16th Canadian Folk Music Awards


The 16th Canadian Folk Music Awards were presented on April 9 and 10, 2021, to honour achievements in folk music by Canadian artists in 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the awards were presented in a virtual livestream rather than a physical gala.
Nominations were announced December 1, 2020.

Nominees and recipients

Recipients are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
Traditional AlbumContemporary Album
Beòlach, All Hands
William Prince, Reliever
  • Basia Bulat, Are You in Love?
  • The Dead South, Sugar & Joy
  • The East Pointers, Yours to Break
  • Stephen Fearing, The Unconquerable Past
  • Catherine MacLellan, Coyote
  • Mike McKenna Jr., At the Edge of the World
  • Joe Nolan, Drifters
  • Children's AlbumTraditional Singer
    Claire Ness, Broccoli Farm
  • Spencer Burton, The Mountain Man
  • Ginalina, Small But Mighty
  • Henri Godon, Tous musiciens
  • Charlie Hope, Goodnight to You All
  • Pharis Romero, Bet on Love
  • Mike Bravener, Depends Upon the Pay
  • Kevin Harvey, Hand Me Down Blues
  • Mark Manning, The Thing About Fish
  • Lou Natale, Workin' the Mystery
  • Contemporary SingerInstrumental Solo Artist
    Coco Love Alcorn, Rebirth
  • Basia Bulat, Are You in Love?
  • Tim Chaisson, Yours to Break
  • Catherine MacLellan, Coyote
  • William Prince, Reliever
  • Marc Atkinson, Solo
  • Benjamin Barrile, Esperando el Alba
  • Gordon Grdina, Prior Street
  • Nick Hornbuckle, 13 or So
  • Natalie MacMaster, Sketches
  • Instrumental GroupEnglish Songwriter
    Beòlach, All Hands
  • Emilyn Stam and John David Williams, Honeywood
  • Gordon Grdina's The Marrow, Safar-E-Daroon
  • Jessica Deutsch and Ozere, Traces
  • Rhizome, Double capture
  • William Prince, Reliever
  • Coco Love Alcorn, Rebirth
  • Basia Bulat, Are You in Love?
  • Pharis and Jason Romero, Bet on Love
  • Sarah Jane Scouten, Confessions
  • Julian Taylor, The Ridge
  • French SongwriterIndigenous Songwriter
    Marie-Ève Lapierre-Lemoyne, Onze
  • Guillaume Arsenault, La partie de moi qui tremble
  • Raphaël Delahaye, Le sens de la dérive
  • Flavie Léger-Roy, Ce chapeau est trop grand pour moi
  • Alexandre Poulin, Nature humaine
  • Leela Gilday, North Star Calling
  • Jason and Nadia Burnstick, Kîyânaw
  • A. W. Cardinal, Bare Knuckles & Brawn
  • Riit, ataataga
  • Crystal Shawanda, Church House Blues
  • Vocal GroupEnsemble
    Pharis and Jason Romero, Bet on Love
  • The Barrel Boys, Mainline
  • Beauséjour, Beauséjour
  • Big Little Lions, Inside Voice
  • Kennedy Road, A Little Fight Left Yet
  • Pharis and Jason Romero, Bet on Love
  • OKAN, Sombras
  • Sultans of String, Refuge
  • Sussex, The Ocean Wide
  • The Dead South, Sugar & Joy
  • Solo ArtistWorld Album
    Julian Taylor, The Ridge
  • Catherine MacLellan, Coyote
  • Lynn Miles, We'll Look For Stars
  • William Prince, Reliever
  • Riit, ataataga
  • Zal Sissokho, Kora flamenca
  • Aviva Chernick, La Serena
  • Okavango African Orchestra, Africa Without Borders
  • Mazacote, Patria
  • OKAN, Sombras
  • Single of the YearNew/Emerging Artist
    Burnstick, "Some Kind of Hell"
  • Craig Cardiff, "Yellowknife"
  • The East Pointers, "Wintergreen"
  • Leela Gilday, "K'eintah Natse Ju"
  • William Prince, "The Spark"
  • Noah Derksen, America, Dreaming
  • Marie-Ève Laure, Onze
  • Maya Rae, Can You See Me?
  • Emily Rockarts, Little Flower
  • Rum Ragged, The Thing About Fish
  • Emily Triggs, Middletown
  • ProducerPushing the Boundaries
    Chris McKhool and John "Beetle" Bailey, Refuge
  • Dave Clarke and Bill Garrett, Coming Home
  • Roy Forbes, Edge of Blue
  • Marc Jenkins, Bet on Love
  • Dayna Manning, Morning Light
  • Aerialists, Dear Sienna
  • The East Pointers, Yours to Break
  • The Henrys, Paydirt
  • Mélisande (électrotrad), Les myriades
  • Riit, ataataga
  • Young Performer-
    The Gilberts, The Gilberts: One
  • Moscow Apartment, Better Daughter
  • Paige Penney, Watch Out for Your Step
  • Quin with One N, Out of the Blue
  • Maya Rae, Can You See Me?
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