9th OUTmusic Award Nominees & Honorees Announced

OUTmusic’s LGBT Academy of RECORDING ARTS(LARA) announced today the nominees and honorees for the 9th production of the OUTmusic Awards hosted by Lea DeLaria (“Orange Is The New Black”) and out recording artist Ari Gold.

The 9th OUTmusic Awards presented by Lexus and DonnaJean Media Group will take place at the historical Town Hall Theater in New York City on Monday, January 19, 2015.

The OUTmusic Awards gala evening will be the finale of a four day spectacular celebrating the 25th anniversary of OUTmusic, which will kick off on Friday, January 16th with the Pre-OMA Benefit Concert for the Brooklyn Community Pride Center (BCPC) featuring the best LGBTQ ARTISTS in music & entertainment.

Honorees and nominees will be celebrated for their achievements and contributions to music, entertainment and media history.

Of note, Matt Fishel received 6 nominations in total mainly for his Radio-Friendly Pop Song release;  the track interestingly was nominated as Best Alternative Song, Best Pop Song and Best Rock song. Not sure how you can be three genres at one time, but hey! I do like the song.

Also, Tony Award Winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots) will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's gala.

This year's Honorees include:

• OUTmusic Vanguard Award - Monifah Carter star of "TV One’s R&B Divas Atlanta"

• OUTmusic Lifetime Achievement Award - Billy Porter Tony Award Winner Best Actor and star of the Broadway hit "Kinky Boots"

• OUTmusic Heritage Award - Holly Near award winning singer/songwriter and human rights activist

• OUTmusic Visionary Award -Thomas McCormack & Michael Mitchell creators of the former Gay & Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMAs)

• OUTmusic Spirit Award - Wolfgang Busch Producer, Activist and Director of the documentary “How Do I Look”


This year's nominees include:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Omar Thomas Large Ensemble - We Will Know
Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob
Well-Strung - Well-Strung
Charice - Chapter 10
Karmen Buttler - Daze Of Love


BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG

Toya Delazy - Forbidden Fruit
Jess Godwin - Bleed
Sarah Donner - With Pride
Matt Fishel - Radio-Friendly Pop Song
Aris - Fallen Blind


BEST CD COVER ARTWORK

Omar Thomas Large Ensemble - We Will Know
Dan Paul - The Make Up
Charice - Chapter 10
Matt Fishel - Not Thinking Straight
Derek Nicoletto - Just Panic And Get It Over With


BEST CLASSICAL RECORDING/PERFORMANCE

Well-Strung - Since U Been Gone (Mozart Meets Kelly Clarkson)
Marc Peloquin - Gotham Glory


BEST DANCE/EDM SONG

Michael V. Doane - Looking For Love
Jason Walker Feat. Bimbo Jones - Tell It To My Heart
Jonte - Deja Vux
Sir Ari Gold - Play My F**kn Record
Reina - Forever


BEST FOLK/COUNTRY SONG

Antigone Rising - That Was The Whisky
Run Jenny - Get My Whisky On
Linq - Seneca Falls To Selma
Dan Paul - Painted Over Portraits
Karmen Buttler - Something Great


BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL SONG

Gary Floyd - Music In The Meaning
Adrian Ross - Anything
Ray Isaac - Mother Mary Song
The Relationship - Come Bless The Lord With Me
Aris - Pray For Change


HUMANITARIAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Omar Thomas - Hymn
MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Sheree Dunwell - Be Strong (LGBT Youth)
Jen Foster - SHE
Ray Isaac - Who I Am
Majola - Boet Sissy


BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG

Toya Delazy - Forbidden Fruit
Ember Swift - Laowai (Foreigner) 老外
Matt Fishel - Radio-Friendly Pop Song
Charice - Yakap
Suzanne Nuttall - Trophy Wife (Your Body Won't Lie) French Version


BEST JAZZ/CABARET SONG

Omar Thomas - We Will Know
Miche Branden - Story Of My Life
Sean360x - AppleJack Ci'mon Dill'Sithe
NHOJJ - Our Love Is Here To Stay


BEST NEW AGE/INSTRUMENTAL SONG

D'Lance Jones - Forever With You
Mark Barnes - On This Day
Dan Paul - A Subtle Casting
Sean360x - UniaumSOUL


BEST POP SONG

Charice - Unexpected Love
Bec & Sebastian - Barricade
Tegan and Sara - I Was A Fool
Matt Fishel - Radio-Friendly Pop Song
Sir Ari Gold - Play My F**kn Record


BEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Aris - Deaf, Dumb & Blind
Darren Orkert - Short Story Long
I.K.P. - Torch: Ignite It!
Matt Fishel and Mark Crew - Boxer Shorts & Razor Blades
Infinite - Infinite Various Artist Productions


BEST R&B/SOUL SONG

Reina Williams - Ooh Damn (Like Ooh)
Complete Love featuring Mikhial Douglas and True McG - Woman To Woman
D'Lance Jones - Forever With You
MRF - Be Strong (LGBT Youth)
Monifa - The Other Side


BEST RAP/HIP-HOP

Shorty Roc - Blue Flames
MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Sheree Dunwell, Shawn Caliber - Mob Music
I.K.P. - Settin' the Record
Zebra Katz - Tear The House Up
Infinite feat. Sonny Lewis - New York


BEST ROCK SONG

Matt Fishel - Radio-Friendly Pop Song
Steve Grand - All American Boy
The Cliks - Savanna
Aris - Hallelujah
Derek Nicoletto - Hell in Gramercy


SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Toya Delazy - Forbidden Fruit
Tegan and Sara - I Was A Fool
Monifah - The Other Side
Jason Walker feat. Bimbo Jones - Tell It To My Heart
Sir Ari Gold - Play My F**kn Record


BEST SPOKEN WORD RECORDING OR LIVE PERFORMANCE

MRF feat. TJ Johnson, Cleveland P Jones - Tender
Kameltoe - Keep The Cycle Going
Poet On The Watch - Not On My Watch
Aris - I Believe In Love featuring Paula Cole
Kalup Linzy - Love In My Imagination


VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Shangela Laquifa - Werqin' Girl
Jess Godwin - Bleed
Antigone Rising - That Was The Whiskey
MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Yasko Kubota - Trying
Jen Foster - SHE


BEST SONG ON A SOUNDTRACK

Complete Love featuring Mikhial Douglas and True McG - Woman To Woman from the LGBT Film "Woman To Woman"
Rob Gokee - "Rebecca" from the Webseries Producing Juliet
Kalup Linzy - Katonya's Commission


BEST COMEDY RECORDING OR LIVE PERFORMANCE

VonTanner - It's Christmas Everyday (Comedy Audio)