Montreal, April 27, 2024 - To a packed house, live from Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, Gala Dynastie’s Soirée Culture was held, during which the Fondation Dynastie unveiled the fourteen winners of the 8th edition of this major annual celebration, which highlights the achievements of personalities from Quebec's Black communities who have distinguished themselves in the fields of arts and culture.
First-time host of the Gala Dynastie's Soirée Culture, comedian Garihanna Jean-Louis charmed the audience with her versatility and showmanship, alternating between moments of deep reflection and pure Black Joy.
Author of the Year: Kharoll-Ann Souffrant
Stage Actor of the Year (Theatre): Maryline Chery
Actor of the Year (Movie / Tv): Florence Blain-Mbaye
Visual Artist of the Year: Manuel Mathieu
International Artist or Musical Group of the Year: Kaytranada
Musical Revelation of the Year : Täbï Yösha
Comedian of the Year : Garihanna Jean-Louis
World Music Artist or Group of the Year: Pierre Kwenders
Dance Personality of the Year: Axelle "Ebony" Munezero
Video of the Year: Malsain et Sauf, Lost
Filmmaker / Director of the Year: Laura Kamugisha
Anglophone Artist or Group of the Year: Planet Giza
Francophone Artist or Group of the Year: Lost
As usual, the public was invited to vote for their favorite personality from among all the Media & Culture Soirées finalists. Over 5,000 votes were cast during the voting period. It was Émilie Lafortune who came out on top, with more than half the votes in her favor.
To rapturous applause, international jazz legend Dr. Oliver Jones was presented with the prestigious Grand Prix Dynastie (Prix Doudou-Boicel) presented by TD, which recognizes the commitment, impact and outstanding contribution of an artist from the Black community to the promotion of culture. The world-renowned pianist, whose career spanned almost 80 years, was one of Canada's most decorated musical figures and considered one of its most eminent cultural ambassadors.
The sudden death in 2022 of singer Michael Benjamin, aka Mikaben, has left a huge void in the international artistic community and the Haitian population. A true ambassador for his native country, he helped spread the richness of Haiti's cultural heritage and restore Haitian konpa to its former glory. Singer-songwriter Marco Volcy paid a vibrant tribute to the immense talent of the posthumous recipient of the Prix Héritage Dynastie presented by Héma-Québec, with an emotional medley of some of the artist's hits.
Recipient of the Prix Icône Dynastie presented by SODEC, Corneille received a big dose of love from the audience. Life is smiling on this singer-songwriter, who recently released his latest opus, L'écho des perles, revisiting lesser-known songs from his repertoire. This award crowns 20 years of a brilliant international career for a multidisciplinary artist in tune with his generation and constantly renewing himself.
“More than a celebration, the Gala Dynastie is an opportunity to showcase the undeniable talent of artists and creators from our cultural and artistic communities. I salute their work, which contributes to the vitality of this industry here and to the influence of Afro-descendant culture beyond our borders. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists,” said Carla Beauvais, Co-founder and Executive Director of Fondation Dynastie.
An evening rich in emotion and memorable performances!
The Gala Dynastie’s Soirée Culture got off to a strong start with a solid opening number mixing hip-hop, classical music, rock and urban dance with musicians from Ensemble Obiora, young pianist Sem, SLM, Ruben Brutus, Jr Maddripp, Whimz, Lukay, DJ Shortcut and dance troupe Mafa Studio.
A touching moment of the evening was Jennifer-Lee's magnificent rendition of Je m'en veux in support of singer Mélanie Renaud, who continues her courageous battle against illness.
Quebec rapper of Guinean and native origin, Joseph Sarenhes, offered a breathtaking number with an original piece entitled Black Jesus.
Singer Hawa B also introduced us to her daring repertoire of soul, rock and jazz in an electrifying performance.
To round off the evening, several artists from Quebec's urban scene took it in turns to perform R&B, soul and rap classics from the last 50 years. Marième, Ya Cetidon, Naïma Frank, Nicole Musoni, Maky Lavender, Skandal, Barnev, KidCrayola, Dj Crowd (Sans Pression) and dance troupe Mafa Studio brought the crowd to its feet!
The Gala Dynastie’s Soirée Culture will be rebroadcast on Natyf TV on April 28 at 8pm.
To find out more about the Gala Dynastie, visit: www.galadynastie.com
Fondation Dynastie would like to thank its wonderful partners: TD Bank Group, SODEC, Natyf TV, Bell, CN, Ubisoft, Groupe 3737, Ville de Montréal, Heritage Canada, Canada Media Fund, Conseil des arts de Montréal, Telefilm Canada, Expert'Ease, Léonard Médias, Place des Arts, Musicaction, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Black History Month Round Table, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Distillerie Rosemont and L'Oréal.
ABOUT FONDATION DYNASTIE
Since 2016, Fondation Dynastie works for more equitable, meaningful representation of Black communities in the arts, culture, and media. Through various cultural-mediation initiatives, the organization seeks to break down barriers and create opportunities that promote visibility and recognition of talent from these communities and reduce representation-related inequalities for Black communities in the cultural and media sectors. The foundation also supports the development and professionalization of up-and-coming talent. fondationdynastie.com
ABOUT GALA DYNASTIE
Gala Dynastie highlights and celebrates the exceptional achievements of personalities from Quebec’s Black communities who have distinguished themselves in media, the arts, and culture. Presented in two parts, the Soirée Médias and Soirée Culture, this event honours the wealth and diversity of Black talents that transcend borders, while highlighting their important contribution to the cultural, artistic, and media industries. galadynastie.com
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Source:
Fondation Dynastie
Bellande Montour
Head of Communications & Marketing
commdirection@fondationdynastie.com
Media relations – Gala Dynastie:
Felipe del Pozo
C: 514 616-4713
B: 514 357-6352
felipe@felipeRP.com