Nemahsis and Rau_Ze Named 2025 Recipients of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Breakthrough Songwriter Award

Emerging songwriters will be honoured at the CSHF Legends Induction events in Toronto and Montréal alongside this year’s inductees, bridging Canada’s songwriting legacy with its next generation

For Immediate Release – Thursday, September 18, 2025, Toronto (ON) — The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Breakthrough Songwriter Award, Nemahsis (Anglophone Winner) and Rau_Ze (Francophone Winner), presented by the SOCAN Foundation with support from Amazon Music. The award reveals Canadian emerging songwriters on the rise, highlighting their current achievements and spotlighting their bright futures on the global stage.

The non-French-language winner is Nemahsis. A Palestinian-Canadian singer-songwriter, Nemahsis has earned international recognition for her powerful voice and deeply personal storytelling that explores identity, belonging, and the lived experience of being a hijabi Muslim woman. Her debut album Verbathim (2024) received critical acclaim and praise from icons such as Stevie Wonder and Elton John. In 2025, she completed a sold-out North American tour and won two JUNO Awards, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Recently named Women In Music’s Artist of the Year, Nemahsis continues to redefine independence in music, blending pop, R&B, and alternative sounds with narrative depth, cultural clarity, and authenticity.

The French-language winner is Montreal duo Rau_Ze, comprised Rose Perron and Félix Paul. Blending R&B, neo-soul, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, their music is praised for its authenticity and irresistible groove. Winners of the ADISQ 2024 Félix for R&B/Soul Album of the Year, the Prix Félix-Leclerc 2025, and named Révélation Radio-Canada 2024–25, Rau_Ze’s debut album Virer nos vies tackles themes of love, mental health, and feminism with depth and passion. With more than 125 performances including appearances at major festivals such as Francos de Montréal, FEQ, and Osheaga,  the duo recently signed with Wagram Music’s WLab to launch their European career.

Established in 2017, the Breakthrough Songwriter Award has previously recognized songwriters including Aaron Paris, Fredz, Eli Brown, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Mustafa, Ariane Roy, Charlotte Cardin, Jessie Reyez, Lowell, and Les Louanges. This year’s winners, one in each of the French-language and non-French-language categories, were selected from a pool of 35 candidates, narrowed down to 12 finalists by a jury of music industry professionals, with thousands of fan votes also contributing to the final tally.

Reflecting on this year’s selection, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Executive Director Nick Fedor emphasized the importance of recognizing the next generation of songwriters: “This award celebrates and supports the next generation of Canadian songwriters, reflecting our mission to honour both the legacy and the future of Canadian music. We are proud to recognize their contributions to the craft and extend our congratulations to this year’s recipients.”

Each winner will receive a $7,500 cash prize tied to a customized career development plan, along with global exposure through Amazon Music playlisting and resources, thanks to the support of the SOCAN Foundation and Amazon Music.

The Breakthrough Songwriter Award winners will be recognized at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Legends Induction Series events, taking place October 17 at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre and November 17 at Montréal’s Espace St-Denis. Tickets for the induction event at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre on October 17 are on sale via Ticketmaster HERE. Tickets for the Montreal event on November 17 are available at Espace St-Denis HERE.

For more information, please visit: www.cshf.ca.

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ABOUT THE 2025 CSHF LEGENDS INDUCTION SERIES

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Legends Induction Series, presented by RBC, returns to Toronto and Montréal in 2025 to honour nine legendary artists whose work has shaped Canadian culture and influenced music worldwide. On October 17, the Toronto event at the Meridian Arts Centre will honour Andy Kim, Jane Siberry, Ian Thomas, Triumph, and Gino Vannelli, while the Montréal event on November 17 at Espace St-Denis will pay tribute to François Cousineau, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Michel Pagliaro, and Florent Vollant. Each event will feature unforgettable performances, tributes, and the presentation of the Breakthrough Songwriter Award, bridging generations of songwriters and showcasing the depth and diversity of Canadian music.

ABOUT CANADIAN SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME (CSHF)

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is a national and non-profit organization that is dedicated to honouring and celebrating Canadian songwriters and those who’ve dedicated their lives to the legacy of music. The CSHF also works to educate the public about these achievements and to foster the next generation of songwriters through year-round initiatives and events. In December of 2011, SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) acquired the CSHF; however, the Hall of Fame continues to be run as a separate organization and is guided by its own Board of Directors, comprised of both Anglophone and Francophone music creators and publishers, as well as representation from the record industry. The CSHF’s mandate aligns with SOCAN’s objectives as a songwriter and publisher membership-based organization. For more information, visit www.cshf.ca

ABOUT THE SOCAN FOUNDATION

The SOCAN Foundation fosters, sustains, and promotes the creation of Canadian music. Through grants, awards, and programs, the Foundation supports SOCAN members at all stages of their careers, alongside music creators, publishers, and organizations across the country. Guided by its vision, SOCAN Foundation works to create an environment where Canadian music and its creators thrive, while deepening public understanding of the vital role music plays in society. For more information, visit www.socanfoundation.ca.  

ABOUT AMAZON MUSIC

Amazon Music is an immersive audio entertainment service that connects fans, artists, and creators through music, podcasts, and culture. Amazon Music brings fans closer to what they love, with curated and personalized playlists, artist livestreams, artist merch, and Amazon Exclusive podcasts. Prime members get access to millions of songs in shuffle mode, All-Access playlists, plus the largest catalog of top ad-free podcasts, included with their membership. Customers can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited for full, on-demand access to millions of songs in HD, a growing catalog of Ultra HD and Spatial audio, and the world’s largest selection of audiobooks from Audible. Anyone can listen to Amazon Music by downloading the free Amazon Music app, or wherever they listen to music including Alexa-enabled devices. Learn more at www.amazonmusic.com.