Allison Russell toasts Joni Mitchell at SOCAN Awards, Drake leads with six wins

Singer-songwriter Allison Russell performs in honour of Joni Mitchell, who won the cultural impact award at the 2025 SOCAN awards in Toronto, on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

TORONTO — Allison Russell paid a gentle tribute to her friend and mentor Joni Mitchell at the SOCAN Awards on Monday night, while superstar Drake emerged as the big winner.

Even though the Toronto rapper didn’t show up for the industry soiree, he walked away with a historic six wins — the most of any artist in one year — including his fourth consecutive award for songwriter of the year in the performer category.

He also pocketed three rap music trophies, an R&B award and a dance music prize for his appearance on “Sideways,” a song by Maryland-raised DJ Gordo.

• In Pictures: 2025 SOCAN Awards in Toronto

Dozens of SOCAN awards were handed out to homegrown songwriters, composers and music publishers at Toronto’s Rebel concert venue. The SOCAN ceremony uses a conveyor-belt style of naming winners in small batches of around three to five awards in each genre with only some of them giving speeches.

It was Russell closing the night with a performance of Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” that quieted the often rowdy room. The song earned Mitchell this year’s cultural impact award for its lasting presence.

And while the 81-year-old didn’t attend the ceremony herself, Russell willingly carried her torch. She stepped onto the stage in a black dress and a red beret that unmistakably recalled Mitchell’s favourite headpiece.

Russell lit a candle and picked up a photograph of Mitchell’s legendary first performance at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival from the podium beside her. She then recited a poem she wrote about the singer-songwriter some time ago.

“When something’s lost, something’s won. Love, hope, truth abide,” she said, in part.

“When Joni sings, when Joni writes, we cry.”

The Montreal native sang and played “Both Sides, Now” on the clarinet, earning a standing ovation from many in the audience, including Canadian composer Stephan Moccio.

Russell has held a connection with Mitchell for many years. She was originally invited by Brandi Carlile to be part of the Joni Jams, a private event for musicians who join Mitchell at her Los Angeles home to play together. Since then, she’s performed alongside her at many events, including the 2024 Grammy Awards.

Before Russell sang, the audience watched footage from a recent ceremony in L.A. where Zaib Shaikh, the local consul general of Canada, gave the singer-songwriter her SOCAN trophy.

The hardware doubles as a musical instrument, its five custom bronze crotales tuned this year with notes from “Both Sides, Now.”

“It plays right?” Mitchell asks in the video, before she’s seen knocking out the tune with a xylophone mallet.

Other big SOCAN winners this year included Evan Blair, whose co-writing effort on Benson Boone’s smash hit “Beautiful Things” earned him three awards. The track landed a pop music award, the international song award, and captured Blair this year’s songwriter award for a non-performer.

Canadian songwriting team Lowell, bülow and Nathan Ferraro continued to feel the love for Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

The trio received SOCAN’s international achievement award for their work on the song, which already took home an award in the country genre category at last year’s ceremony. Ferraro quipped on the red carpet, it was “the song that keeps on giving.”

Boi-1da received the global impact award for his contributions to an array of rap and R&B lyrics over his career, which include songs by Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Drake.

After thanking his family and Drake, who he credited for changing his life, he turned his appreciation to his Toronto hometown.

“One of the most cultured, most accepting (cities), one of the most culturally rich when it comes to music,” said the producer, born Matthew Samuels.

“This award isn’t just about me. It’s about the culture that raised me,” he added.

The breakout songwriter award went to Punjabi performer Shubh, whose start in Brampton, Ont., has led to global hits that include “Supreme” and “Cheques.”

Swiss hip-hop creator OZ was named producer of the year for his work making hits with the likes of Drake, Travis Scott and Jack Harlow.

His two young children joined him as he delivered his acceptance speech.

“I’m happy they’re (here) because they were always thinking, ‘Yo, I think my dad is unemployed because he’s just at home making beats,’” he joked.

“I had to get them on stage with me to show them I do something.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2025.

David Friend, The Canadian Press