History
Creative Partnerships for Positive Impact
Hitmakerz is an innovative social enterprise dedicated to empowering artists to share their stories, preserve their cultures, and build sustainable careers in the creative industries. Founded in 2016 as a record label and touring company specializing in Inuit pop music, Hitmakerz began by producing world-class music and providing workshops in remote areas of the Canadian Arctic. It has since evolved into a multifaceted consulting agency, supporting Indigenous, Canadian, and international artists and cultural organizations through a wide range of services, including strategic planning, fundraising, project management, marketing, media production, event coordination, and professional training. Committed to kindness, inclusivity, and sustainability, Hitmakerz prioritizes the well-being of artists, striving to create win-win situations and foster a thriving, global community of collaboration.
Press / Media Mentions
2024 Nunavut News: Sanikiluaq relaunches summer music festival
2024 CBC News: Taloyoak band, Nickelback producer set up recording hub in Arctic community
2023 Nunatsiaq News: Pangnirtung artist nabs 2 Summer Solstice music nominations
2023 Tinnitist: Arctic Music Conference & Awards Show Heats Up
2023 That Eric Alper: Arctic Music Conference and Arctic Music Awards Lineup Released
2023 Nunatsiaq News: Fans get to choose winners for Arctic Music Awards
2023 CTV News: Nunavut plans to support Inuit language, culture with new music industry association
2023 Nunavut News: Nunavut Music Association founded
2023 Nunatsiaq News: Association to support Nunavut artists set to launch this spring
2022 Nunatsiaq News: NUPOP concert highlights week of music development workshops
2022 CBC Radio Ottawa: Hitmakerz label puts spotlight on Inuit artists from Nunavut
2022 Ottawa Region Giving Guide 2022: Three Future Leaders share their experiences
2022 Radio-Canada: La parole aux premiers peuples (the word to the first peoples)
2021 Ryerson University: Promoting Indigenous culture, building sustainable careers in the music industry
2021 Nunavut News: Kinngait Elders record Inuktitut songs dating back more than 1,000 years
2021 Arctic Journal: Project preserves oral traditions
2021 Nunatsiaq News: Inuit artists gather in Ottawa for collaboration-filled week
2021 CBC Radio Ottawa: Nunavut artists soak up 'creative energy' at Ottawa music retreat
2021 Nunavut News: One-week creative hub has Nunavut Hitmakerz artists excited
2021 Roots Music: Hitmakerz connecting Inuit artists with industry heavy hitters
2020 SOCAN Magazine / Words & Music: Advocating For The Nunavut Sound
2019 Above & Beyond/Arctic Journal Showcasing Nunavut’s Musical Talent
2019 Nunavut News: Iqaluit musician teaches ukuleles to youth in three communities
2019 Canadian Beats: Angela Amarualik releases video for “Sapingillunga”
2019 Nunavut News: Angela Amarualik earns Indigenous Music Award
2019 Nunatsiaq News: Up-and-coming Inuit singer shares her struggles with shyness
2018 CBC’s The National: Inuit singer-songwriter Kelly Fraser | Fight for the Rights
2018 Above & Beyond: Nunavut Hitmakerz – Inspiring a new generation of artists
2017 Northern Public Affairs: Nunavut Hitmakerz: Giving Young Nunavummiut A Voice
2017 Nunatsiaq News: Growing music-makers here at home
2017 Nunatsiaq News: New guide offers help and hope to potential homeowners
2016 CBC News Nunavut 'Chasing their dreams:' Nunavut Hitmakerz hold music workshops
Awards & Accolades
2023 “For your Grammy Awards® Consideration” - Angela Amarualik - Best Regional Roots Music Album
2023 “For your Grammy Awards® Consideration” - Qattuu - Best Regional Roots Music Album
2023 Arctic Music Awards and Arctic Music Conference: FACTOR Success Story 2022-2023 Annual Report
2023 Nominee: Breakout West Industry Awards: Hitmakerz “Community Excellence”
2023 Indigenous HipHop Awards: Hip Hop Album of the Year – Therapy Sessions, Shauna Seeteenak
2023 Recommended for Polaris Music Prize – Qattuu “Midnight Sun”
2023 Nominee: SSIMA: Inuit Artist/Group of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak
2023 Nominee: SSIMA: Inuit Artist/Group of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: SSIMA: Inuit Artist/Group of the Year – Joey Nowyuk
2023 Nominee: SSIMA: Inuit Artist/Group of the Year – Brenda Montana
2023 Nominee: SSIMA: Roots Album of the Year – Joey Nowyuk
2023 Winner: Arctic Music Awards: Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Artist of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Angela Amarualik ft. Qattuu
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Music Video of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Album of the Year – Angela Amarualik
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Brenda Montana
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Aocelyn
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Artist of the Year – Aocelyn
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year – Aocelyn
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Music Video of the Year – Aocelyn
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Album of the Year – Aocelyn
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year – Jacob Okatsiak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Artist of the Year – Jacob Okatsiak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Jacob Okatsiak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Music Video of the Year – Jacob Okatsiak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Indigenous Artist/Group of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Artist of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Single of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak
2023 Nominee: Arctic Music Awards: Album of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak
2022 Winner: #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Looee “Mumik&alirunnuk (Haali Jaali)”
2022 #5 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Jacob Okatsiak “Fly High”
2022 Guest Lecturer: Toronto Metropolitan University, Digital Media Entrepreneurship, Toronto, ON
2022 Speaker & Panelist: Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, Ottawa, ON
2022 Speaker & Panelist: Resource Fair, House of Paint Festival, Ottawa, ON
2022 Speaker & Panelist: Tourism & Cultural Industries, Sealing and Fur, Nunavut Trade Show, Iqaluit, NU
2022 Indigenous HipHop Awards: Hip Hop Album of the Year – Therapy Sessions, Shauna Seeteenak
2022 Indigenous Hip Hop Awards: Breakthrough Artists of the Year – Therapy Sessions, Shauna Seeteenak
2022 Curated Hitmakerz playlist in partnership with Canada Council for the Arts and Arctic Arts Summit
2022 Capital Music Awards (Ottawa Music Industry Coalition) – Hitmakerz “Community Impact Award”
2022 #8 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Aocelyn “Wrong Guy”
2022 Nominee: Juno Award: Best Classical Album – Messiah’s Complex', Looee
2022 Nominee: Native American Music Awards: Single of the Year – Shauna Seeteenak “Better with You”
2022 Nominee: Native American Music Awards: Best Folk/Americana Video – Joey Nowyuk “Nalligigakku”
2022 Nominee: Native American Music Awards: Best Traditional Vocal Album – Joey Nowyuk “Nalligigakku”
2021 Winner: BRCC Business Award – Special Achievement Award – Hitmakerz
2021 Speaker & Panelist: Lyrics, Languages, and Music, Indie Week, Toronto, ON
2021 Music video featured in imagineNATIVE film festival – Joey Nowyuk/Shauna Seeteenak “Pray”
2021 Winner: #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Joey Nowyuk/Shauna Seeteenak “Pray”
2020 Winner: #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Joey Nowyuk “Nalligigakku”
2020 Winner: Indigenous Music Award: Best Music Video – Joey Nowyuk
2019 Winner: #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown – Ajungi feat. Angela Amarualik
2019 Nominated: Indigenous Music Award: Best Producer – Angela Amarualik
2019 Winner: Indigenous Music Award: Best Indigenous Language Album – Angela Amarualik
2019 Nominee: Indigenous Music Award: Best New Artist – Angela Amarualik
2019 Nominee: Indigenous Music Award: Best Folk Album – Aasiva “Aasiva”
2019 Nominee: Indigenous Music Award: Best New Artist – Aasiva
2019 Keynote Speaker – Northern Perspectives Conference, Winnipeg, MB
2018 #3 in Pop Album Sales, iTunes Canada – Aasiva “Aasiva”
2018 Nominee: Juno Award: R&B/Soul Recording of the Year – Human, Jhyve
2018 Nominee: Juno Award: Best Indigenous Album – Sedna, Kelly Fraser
2018 Nominee: Indigenous Music Award: Best Pop Album – Sedna, Kelly Fraser
Testimonials
“Hitmakerz has challenged me to follow my dreams of becoming an independent artist and is making it a reality.” – Qattuu (Artist)
“Hitmakerz has taken me to the next level. It's so vital to have this kind of support as an artist.” – Looee (Artist)
“Hitmakerz gave me the confidence that I can become who I dream to be. Hitmakerz is a great help and is very professional.” – Aocelyn (Artist)
"I love working with Hitmakerz. They have introduced me to some awesome Indigenous talent, a new generation of artists who will help make a better world." – Chris Birkett (Music Producer for Buffy Sainte Marie, Quincy Jones, Peter Gabrieal Sting, etc.)
“[Hitmakerz] has opened my eyes to a whole new way of life in the North. The opportunity Hitmakerz is providing artists is really quite special and something I can be proud of being a part of.” – Dale Penner (Music Producer for Nickelback, Loverboy, SM6, etc.)
“Working with Hitmakerz has helped me to achieve a sense of purpose with my work. Knowing that we are working together to spread Inuit music is a great feeling.” – Teaville Bourque (Music Producer, Professor of Music Industry Arts program, Algonquin College)
“Interning at Hitmakerz was a wonderful opportunity for me to exercise and enhance the skills I learned through post-secondary education. I am grateful for my time immersed in the Hitmakerz workplace and am happy to have had the opportunity to be part of the Hitmakerz family.” – Kendra Seguin (Intern, Summer 2022)
“My time with the company was a journey; many times, they have thrown me straight into different projects, and I could not be more thankful as it helped me get more of a sense of how the job works and not hold my hand through the entire process. I was fortunate enough also to help create an experience that one can get from one job. Overall my experience at Hitmakerz was something that I would not trade for anything else.” – Alison Au (Intern, Winter 2023)
"Forever and always, thank you for everything, Hitmakerz." – Chris Vasilakos (Intern, Fall 2023)