2019 YYCMA Nominees

Album/Single Title:
Because I Loved

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Achievements:
About Deanne:

Known for her pure but powerful voice, Deanne Matley has a way with a vocal line. She has the ability to swing hard, emote softly, and connect with her audience. Deanne is a flexible performer in both English and French, who’s as comfortable in front of a big band or on a festival stage as she is singing with a trio in an intimate club space. Deanne has shared the stage with jazz greats including Larry Koonse, Brian Lynch, Matt Catingub, Tommy Banks and Al Kay. She’s featured in the September 2018 edition of Downbeat Magazine, is a featured artist on ICI Musique (CBC Quebec), and was a 2018 nominee as the “Industry Person of the Year” for the YYC Music Awards.

Deanne studied at the Berklee College of Music, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Stanford Jazz Institute both before and after launching her career as a jazz vocalist. Deanne’s latest and most ambitious album, “Because I Loved,” an emotion-driven combination of original songs and exquisite, heartfelt jazz and pop covers, came out in May 2018. Distributed by Distribution Select, the album features well-known Montreal artists Ranee Lee (vocals), Jim Doxas (drums), Paul Shrofel (piano) and Adrian Vedady (bass), joining Deanne in an artistic tour-de-force.

Recent Accomplishments:

• Released 5th studio album, “Because I Loved” though Distribution Select in May 2018.
• Received funding from Alberta Foundation for the Arts, FACTOR and Calgary Arts Development to complete the album.
• Had a full-page interview in the September 2018 edition of Downbeat Magazine.
• Earned additional press coverage in the Toronto Music Report, Journal de Montreal, Calgary Herald, YYScene, and more.
• Is a featured artist on ICI Musique (CBC Quebec).
• Held radio interviews on ICI Musique, CBC Homerun, CKMN, CKVL, Bleu Jazz, CKRL, and CJSW.
• Performed on CTV Calgary News at Noon.
• “Because I Loved” reached #6 on the Canadian national jazz charts.
• Was a 2018 nominee as the “Industry Person of the Year” for the YYC Music Awards.
• Is the featured vocalist for the Prime Time Big Band where she recently shared the stage with Matt Cattingub.
• Performed at the 2018 Festival International De Jazz De Québec, Québec City, and the 2018 Une Nuit de Serenades Le Festival des Chansons d'Amour, in Chalabre, France.

 Community Engagement:

 Deanne has a positive and motivated outlook on music. Her unique ability to motivate and inspire budding musicians is shown through her dedication to community-building. She is a strong believer that personal success is coupled with encouraging the success of others. Deanne has opened up performance opportunities across Calgary, organized many ‘women in jazz’ concerts that raised funds for charity, and is a mentor to aspiring artists of all ages.

While she does give her all in her own musical performance and career, she is utterly selfless in building the Calgary music community. She has become a powerful role model for aspiring musicians, singers and songwriters, not only in jazz, but across many genres. Beginning in 2009, Deanne led and hosted the weekly Café Koi Open Mic for 7 years, which continues to give singers the unique opportunity to share their talents with audiences, improve their abilities, and engage in feedback from industry. She inspires people to perform in public and offers encouragement to further pursuing a musical path.

In January 2016, she started a public, house concert-type experience called The Listening Room. Artists to grace this stage include Kenna Burima (Woodpigeon) and Simon TJ (Hello Moth, Jocelyn Alice), for example. Due to her hard work and the success of the shows, this monthly singer-songwriter series at Lolita’s Lounge grew into a collective with a second monthly series featuring jazz vocalists. Now, The Listening Room offers a series of workshops for budding singers that cover a wide variety of topics such as songwriting, self-esteem on stage, Latin rhythms, and sound-checking essentials.

Another aspect of her kindness is her annual gift to the Calgary Arts Academy. She offers a grant program for students, with the goal of encouraging youth showing an interest in music. Criteria are also based on financial need or special circumstances, so it makes a significant impact on a child’s life and future every year. Grant information is available at: http://www.caaschool.com/for-parents/deanne-matley-grant/

What separates Deanne Matley from the pack is her continual search to learn and discover, to stretch her own boundaries and to grow. It’s a marvel to witness this endlessly curious singer, who is not content to rest on her considerable laurels, preferring instead the excitement of new challenges and intriguing opportunities. She shares this passion with the Calgary music community.

Album/Single Title:
Fire

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Achievements:

• 2018 Winner of Pop Recording of the Year for 'Bus Ticket' at the YYC Music Awards
• Cohosts, Produces and Performs at 'Country Night Live' - Calgary Petroleum Club (yearly)
• over 30 live performances in the Calgary area
  • including National Music Center, Calgary Stampede, Barry Lammle's private function, Heritage Park, and the Calgary Petroleum Club
• Singer/Songwriter Circles including Bragg Creek Community Center, Without Papers Youth Night, Gravity Bar, ATB Private event and the Blues Can.
• Wrote and recorded 2 original songs
• 2018 single 'Fire' gained 3500+ streams on Spotify alone since it's release and was featured on Spotify's 'Down Home Country' as well as added to 32 different personal playlists by Spotify Listeners.
• 'Fire' is has gathered Spotify streams in 50 different cities around the world
• 'Fire' is played on Radio Stations in Canada from coast to coast.
• https://countrynightlive.ca/
• https://www.xm105fm.com/2018/07/13/fridays-alberta-pride-artist-jennie-harluk/
• https://www.rockyviewweekly.com/article/father-and-daughter-share-musical-talent-20180227
• https://www.calpeteclub.com/event/shane-jennie-harluk-are-hosting-another-country-night-live-on-may-3rd-at-6-30pm/
• https://calgaryguardian.com/calgary-singer-jennie-harluk/

Album/Single Title:
Right Choice & It's Real

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Achievements:
Awards & Competitions

• Recipient of a SOCAN Foundation for Young Canadian Songwriters Award (2018) it's real
• Double award recipient at the YYC Music Awards (2018)

Female Artist of the Year

The Zackariah and the Prophets Memorial award (2019)

• Performing at  Canadian Music Week 2019 Festival Toronto, May 11, 2019, 9pm at The Painted Lady
• Selected for The Moment television show (2019)
• Round 1 Standout at CBC Music Searchlight (2019)
• Top 100 at CBC Music Searchlight (2019)
• Top 18 in 2018 at RADIOYYC.com
• Nominee Western Legacy Award (2018)
• Finalist at The Great American Songwriting Contest (2018) for 2 songs, it's real & Right Choice
• Finalist at Indie International Songwriting Competition (2018)
• Finalist (Regional) at Jim Beam Talent Search Contest (2019)
• Semi-finalist at International Songwriting Competition (2018) it's real
• Finalist at Canadian Songwriting Competition (2017)
• Semi-finalist The Shot (2018)
• Recipient of Stampede Talent Search Don Welden Award for most promising performer (2017)

Programs

• Accepted for the Canada Music Incubator Artist Entrepreneur Program (2018) Toronto
• Selected for the Prophets of Music Emerging Artist Program (2018) Calgary

Media

• Musical Guest CBC radio 1 Homestretch Live from the new Central Library
• CJSW Live guest - https://youtu.be/mt91db3SS3g
• Organized and cohosted Music Mile Youth Crawl - https://albertaculture.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/are-you-ready-to-rock-its-alberta-music-week/
• Organized and cohosted Music Monday 2018- Springbank takeover - https://youtu.be/Rt09mSExT-Q
• radioplay, CBC radio one & two, CJSW, CKUA, 92.9fm, RADIOYYC.com

Album/Single Title:
Hot Mess

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Achievements:

• Volunteer and Giving Back:
  • April 2018 - Songwriting Coaching session for Girls Lead YYC
  • July 2018 - Interviewed by 60 for 60 to shed light on 'Brown Bags for Calgary Kids'
  • August 2018 - Songwriting and Creative workshop with MusicGives YYC 
  • August 2018 - Vocal Coach and Mentor at Girls Rock Camp Calgary
  • September 2018 - Rainbow Society of Alberta Fundraiser - Midtown Kitchen and Bar, Calgary, AB
  • October 2018 - Awarded 'Sound Humanitarian Award' by the True Gala Foundation

• Media Exposure:
  • March 8 - International Woman's Day Event - Covered by EM TV 
  • June 12 - CJSR 88.5 Live Performance and Interview (Edmonton)
  • August 2018 - CTV Calgary Live TV Performance and Interview 

• Notable Performances
  • June 12-30 Debut Tour - Calgary(2), Edmonton, Lethbridge
  • September 2018 - Opened for Milk&Bone on their International Tour -Rec Room Calgary, AB
  • January 2018 - Performed Live during Fashion Show - Marquee Calgary, AB

• Additional Milestones:
  • 2017 YYC Music Award Nominee - Pop Song of the Year
  • Jan 2019 - Developed 'Ethical Merch' Initiative

Album/Single Title:
Girls Girls Girls

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Achievements:
Live Performances:

• 2018 Tours: "Girls Girls Girls" Tour, Feb 28-April 28, 2018; 30 Dates across Prairies / Eastern Canada / Maritimes / Western Canada
• 2018 Festivals: Blizzard Fest (Rossland BC), Canadian Music Week (Toronto), East Town Get Down (Calgary), Vantopia 6 (Equity AB), Heliocity Music Fest (Medicine Hat AB), Sled Island (Calgary), Invermere Music Fest (Invermere BC), Rifflandia (Victoria BC), Halifax Pop Explosion (Halifax)
• 2019 Festivals: Big Winter Classic (Calgary), Music Calgary's Sound-Off Summit, Great Escape Festival (Brighton UK), Focus Wales (Wrexham UK)

Some Media Exposure:

• Beatroute (AB) Cover Story, March 2018
• Exclaim! "Girls Girls Girls" Album Review March 2018, Calgary Feature March 2018, Live Review at Rifflandia Sept 2018
• Feature/Interviews in Urban Hero Magazine, Vents Magazine, Vue Weekly, The YYScene, Rock Source Magazine, The Noreaster, The Coast, The Big Takeover, Ottawa Life Magazine, LA Beat, Damn Magazine, Calgary Herald;
• Features in The Punk Site, Nataliez World, Soundsphere Magazine, Turn Up The Volume, ColoRising, Frontview Magazine, Some Party, Raz Mataz Mag, Punkonline, Disarm Magazine, Audible Addixion, OrcaSound, Still Spinning, Distrolution, Ghettoblaster Magazine, Vents Magazine, She Makes Music, TheSirensSound, That New Music Blog;
• Album reviews in Beatroute (BC), Canadian Beats, The Sonic Blender (CILU FM blog), Original Rock, The Noise Journal, Punk Online, Imperfect Fifth;
• Album stream premiered on The Big Takeover;
• “Atmosphere” premiered on New Noise Magazine, “Lost Boy” premiered on The Alternative;
• Live radio performances at CJSW, UMFM;
• Radio interviews at CFCR, CHUO, CKUW;
• Recorded “Stories from the road” excerpts with CBC Radio 3/CBC Music, International Women’s Day feature with CBC Music;
• Included in BTR Today (BTR Radio) Calgary feature;

Radio Charting: 

• Album "Girls Girls Girls" on Earshot-Online: #1 National Monthly Loud Charts, #19 National Monthly Charts (both March 2018), #6 National Annual Loud Chart 2018
• Single "Atmosphere" #7 CBC Radio 3 R3-30
• Single "Summer Love" #1 Indigenous Music Countdown

Other Accomplishments (Miesha Louie):

• Selected to speak on Alberta Music’s Funding panel, as voice of Independent Artist
• Selected to attend Passport Music’s Export program
• Selected to speak on Manitoba Music’s panel about Independent Touring
• Organized and facilitated 6th Annual Girls Rock Camp Calgary (Board Member and organizer/mentor since 2013)