July, 17th, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Record Fan Vote Highlights 2026 Fraser Valley Music Awards at Jam in Jubilee

ABBOTSFORD, BC — Independent musicians from across the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver shared more than $10,170 in direct prize funding Wednesday evening as the 2026 Fraser Valley Music Awards (FVMA) celebrated another year of outstanding regional music during Jam in Jubilee in downtown Abbotsford.

The evening opened with remarks from Abbotsford-Mission MLA and Opposition Critic for Tourism Bruce Banman, who spoke about the importance of supporting local artists and recognizing the region’s creative talent before awards and performances got underway.

This year’s Dakota Leslie Memorial Fan Vote distributed prize money proportionately among 37 artists, with every vote directly increasing an artist’s share of the funding.

The night’s biggest milestone belonged to Abbotsford’s Nelly P., who set a new Fraser Valley Music Awards record by becoming the first artist in the history of the Dakota Leslie Memorial Fan Vote to earn more than 10% of all votes cast, receiving $1,027.66. Nelly P. was also recognized with the Excellence by a BIMPOC Artist Award, recognizing artistic excellence demonstrated throughout the judging process.

One of the evening’s breakout stories belonged to Chilliwack’s Adam Cebula, whose first FVMA nomination resulted in a Country Artist of the Year award while also finishing second in the Dakota Leslie Memorial Fan Vote with $898.40, capping the night as the event’s scheduled headline performer.

Surrey’s Glisha once again demonstrated remarkable audience support, finishing third in the Fan Vote after receiving more than 250 individual votes, reinforcing her place among the most successful fan-supported artists in FVMA history.

Opening performer Chilliwack’s Joe Gundrum finished fourth in the Fan Vote with $614.01 and received the Excellence by an Indigenous Artist Award, while Morning Glories, whose members hail from Mission, Langley and Surrey, rounded out the Fan Vote’s top five before also taking home Jazz Artist of the Year.

The evening also celebrated several notable career milestones. Mission’s DJ Elixir earned a fourth career FVMA with a win in the Experimental category, while White Rock’s Monica Gregory captured Hip Hop/R&B Artist of the Year in her first-ever FVMA nomination. Abbotsford’s Zeke Morales, a Jam in Jubilee volunteer who also performed during the evening, was named Classical Artist of the Year.

In addition to the genre awards, the Fraser Valley Music Awards presented four Excellence Awards recognizing outstanding artists whose work stood out across the judging process regardless of musical style:

  • Excellence by a BIMPOC Artist — Nelly P. (Abbotsford)
  • Excellence by an Indigenous Artist — Joe Gundrum (Chilliwack)
  • Excellence by a Female Artist — Carly Reirson (Abbotsford)
  • Excellence by a Queer Artist — The Out Seer (New Westminster)

The 2026 Fraser Valley Music Award winners are:

  • Punk/Metal Artist of the Year — Quickness (Maple Ridge)
  • Hip Hop/R&B Artist of the Year — Monica Gregory (White Rock)
  • Classical Artist of the Year — Zeke Morales (Abbotsford)
  • Singer-Songwriter Artist of the Year — Mark Hildebrand (Langley)
  • Rock Artist of the Year — Tess Anderson (Surrey)
  • Experimental Artist of the Year — DJ Elixir (Mission)
  • Country Artist of the Year — Adam Cebula (Chilliwack)
  • Blues Artist of the Year — Dale Sawatzky (Langley)
  • Alternative/Indie Artist of the Year — Jiya Notta (Surrey)
  • Gospel Artist of the Year — Amy Van Bergen (Surrey)
  • Jazz Artist of the Year — Morning Glories (Mission, Langley and Surrey)
  • Pop Artist of the Year — Danny Baylen (Langley)

As thunderstorms approached downtown Abbotsford, lightning forced the scheduled headline performance to be cut short for safety. Before heavy rain brought the evening to a close, Adam Cebula stepped in front of the stage to perform two acoustic songs for the audience, bringing the celebration to a memorable close despite the weather.

Now in its eleventh year, the Fraser Valley Music Awards continue to recognize and invest directly in independent musicians throughout the region. Since the awards were established, tens of thousands of dollars have been distributed directly to artists through the Dakota Leslie Memorial Fan Vote, helping support musicians while celebrating the diversity and strength of the Fraser Valley’s music community.

Media Contact

Aaron Levy
 Executive Director
 CIVL Radio
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