- Nominations include Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the year and more!
Jace Martin, Mohawk from Six Nations of The Grand River, has been nominated for six 2022 Native American Music Awards. The NAMA awards are put on by the Native American Music Association.
“We celebrate our survival through music and dance,” says the association’s website. “With the increasing popularity of today’s Native American music, The Native American Music Association is helping Native societies transform as our music provides a continuing capacity for community renewal and cultural enrichment.”
Martin has been in the entertainment industry since he was 11 years old. Performing in everything from TV shows to theatre. He said he was both shocked and excited to hear about the nominations.
“Awards are great, but the impact we can make changing the landscape of Indigenous Music to be more inclusive at the mainstream level is what will always drive me,” Jace Martin
“I was totally shocked and excited — because the NAMA award nominations are industry voted and the winners will be fan votes,” he said. “So, it is always an honour to be recognized by your peers. To be nominated for all of these awards makes me proud and helps keep my fire burning for music and its power to unite, inspire, bring hope and heal.”
Martin was nominated for the following awards:
- Artist of the Year
- Male Vocalist of the Year
- Pop Album of the Year
- Pop Music Video of the Year – GHOST
- Best Single from an Album – Give A Little
- Best Contemporary Vocal Music Video – GHOST
Two Row Times caught up with Martin in an email interview after he found out about his nominations. Congrats on the many nominations!
TRT – What is the name of your album nominated for Pop Album of the Year and why did you pick that title?
JM: Rainboworld was dedicated to my greatest mentor in music, Salome Bey. She was known as Canada’s Queen of Jazz. She mentored me for four summers while I performed in her theatre production of “Rainboworld” which she wrote and directed in Toronto. To me, Rainboworld meant inclusion, room for everyone, unity and hope. So the album features all of those elements. The album also features my interpretation of three songs written by Salome from that production. It was so amazing for the album to have so many artists be a part of it, including Grammy Award Nominees Gavin Brown, David Strickland, Divine Brown, Joey Stylez and more.
TRT: What live events do you have planned for 2022?
JM: We have a Darren Ross Agency Tour that was postponed due to COVID-19. The tour will have five Indigenous artists tour and perform in London, Toronto, Hamilton, Guelph and Waterloo. We will announce when restrictions allow. I am also scheduled to perform for TD Union Station Music Series in Toronto that will have massive marketing across the GTA and feature my music and performance.
The biggest event in the making is the return of the Six Nation’s Music Festival that I produced for 10 years and featured many artists including Grammy Winner Jonny Lang, The Trews, Fabulous Thunderbirds and many more.
TRT – How would winning one of all of the awards affect your career?
JM: I have been nominated for so many awards over my career and have won five. Just to be nominated brings with it so much attention from the mainstream media that it is a great boost for the career as far as visibility to major festivals, radio and media. Winning the awards would just be icing on the cake.
TRT – What is next for you if you don’t win an award?
JM: I am the president of the Darren Ross Agency that works with so many amazing Indigenous Artists including Crystal Shawanda, Derek Miller and many emerging artists like Semiah Smith, Leah Belle and James Wilson.
We manage artists, festivals, events, produce and release new music to mainstream radio. Songs we have released hit #35 on the USA Billboard Top 40 – Free to Fly by Jace Martin, #1 in Canada on iTunes R&B Charts – Not Waiting Anymore by Deanne Rose Moore and this week a song I produced for Greg Rider is currently #9 on Canada’s Most Active Indie Radio Charts written by Six Nation’s own Doyle Bomberry.
Awards are great, but the impact we can make changing the landscape of Indigenous Music to be more inclusive at the mainstream level and creating spaces for our artists to perform is what will always drive me. Making sure the next generations have stages to perform on.
Oh, one more thing! Everyone can VOTE for me at www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/official-2022-voting-ballot.
Voting ends March 31. Visit nativeamericanmusicawards.com to see all the nominees.
