Why some artists are boycotting the East Coast Music Awards this year

Less than 24 hours after announcing its 2025 nominees, the East Coast Music Association faced backlash for what some artists are labelling a lack of transparency and communication.

"I was nominated for an ECMA, but I am withdrawing and I will not be attending the conference," Mo Kenney, whose song "Evening Dreams" was nominated for rock/alternative release of the year, posted on Instagram on Feb. 27. "I do not agree with the lack of transparency around the sudden firing of former CEO [Blanche Israël], and what I would call essentially online bullying leading up to the firing. Much love and please do better @ecmaofficial."

Israël, a cultural strategist and professional cellist based in Dartmouth, N.S., started as the East Coast Music Association's new CEO in March 2024, replacing former CEO Andy McLean, who'd been in the position for nine years. 

In November 2024, Sheri Jones, founding director of the East Coast Music Association and manager for artists including Joel Plaskett and David Myles, went public with her concerns about the changes that had been occurring since Israël's start.

"There were major changes happening and no one was aware of how those had been made or even that they had been made," Jones told CBC Radio's Information Morning, citing adjustments to the award application process and not re-hiring former longterm contract workers as some of those changes.

In a separate interview with Information Morning, Israël said the changes she made were approved by the board. Part of the goal when Israël was hired, she said, was to reach musicians who typically didn't show up or see themselves reflected in the awards. Heading into 2025, she told CBC that things were already starting to change: they'd received a record number of submissions, and the submissions by artists from the 2SLGBTQ+, Black and Indigenous communities were all up from 2024. Plus, nearly half the submissions were from women or gender-diverse people. 

In January 2025, Israël was fired and replaced with former CEO McLean as interim managing director. At the time, Israël defended her decisions in an interview with Information Morning, repeating that all changes had been approved by the board and were aimed at fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within the East Coast music community.

'We want to know what's going on'

Stephen Hero, a rapper from New Brunswick, is among the artists withdrawing his 2025 award nomination in response to the lack of communication and transparency around Israël's firing. His track "Can't Stop (Workin')" featuring Aquakultre was nominated for rap/hip-hop release of the year. 

"There is a feeling that we [artists] don't really know what's going on and we think that we should know and specifically, with the Blanche Israël issue, it was really, for us, it felt like from the outside looking in that positive changes were being made," Hero told CBC Music. "It seemed like Blanche was the right person to do it, based on her experience. And the changes, as far as I understand, and I've talked to other artists about this, the changes were going in a positive direction."

He added that if there was an issue with Israël specifically, it hasn't been communicated, so it's unclear to him why she was fired. 

"Because otherwise it's just like you're making a big show out of how you want to increase equity and diversity and stuff," he continued. "But when it comes time for the actual change to take place and for decisions that might be a little bit uncomfortable for a minute or like take a minute to work through, it seems like that wasn't worth actually doing. And I mean, that's pretty textbook tokenism, really, at the end of the day. And we just don't really want to support that. And we want to know what's going on."

After conferring with producer Uncle Fester and Lance Sampson, a.k.a. Aquakultre, they all decided to pull the nomination in response on Feb. 28. Evan Newman, the Halifax-based managing director of Outside Music, an independent record label, also withdrew his nomination for manager of the year the same day.

On March 3, Pabineau First Nation rapper Wolf Castle, nominated for both Indigenous artist of the year and rap/hip-hop release of the year for his track "Gravity/Levity," withdrew his nominations. 

"As exciting as it is to have been recognized by my peers, I don't feel great about the event as a whole and I'm hoping the convos happening now will open the doors to change and evolution of the event," he posted on an Instagram story. "Much love to all my musician friends! If you are still going to ECMAs, worry pas."

'Collectively, we have a power'

Reggae singer Jah'Mila hopes to find out what's going on by taking a different approach and attending the ceremony. The Jamaican-born, Halifax-based artist received her first nominations and first win at the East Coast Music Awards in 2023, and is up for five nominations this year. She'll also be performing at the awards show — something that Israël called to ask her personally just before the CEO was fired.

"Here in the Maritimes, it is our organization. There's no arts advocacy without artists," she explained to CBC Music. "And so I think that we have a responsibility and collectively, we have a power. And I really understand the people who are bowing out of the proceedings for this year as a way to show their dissatisfaction with what is going on. But I also am grateful that I might also get an opportunity to hold the mic and be able to share from within to the people that it pertains to, what it feels like from the artist's perspective."

As a relative newcomer to the East Coast Music Association, Jah'Mila said she felt supported before Israël took the job, but it was even more apparent afterward. "I felt very supported by her and especially as a Black immigrant artist, a female artist," Jah'Mila said. "I felt like she was very approachable and I was very clear on what her vision was ... and how she wanted to make the organization more inclusive."

There's one thing that the ECMA owes its members, and it's the full story.​​​— Halifax-based reggae artist Jah'Mila

"I'm gonna go [to the awards] and I'm gonna sing. And if I get that mic ... I mean, I'm an artist. And it didn't really make me feel very good to be a part of [the recent East Coast Music Association changes] because it didn't seem transparent enough. And I can't say what's there or not, because I don't have all the information. There's one thing that the ECMA owes its members, and it's the full story."

CBC Music reached out to the East Coast Music Association for comment before publishing on March 3, but the association declined. It has since sent a statement, which includes the following:

"We recognize that some have chosen to decline their nominations, and we respect their personal decisions. We also acknowledge the concerns that have been shared and remain committed to listening, learning, and fostering open conversations.

"Integrity, accountability, and clear communication are the values that guide us. Recently, we hosted a session where members of the ECMA board provided as much detail as possible about recent decisions while adhering to employment law and best HR practices. In keeping with our commitment to ethical leadership, personnel matters remain confidential out of respect for all involved, ensuring that ECMA remains strong, financially sustainable and well equipped to support artists both now and in the future."

With files from CBC Nova Scotia