ABOUT The Native-E Music Awards
In an effort to create an even larger mainstream awareness of the growing industry of both contemporary and traditional
Native American and Aboriginal music, the Native-E Music Awards® was created. Operating under
the umbrella of the
National Native American Urban Music Association, Inc.
a 501(c)(3) organization, the awards show is a
non-profit based event founded and operated by and for Native American and Aboriginal Peoples. The awards show is designed to aid our Native American and Aboriginal musical
talent all throughout the United States and Canada, in the advancement into the mainstream music industry.
The Native-E Music Awards® is founded on the principle of recognizing true Native American and Aboriginal
contemporary and traditional music based on the artist’s respective musical talent alone. Whether the artist is a seasoned
industry veteran or a newcomer who just finished their first “garage band” demo, consideration for an award in either case
will be given the same equal and un-biased opportunity. Artist popularity, distribution, album sales, or time in the
industry will hold no value in the judging process, but will hold value in the "Excellence in Musical Achievement" sub-category.
The Native-E Music Awards® will also seek to develop and promote a more
profound awareness and recognition of our Native American and Aboriginal music sector that is classified as
“mainstream music." This sector does not fall under the umbrella of the more traditional contemporary and traditional
Native American and Aboriginal music niche more predominantly promoted to the mainstream society.
In a condensed minority based industry at its beginning stages of growth and development such as the Native
American and Aboriginal music industry, its talent base is more susceptible to the possibility of being overlooked or
failing to be reached, nurtured or recognized. Some factors for this reason include the lack or availability of proper
production resources, artist location, marketing outlets, industry awareness, financial support, and suitable recognition processes.
Efforts have been made towards the latter factor but are more based on the model of a popular mainstream recognition
process, such as the
GRAMMYS®. Although these efforts are
commendable, this majority “member-based” voting process is
ineffective in a small “close-knit” industry and where there exists a small amount of record companies who retain the vast
majority of its industry’s talent base. This "member-based" voting process is more suitable for a more diverse and global
industry.
In order to thwart this process and instill integrity in the voting process, the Native-E Music Awards® will introduce
a revolutionary new recognition process for the Native American and Aboriginal music industry. Award recognition will be
based and judged on in the various creative and technical processes of recording, but ultimately keeping to the principle
of judging the true and actual “musical talent” of the artist.
Judges outside the domain of the Native American and Aboriginal
music industry will be utilized in order to eliminate the possibility of any potential favoritism from any familiarity with
the artist. The exception to this rule will be the traditional categories which will utilize Native American and Aboriginal
technical advisors to the judges. Judges ballots will then be redirected to an outside accounting firm for an independent
official tally of the ballots. All judges will be selected by their involvement in the mainstream music industry on a
prominent scale, either as a record company executive, A&R personnel, DJ, talent scout, artist, producer, engineer, songwriter,
composer, music instructor, film/TV industry personnel, radio broadcast personnel, music critic, music publication or
music resource. The use of judges not directly involved in the Native American and Aboriginal
music industry will enable entrants to receive a professional un-biased decision based on the entrant’s actual talent.
By this process, these efforts will produce and bring forth our industry's most talented and capable
emerging un-tapped Native American and Aboriginal musical talent base. Our industry's talent will subsequently have the
opportunity to have their music exposed and reviewed by the some of the music industry's most experienced and respected music
professionals of today. Also, giving our entrants the parallel opportunity to create a newfound awareness of our Native
American and Aboriginal contemporary and traditional talent among mainstream music professionals.
This opportunity will give our talent the global exposure our industry deserves and has been lacking for
far too long.
Respectfully,
The 1st Annual Native-E Music Awards® Committee
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