It's been a pretty Drake year for Drake! After breaking the Beatles' 55-year Billboard chart record this summer, the preeminent Toronto mans has now been showered with numerous honours at this year's SOCAN Awards — the annual event hosted by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada that celebrates the compositional, songwriting and music publishing achievements of its members — including Songwriter of the Year.
Last night (October 17), in addition to being named SOCAN Songwriter of the Year in the Performer category, Drake received awards for his singles "Wants and Needs" and "Way 2 Sexy" — the former being a collaboration with Lil Baby (who recently caused chaos in Vancouver) from 2021 EP Scary Hours 2, and the latter included on full-length Certified Lover Boy. He did not attend the gala at Toronto's Sheraton Centre.
Yukon's Stephen (Koz) Kozmeniuk was given the Songwriter of the Year Award in the Producer category. His previous credits include working on projects by Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj, and he was further recognized for his involvement in "Levitating" by Dua Lipa, which won the SOCAN International Song Award despite accusations of the hit allegedly ripping off a Florida reggae band.
Vancouver's bbno$ was named Breakout Songwriter, with the Francophone version of the award going to La Zarra. Allison Russell received the Folk/Roots Music Award, while Tom Cochrane was presented with the Cultural Impact Award for his 1991 classic "Life Is a Highway." The likes of Rush's Alex Lifeson, Sam Roberts and Julian Taylor led a tribute performance of the iconic hit. Fellow performers included Snotty Nose Rez Kids, who were honoured with the first-ever Vince Fontaine Indigenous Song Award.
Meanwhile, film and TV composer Keith Power earned his fifth Screen Composer of the Year Award and rockers Lighthouse were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for their career, which spans five decades.
View the full list of winners here.
Last night (October 17), in addition to being named SOCAN Songwriter of the Year in the Performer category, Drake received awards for his singles "Wants and Needs" and "Way 2 Sexy" — the former being a collaboration with Lil Baby (who recently caused chaos in Vancouver) from 2021 EP Scary Hours 2, and the latter included on full-length Certified Lover Boy. He did not attend the gala at Toronto's Sheraton Centre.
Yukon's Stephen (Koz) Kozmeniuk was given the Songwriter of the Year Award in the Producer category. His previous credits include working on projects by Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj, and he was further recognized for his involvement in "Levitating" by Dua Lipa, which won the SOCAN International Song Award despite accusations of the hit allegedly ripping off a Florida reggae band.
Vancouver's bbno$ was named Breakout Songwriter, with the Francophone version of the award going to La Zarra. Allison Russell received the Folk/Roots Music Award, while Tom Cochrane was presented with the Cultural Impact Award for his 1991 classic "Life Is a Highway." The likes of Rush's Alex Lifeson, Sam Roberts and Julian Taylor led a tribute performance of the iconic hit. Fellow performers included Snotty Nose Rez Kids, who were honoured with the first-ever Vince Fontaine Indigenous Song Award.
Meanwhile, film and TV composer Keith Power earned his fifth Screen Composer of the Year Award and rockers Lighthouse were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for their career, which spans five decades.
View the full list of winners here.