Local musician Nina Amelio has been nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media award for her song Faded Away.
Amelio wrote the song in 2009, but didn’t record it until last year after she received a FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) grant.
Musicians submit their music to the organization and then a panel of judges makes nominations from the submissions. Nominees are announced in batches over several months. So far, of the 59 nominees in the music genre, Amelio is the only nominee in the pop category.
“I was very, very excited. It actually came at the right time — my grandma had just passed away,” said Amelio. “So I was going through a bit of sadness. It kind of came as a surprise at the right time.”
Amelio is now making plans to attend the awards ceremony in Hollywood, Calif. in November. The event includes red carpet arrivals, a banquet, the actual awards show and an after party.
Amelio hopes the nomination will be a boost to her singing career.
“There is more exposure — and if I attend, you never know who is going to be there,” she said.
Faded Away and Amelio’s other music can be found at ninaamelio.com and on iTunes.
Amelio will be performing throughout the region the this summer. You can catch her in Castlegar at the Garden and Art tour on July 8, the Kootenay Music Fest on July 22 at Millennium Park, the Thirsty Duck on Aug. 13 and the Pass Creek Fall Fair in September.