WINNIPEG, MB — Ivorian-Canadian bilingual singer-songwriter Carine Bado will travel to Calgary, Alberta this month to take part in the 2026 Canadian Selah Music Awards (CSMA), where she has been nominated in two categories: African Artist of the Year and Female Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
The recognition comes on the strength of her 2025 single "A Blessing in the Making," the latest chapter in a career marked by steady growth and critical acclaim. Bado's debut EP, Found & Crowned (2023), won Song of the Year at the GMA Covenant Awards, and her music has since reached over 490,000 Spotify streams with airplay on more than 10 Canadian radio stations.
Bado's involvement with the CSMA spans both days of the event. On Friday, June 26, she will lead a workshop as part of the day's industry programming at First Alliance Church. On Saturday, June 27, she will attend the Awards Ceremony at the Martha Cohen Theatre as a nominee in both categories.
"This is a meaningful moment in my journey as an artist," said Bado. "Being recognized alongside artists from across the country, and having the chance to share what I've learned with other musicians through the workshop, means everything. My music comes from my story — migration, identity, resilience — and to bring that story to a national stage is something I don't take for granted."
With over 15 years building her artistic practice in Manitoba, Bado has performed at major showcases including the Manitoba Music BPM Showcase, Covenant Awards Showcase, and Family Fun Fest, where she opened for Rend Collective. Her bilingual songwriting (English/French) blends Afro-contemporary, Pop, and R&B influences, drawing on her Ivorian-Canadian heritage to create music rooted in collective and cross-cultural resonance.
The 2026 Canadian Selah Music Awards take place June 26–27, 2026, in Calgary, Alberta.
For more information, interviews, or press inquiries, contact: carinebadomusic@gmail.com