, performed by Koriass.
• The Anglophone Popular Song Award is awarded to the writers, composers and publishers of the song HOLD ME, performed by Ria Mae and Frank Kadillac.
• The International Song Award was given to SOCAN members Sorena Soltani, Michael “DRTWK” Suski, Rupert Thomas Jr., Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada and Warner Chappell Music Canada Ltd. for their work on the mega-hit LET IT FLY, performed by Lil’ Wayne and Travi$ Scott.
• The Viral Music Award honouring the most popular song on streaming sites thanks to massive and rapid sharing without the help of radio airplay, is awarded to the songwriter ,  composers and publishers of the song LE BONHEUR DES AUTRES, performed by Souldia, MB, White-B and Lost.

The full list of the creators and publishers of the winning songs is available at the SOCAN Awards site.

FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS:

• In the Television Music, Fiction or Dramatic Series category, composer Anthony Rozankovic and his publishers achieved a double success by winning both SOCAN Awards in the National and International categories for the music for the TV series “Mayday“; composer Scott Price and his publishers received the SOCAN Award in the Fiction or Drama Series – Comedy for their work on the show “Les Gags“; and the music by Raymond Fabi for the show “Arthur” earned him and his publishers the SOCAN Award in the Youth Program category.
• Rudy Toussaint and his publishers took the SOCAN Award in the Television Music –International, for the music for the program “How it’s Made“; the SOCAN Award in the Film Music category went to James Gelfand and Louise Tremblay for their four-handed work on the film “Sleeper” directed by Philippe Gagnon; while the SOCAN Award for the Production with the most streaming was given to the composer FM Le Sieur, for his work on the series “Bad Blood.”

Music fans can support creators and publishers by making a donation to the SOCAN Gala’s charitable partners, the Unison Benevolent Fund and the SOCAN Foundation, two organizations that help musicians and music creators in their personal lives and careers.

The full list of winners can be found at https://galasocan2020.socan.com/

Media contact:
SOCAN: Eric Parazelli, eric.parazelli@socan.com