Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Announce Finalists for the 2026 Breakthrough Songwriter Award presented by TikTok

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to announce the 2026 finalists of the Breakthrough Songwriter Award presented by TikTok. The Award celebrates the current achievements and bright futures of Canadian songwriters who are on an upward trajectory in their careers. 

This year’s finalists include five French Language and five Non-French Language songwriters from across Canada, showcasing the country’s rich and diverse talent. 

Each winner will receive a $7,500 cash prize tied to a customized career development plan, and global exposure through resources – thanks to the support and generosity of TikTok Canada. 

In addition, the winners will be honoured during a special presentation at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. On September 26 at the iconic Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada’s biggest celebration of songwriting returns with a new class of incredible inductees: The Tragically Hip, Leslie Feist, Mike Reno & Paul Dean (Loverboy), and Roch Voisine. For tickets, visit Massey Hall’s website.  

CSHF is proud to welcome TikTok Canada as the Presenting Partner of the Breakthrough Songwriter Award, spotlighting the next generation of Canadian songwriting talent through one of the world’s leading music discovery platforms. This new partnership not only celebrates emerging creators but nurtures the future of songwriting in Canada.     

CSHF and TikTok invite the public to discover new music and vote daily for their favourite songwriter, as the second round of jury voting gets underway. 

Fans can cast one vote per day via cshf.ca/songwriter-award until May 26 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The finalist who receives the most fan votes will have a bonus point added to their final ballot.  

Winners in both categories will be announced on June 2. 

Past winners of this Award include Nemahsis, Rau_Ze, Aaron Paris, Fredz, Eli Brown, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Mustafa, Ariane Roy, Charlotte Cardin, Jessie Reyez, Lowell, and Les Louanges. 

This year’s Breakthrough Songwriter Award consisted of 41 outstanding candidates. 

The top finalists were determined after first round voting by a juried panel of music industry professionals. 

The 2026 finalists in the Non-French Language category are:  

Eugene Tsai (@eugene.music) – Eugene Tsai is a Grammy-nominated Japanese-Taiwanese producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, Canada.

Since entering the music industry in late 2021, he has worked with artists including Quavo, Leon Thomas, Logic, Muni Long, and Tory Lanez.

His credits include “I LIKE” (Tory Lanez), “Trapped” (Leon Thomas), and “Honestly” featured in Dave (Disney+).

At the core of Eugene’s music is a deep sense of purpose and identity, all for which he credits his grandma. As one of the few Asian producers emerging within the mainstream hip-hop and R&B world, he has become passionate about carving out space for the next generation of Asian creatives in music.

Jade LeMac (@jadelemac) – Jade LeMac exists outside of any boxes, clearly apparent in her sound and music. The 22-year-old Vancouver-based singer-songwriter fuses storytelling and music. Her debut single “Constellations,” released in 2021, landed sync placements in Tubi’s Sidelined: The QB and Me and Netflix’s My Life with the Walter Boys. In 2025, Jade launched her headlining mini tour, performed at major festivals, and released her third EP, It’s Always At Night, via Warner Music Canada/East West Records. In 2026, she completed her Canada and Australia headline tour and will be opening the U.S. and Toronto dates on Hilary Duff’s upcoming Lucky Me Tour. 

Katie Tupper (@katie.tupper) – Katie Tupper’s music is led by her deep alto voice and blends soul, indie, alternative, and R&B. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Tupper’s catalogue of heartland soul has amassed 35M streams worldwide and a JUNO Award nomination. After a meteoric rise on social media, with over 40M views across short form platforms, she’s now playing sold-out headline shows across 6 different countries. Her new album, Greyhound, is a homecoming, a return to her roots with years of new experience. It embraces the expanse of the endless sky and the light of the golden fields with an undercurrent of the sidewalks and skylines she’s spent years calling home. 

Tia Wood (@tiamiscihk) – Tia’s musical journey began at home, in Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta. In her 20s, she gained a massive social media following as a creator, with many of her videos, which introduced Indigenous sounds to mainstream audiences, going viral. Her debut EP, Pretty Red Bird, was released in 2024 to widespread acclaim. She has since been nominated for two JUNO Awards for “Contemporary Indigenous Artist of Group of the Year,” performed at the broadcast alongside Snotty Nose Rez Kids, and was the First Nation Youth Recipient of the 2026 Indspire Award.    

ZALE (@zalezy) – ZALE is a Grammy and JUNO Award–winning songwriter and producer known for bridging underground culture with global pop. Mentored by Boi-1da and Stephen Kozmeniuk, he has built a career defined by high-level collaboration and genre-blending sound. He is also co-founder and co-creative director of Brain On Plants, an art and fashion house merging music, design, video and culture. His songwriting and production credits include the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Childish Gambino, and Partynextdoor. In 2025, he co-wrote two singles from The Beaches’ JUNO-winning album and wrote on Johnny Orlando and Goldie Boutilier’s most recent releases. He is set for a major 2026, having written on much of Boi-1da and Canada Soccer’s highly anticipated upcoming album, including the lead singles “Electric Circus” by Nelly Furtado and “Tasty” by Jessie Reyez. 

In the French Language category, the finalists are Benjamin Nadeau, Benny Adam, Grand Eugène, Marco Ema, and Marie Céleste.  

For more information, music streaming, and voting, visit cshf.ca/songwriter-award/ 

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