The nominees for the 2025 International Folk Music Awards have been revealed, featuring prominent artists such as Allison Russell, Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Ferrell, Nick Lowe, and Aoife O’Donovan. The Folk Alliance International (FAI) also announced that the iconic duo Indigo Girls will receive a lifetime achievement award during the ceremony. This event is scheduled for February 19-23, 2025, in Montreal, coinciding with FAI’s 37th annual conference.
In the Artist of the Year category, nominees include Sarah Jarosz, Nick Lowe, Allison Russell—who is currently performing in Broadway’s “Hadestown”—Flamy Grant (a drag queen and winner of the 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition), Kaïa Kater, and Crys Matthews. The Album of the Year nominees feature Kater’s “Strange Medicine,” alongside Sierra Ferrell’s “Trail of Flowers,” Aoife O’Donovan’s “All My Friends,” The Heart Collectors’ “The Space Between,” Ordinary Elephant’s self-titled album, and Susan Werner’s “Halfway to Houston.”
The Song of the Year nominations present a diverse lineup. Nominees include “How I Long for Peace,” performed by Rhiannon Giddens and co-written with Abena Koomson-Davis and Peggy Seeger; “Ukrainian Now” by Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon; Connie Kaldor’s “Woman Who Pays”; “$20 Bill (for George Floyd)” by Tom Prasada-Rao and performed by Dan Navarro; and “Tenzin Sings with Nightingales” by Tibetan-Australian artist Tenzin Choegyal and co-writer Michael Askill.
In addition to the Indigo Girls, lifetime achievement awards will honor Lesley Riddle, an African-American musician known for his work with the Carter Family, and Songlines, a magazine celebrating its 25th anniversary dedicated to global roots music.
The People’s Voice Award will be presented to Gina Chavez. The Rising Tide Award goes to Afro-Cuban roots/jazz duo Okan. Meanwhile, the Clearwater Award will recognize the River Roads Festival in Easthampton, Massachusetts.
The Spirit of Folk Awards will honor songwriter Alice Randall, Canadian broadcaster Tom Power, Annie Capps, and Quebec’s Innu Nikamu festival.
The conference will take place at Montréal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel and will showcase performances from 175 artists representing 38 countries and 19 U.S. states. FAI Executive Director Jennifer Roe emphasized that this year’s nominees reflect the rich diversity and cultural significance of folk music.
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