Jessie Reyez and Drake to receive special achievement honours at the 2026 SOCAN Awards in Toronto

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SOCAN says Jessie Reyez will receive the international achievement award for representing Canada on the global stage and influencing music and culture with her talent. SOCAN also states Reyez has won several Juno Awards and collaborated with artists including Eminem and Beyoncé.

For his part, SOCAN says Drake will claim his fifth consecutive award for songwriter of the year in the performer category for his unmatched influence on music worldwide.

The SOCAN Awards will be held Oct. 26 at Rebel nightclub in Toronto, hosted by actor Andrew Phung and TV personality Arisa Cox. SOCAN, which stands for the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, describes itself as a non-profit that manages licensing fees and protects the rights of homegrown songwriters.

Other honourees announced by SOCAN include Toronto rapper Maestro Fresh Wes, and producers Anthony Davis and Peter Davis, for their 1989 hit “Let Your Backbone Slide.” SOCAN calls the song a global success story, saying it was the first single from a Canadian hip-hop artist to go gold in the country.

SOCAN also says Quebec singer-songwriter Peter Peter will receive the global impact award for composing the original music for Crave’s hit hockey romance “Heated Rivalry.” Calgary singer-songwriter-producer Jenna Andrews is set to receive songwriter of the year in the non-performer category for co-writing and co-producing songs on the soundtrack for Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.”

The organization adds that Toronto’s Nathan Micay will receive the breakout composer award for scoring HBO’s high-finance drama “Industry,” and that Victoria singer-songwriter Jade LeMac will be presented the breakout songwriter award as one of the most exciting new voices in Canadian music.

SOCAN says winners will receive “The SOCAN,” a trophy that also functions as a musical instrument, with five custom bronze crotales tuned this year to the notes from “Let Your Backbone Slide.”

The release also notes that last month SOCAN launched a lawsuit against U.S. artificial intelligence company Suno, alleging its music generator copied songs in its repertoire without permission or compensation.