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Alexandria's music scene punched above its weight at the 37th annual Wammie Music Awards on March 28, with two of the city's own taking home top honors at Capital Turnaround before a packed house of regional music fans.
Rapper #MalNoCrawford won best rap/hip-hop artist or group, and rock act MAYSUNS claimed best rock artist or group — the city's two wins headlining what organizers called a record-setting night for the DMV's longest-running local music celebration. Produced by The MusicianShip, the event drew more than 900 nominations and topped 32,000 votes, the highest totals in the awards' history. The evening carried the theme "Life, Legacy & Lyrics."
The wins capped a strong outing for the city. Eight Alexandria-based finalists had combined for 12 nominations across hip-hop, rock, pop, funk, inspirational, classical, electronic and punk — a cross-section that organizers said reflected the depth and range of the local music community. The finalists included Kinda Evil, who earned three nominations across rock, hard rock/metal and punk categories for their album "Hard to Believe"; George Katsos, who was recognized in both the inspirational and classical EP categories; Madz and Jason Masi, who were each nominated for best funk song; Jay Columbus in electronic/techno; and Lena Traynham in pop for her album "twenty somethin'."
The night's scope extended beyond Alexandria. More than 50 awards were presented across genres ranging from go-go and gospel to jazz, Latin, and classical, with Nina Brown and Allison Seymour co-hosting. Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and WHUR host Raheem DeVaughn was among the evening's honorees.
What comes next
For the Alexandria contingent, the Wammies appear to be a launching pad rather than a finish line.
#MalNoCrawford is at work on his seventh album and expanding his online presence. MAYSUNS is building on its win through live performance clips and a slate of upcoming shows. Madz, who was nominated for best funk song with "Feel the Vibe," will headline the Alexandria Jazz Festival in Old Town this June and continues to tour internationally. George Katsos is preparing his sixth adult contemporary EP alongside a new blues collective. Kinda Evil is promoting "Hard to Believe" while booking new dates. Jay Columbus is pushing fresh mixes and production work online. Lena Traynham is connecting with fans through acoustic sets and continuing to promote "twenty somethin'." And Jason Masi, a perennial fixture on the local circuit, maintains a regular live schedule.
The results mark the second consecutive year Alexandria artists have made a significant showing at the Wammies, building on a finalists story The Alexandria Brief covered in February when eight city musicians survived a public voting round of nearly 1,000 ballots to advance to the ceremony.
