Toronto hip-hop producer ZALE and Montreal indie-pop band Marie Céleste are the recipients of this year’s Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame breakthrough songwriter award.
The annual honour recognizes emerging Canadian talent shaping the future of songwriting.
ZALE, the non-French-language recipient, is a Grammy and Juno Award-winning songwriter and producer whose credits span artists including Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and PARTYNEXTDOOR. His work has generated hundreds of millions of global streams and includes recent releases by The Beaches, Nelly Furtado and Jessie Reyez.
Marie Céleste, the French-language winners, are a five-member collective known for blending folk, indie pop, art rock and electronic influences. Their 2026 album “Tout ce qui brille” surpassed one million Spotify streams.
This year’s award, presented by TikTok, includes a $7,500 cash prize and career development support.
The winners will be recognized at the 2026 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Toronto Sept. 26, alongside inductees The Tragically Hip, Mike Reno and Paul Dean of Loverboy, Leslie Feist and Roch Voisine.
Established in 2017, the breakthrough songwriter award has previously recognized artists including Jessie Reyez, Charlotte Cardin, Mustafa, Les Louanges and Ariane Roy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2026.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
