THE 18TH INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

THE 18TH INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact

Martin Folkman
[email protected]

The 18th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners
Announced Online Today @ 2pm EST

Lucinda Williams, Jesse Malin, Jonatha Brooke, Heilung, Sofía Rei & JC Maillard, Kevin Hays & Chiara Izzi, Sawyer Fredericks, Jake La Botz, FLOW, John Fields, The Dollyrots, STORRY, Mary Fahl and Sekou Andrews are among The IMA Honorees

New York, New York, April 28, 2020 — With the world in lockdown, The 18th annual Independent Music Awards (The IMAs) canceled this year’s live ceremony, and instead today announced the year’s best self-released and indie label projects online. Lucinda Williams, Jesse Malin, Jonatha Brooke, Heilung, Sofía Rei & JC Maillard, Kevin Hays & Chiara Izzi, Sawyer Fredericks, Jake La Botz, John Fields, The Dollyrots, Mary Fahl and Sekou Andrews are among the established and emerging artists from around the globe recognized by The 18th IMAs.
View all 18th IMA Winners here.

The IMAs annual show and accompanying Indie Music Konference originally scheduled as 3-day June event in New York City, were cancelled as a result of the global pandemic. Instead, the winners in 104 Music, Video and Design categories, were announced at 2pm EST today on The Independent Music Awards website and other online platforms. Branded playlists on YouTube, Facebook and Spotify feature award-winning music, artist interviews and other video content from honorees and Judges created from their quarantine hide-aways around the world.

The winning projects were selected by influential judging panelists including: Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan, Robert Smith, Ziggy Marley, KT Tunstall, Dee Snider, Drowning Pool, Roberta Flack, Jaci Velasquez, Coolio, Joshua Bell, Beth Gibbons, Joe Satriani and many more indie creatives, top recording artists and industry influencers. View all 18th IMA Judges here.

The Wicked Cool label (USA) led this year’s nominations, announced on April 9, and continued its IMA sweep, winning top honors in 6 categories including Producer recognition for Lucinda Williams and Ted Overby in the Roots category for Jesse Malin’s new album, Sunset Kids. Williams also appears on “Room 13,” a track from the album that won the Vox Pop fan vote in the Americana Song category. Other notable mentions in this year’s program include multiple wins for the Metal label Season of Mist (France) and the Latin label RMM Productions (Spain). Among this year’s rising stars is the Canadian artist STORRY, who won in the Debut Album and R&B Soul Album for her release Ch III: The Come Up which she wrote, funded and produced herself.

“The world needs to hear from independent artists now more than ever. We didn’t want to keep it waiting”, said The Independent Music Awards Executive Director Martin Folkman. “There’s no telling how long it will be before we can all meet face to face again, so The IMAs reimagined the annual live award show as an ongoing, online showcase for exceptional work by indie artists everywhere. So even if the artists can’t travel, at least we can provide a virtual victory lap.”

Artistry.  Diversity.  Excellence.

Now in its 18th year, The Independent Music Awards, produced by Music Resource Group, honors the exceptional work of indie creatives from around the globe. The planet’s most diverse music awards program honors artistry and daring rather than streams and social reach and celebrates everything that makes indie music authentic and unique.

This year’s winning projects were culled from thousands of Album, EP, Song, Producer, Music Video and Visual Design submissions from 73 countries on 6 continents; Nominees were announced earlier this year.

Over the course of its history, the program has recognized an eclectic roster of established and emerging talent including: Killer Mike, Melissa Auf der Maur, Valerie June, Macy Gray, Jackson Browne, Pete Seeger, Flying Lotus, Lacuna Coil, Passenger, fun., JD McPherson, Team Me, Radio Radio, …And You Shall Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Meghan Trainor, Lionel Loueke, Girl in a Coma, Apples in stereo, Masta Ace, Le Bouef Brothers, Pokey LaFarge, Julianna Hatfield, RuPaul and many, many more independent innovators from around the world.

More about The IMAs:

Facebook: Facebook.com/TheIndependentMusicAwards.com
YouTube: Youtube.com/IMABuzz
Instagram: Instagram.com/IMABuzz
Twitter: @IMABuzz

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The 18th Independent Music Awards Winners

Album CategoryWinnerWinning Album
Adult ContemporaryMonica PasqualYou Can't Kill Light
Alt. CountryJake La BotzThey're Coming For Me
AmericanaJigJamPhoenix
BluegrassAllison de Groot & Tatiana HargreavesAllison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
BluesHamish AndersonOut of My Head
CCM/GospelTabernacle WorshipSurrender
Children's MusicMusic with GinaAll of Us
CompilationVarious ArtistsTell It to Me: Revisiting the Johnson City Sessions, 1928-1929
ConceptRozina PátkaiTaladim
Contemporary ClassicalDavid CheskyEspaña
CountryBecky DentonFire & Grace
Dance/ElectronicaDelaporteComo Anoche
DebutSTORRYCh III: The Come Up
EclecticChloe Pourmorady EnsembleBegin Majesty
Film / TV / Game ScoreIan ChenFantastic Creatures (Original Soundtrack)
Folk/Singer-SongwriterCharm of FinchesYour Company
Funk/Fusion/JamJoan Torres's All Is FusedRevolution
Indie / Alt. RockRyan Hamilton and The Harlequin GhostsThis Is the Sound
InstrumentalCésar Orozco & Jorge GlemStringwise
Jazz InstrumentalFerenc Nemeth feat. Gregory Tardy & Tzumo ArpadFreedom
Jazz With VocalsThe Lost American JazzBook (feat. Tammi Brown)Taxonomy of Pleasure
LatinLPTSin Parar
Live PerformanceSkylineSymphojazz
Metal/HardcoreMisery IndexRituals of Power
New AgeSangeeta KaurCompassion
PopNick de la HoydeA Beautiful Mess
R&B/SoulSTORRYCh III: The Come Up
Rap/Hip-HopGold LemonadeSchool of Hard Drops
Reggae/Ska/DancehallGotaflikaGo Up
Rock / Hard RockVoyagerColours in the Sun
Spoken WordSekou Andrews & The String TheorySekou Andrews & The String Theory
TributeLittle KrutaJustice
World BeatSofía Rei & JC MaillardKeter
World TraditionalMasoud RezaeiUntil
Song CategoryWinnerWinning Song
A CappellaPatrice JégouWrap Your Troubles in Dreams (feat. Take 6)
A CappellaJazz Affair (Vox Pop Winner)Jour Heureux
AcousticHarmonious WailMove
AcousticAidan Gallagher (Vox Pop Winner)I Love You
Adult ContemporaryBELLSAINTCan't Stop a Woman
Adult ContemporaryNeshama Carlebach (Vox Pop Winner)Believe
Alt. CountryAminah HughesStorm of Time
Alt. CountryRyan Newton (Vox Pop Winner)Casting Shadows (On the Heels of Tomorrow)
AmericanaThe Rough & TumbleThe Hardest Part
AmericanaJesse Malin (Vox Pop Winner)Room 13 (feat. Lucinda Williams)
BluegrassDaniel CrabtreePiedmont Train
BluegrassConversion (Vox Pop Winner)An American Easter (The Joy of Mary M)
BluesBrick FieldsSoul of a Woman
BluesBrick Fields (Vox Pop Winner)Soul of a Woman
CCM/GospelPatrick ForemanHe's Able (feat. David Scott)
CCM/GospelKatie Braswell (Vox Pop Winner)Louder
Children's MusicLucy Kalantari & The Jazz CatsFlick of My Wrist
Children's MusicLucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats (Vox Pop Winner)Flick of My Wrist
CountryDani StrongMrs. Jones (Evelyn)
CountryMadelyn Paquette (Vox Pop Winner)Broke Like Me
CoverSKy76Twist in My Sobriety (orig. by Tanita Tikaram)
CoverDr. Albert Flipout's one CAN band (Vox Pop Winner)Sweet Child O' Mine (orig. by Guns N' Roses)
Dance/Electronica32StitchesAre We There Yet (feat. Baer)
Dance/ElectronicaJustin Mise (Vox Pop Winner)Take a Piece
EclecticOrchid EnsembleGhosts of the Living
EclecticPetra Várallyay Trio (Vox Pop Winner)Deadline Haze
Folk/Singer-SongwriterSawyer FredericksBorn
Folk/Singer-SongwriterMarta Palombo (Vox Pop Winner)Him
Funk/Fusion/JamFrank ColónWishful Thinking
Funk/Fusion/JamJennifer Maidman & Verna Gillis (Vox Pop Winner)Psycho Loco (feat. Annie Whitehead, Jerry Marotta & John Medeski)
HolidayMary FahlHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
HolidayNadia Vaeh (Vox Pop Winner)Holidazed & Confused
Indie / Alt. RockThe CovasettesTwit Twoo
Indie / Alt. RockJesse Malin (Vox Pop Winner)Strangers & Thieves (feat. Billie Joe Armstrong)
InstrumentalSultans of StringThe Grand Bazaar (feat. Béla Fleck & Robi Botos)
InstrumentalRoman Smirnov & Andrew Leshkin (Vox Pop Winner)Old Friends
Jazz InstrumentalPetros KlampanisEasy Come Easy Go
Jazz InstrumentalPetros Klampanis (Vox Pop Winner)Easy Come Easy Go
Jazz With VocalsKevin Hays & Chiara IzziCircles of the Mind (feat. Nir Felder)
Jazz With VocalsRoberto Tola (Vox Pop Winner)Slow Motion (feat. Darryl Walker)
LatinLudmila Mercerón & Salsa de ReyesA Santiago
LatinEl Feeling (Vox Pop Winner)Que Te Vaya Cabrón (feat. Lolita de Sola)
LoveLACESmoved
LoveJason Gill (Vox Pop Winner)Air I Breathe
Metal/HardcoreFUTURE AFTER A SECONDInvert
Metal/HardcoreFiùran (Vox Pop Winner)10 Feet Tall
New AgeFLOW (feat. Will Ackerman, Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt & Jeff Oster)Adrift at Sea
New AgeDarlene Koldenhoven (Vox Pop Winner)Sequoia Serenade
PopFLAVIAExpectations
PopMartene Clayton (Vox Pop Winner)Should've Been (feat. Black Poet)
R&B/SoulTEFOPlay Play
R&B/SoulCarolAnn Brevard (Vox Pop Winner)In a Mood
Rap/Hip-Hop222UniqueFlex on Em
Rap/Hip-HopGold Lemonade (Vox Pop Winner)How You Feel
Reggae/Ska/DancehallWisemanSo High
Reggae/Ska/DancehallFather Goose Music (Vox Pop Winner)Rise Up Now
Rock / Hard RockButterfingersDancing (To the Beat of My Own Drum)
Rock / Hard RockSoraia (Vox Pop Winner)Evergreen
Social ActionHuDostRise Together (feat. Jars of Clay)
Social ActionSawyer Fredericks (Vox Pop Winner)Amen
Spoken WordPascal Le Boeuf + Bec PlexusMirror Image
Spoken WordSekou Andrews & The String Theory (Vox Pop Winner)Be Voiceful
StoryEllis PaulScarecrow in a Corn Maze
StoryMean Mary (Vox Pop Winner)Cold (House by the Sea)
Used in Ad CampaignNEEDSHESUnbelievable
Used in Ad CampaignChelsea Grams (Vox Pop Winner)Keep Up
Used in Film / TV / Game ScoreZac Silva & James McCaffreyFriends With Death (Original Score)
Used in Film / TV / Game ScoreMATHIA (Vox Pop Winner)Hold On
World BeatSofía Rei & JC MaillardRachamim
World BeatTri Nguyen & Graeme Drum (Vox Pop Winner)Walking
World TraditionalHeilung (tie)Norupo
World TraditionalWesli (tie)Lolé Lolé Remix
World TraditionalW. Ed Harris (Vox Pop Winner)Morrison's
EP CategoryWinnerWinning EP
Dance/ElectronicaCherokeeCalifornism
EclecticJoJo WorthingtonTCYK
InstrumentalDavid JayThe Spaniard
JazzKILTERKILTER
Live PerformanceNina LeeLive at Rockwood
PopBELLSAINTTechnicolor Dream
RockNo ResolveThe Divide
Roots/CountryJonatha BrookeImposter
UrbanCoco JonesH.D.W.Y
WorldAJOYOWar Chant
Music Producer CategoryWinnerWinning Work
Dance/Electronica5önikk5önikk - Electric
EclecticDub MentorDub Mentor - 4YX
InstrumentalWill Ackerman, Tom EatonFLOW (feat. Will Ackerman, Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt & Jeff Oster) - Promise
JazzPetros KlampanisPetros Klampanis - Irrationalities
Live PerformanceNicky EstorBen Racine Band - Live à Montréal
PopHafid Salazar Banoy, Nathalie Hazim, Alexandro SeguíNathalie Hazim - Más de lo que Soñé
RockJohn Fields, The DollyrotsThe Dollyrots - Daydream Explosion
Roots/CountryLucinda Williams, Tom Overby (Producers); Geoff Sanoff, Michael Iurato (Executive Producers)Jesse Malin - Sunset Kids
UrbanJoseph Vitterito, Jason Hart, DAgency - Alarm
WorldChris McKhool, John "Beetle" BaileySultans of String - Refuge
Design CategoryWinnerWinning Work
Album Art / PhotographyDULK (Antonio Segura Donat)Moron Police - A Boat on the Sea
Album PackagingJheng-Han Li, Hsin-Hung Chen, Hsiao-Yin Tai Emerge House Band - Time
Artist Concert PhotoFong-Yau YeBrahman - Fireball Festival
Artist Publicity PhotoJørn VebergGaahls WYRD - Ghosts Invited
Music Promo PosterPaixpro, Hsien-Chen TsaiAmazing Show - The Great Paradisiacal Mountain
Music WebsiteKrzysztof A. JanczakKrzysztof A. Janczak Website
SwagMajor MomentMajor Moment - The Sequel Puzzle
Short Form Video CategoryWinnerWinning Video
Animated / Stop-MotionA-Flight (tie)2019 Golden Bell Award 54th short film (Art Coordinator: Timothy Motion)
Animated / Stop-MotionBrian Shankar Adler (tie)Mantra
Animated / Stop-MotionStuck in the Sound (Vox Pop Winner)Alright
Concept / ExperimentalPascal Le Boeuf + Bec PlexusMirror Image
Concept / ExperimentalKIN (Vox Pop Winner)Be a Little Lonely
DirectorZach "Reazon" Heiligman & Max HeiligmanDAE - Where We're Going
DirectorAminah Hughes (Vox Pop Winner)Aminah Hughes - I Need to Learn
LyricNia MonaéThe Blueprint
LyricMajor Moment (Vox Pop Winner)Talking To Myself
NarrativeÁrstíðirEntangled
NarrativeMadison Violet (Vox Pop Winner)Tell Me
PerformanceThe SongeryThe Dark
PerformanceRaven Quinn (Vox Pop Winner)Alchemy (feat. George Lynch)
Social ActionWouter KellermanBaroque to the Rescue (feat. Konshens The MC & Lady Zamar)
Social ActionDJ WILLY WOW! (Vox Pop Winner)MLK That Way (feat. Chuck D)
Long Form Music Video CategoryWinnerWinning Video
Best OverallLudmila Mercerón & Salsa de ReyesEn Directo Desde las Armas
DirectorDavid Hernández & Enrique AlonsoNuestro Changüi