Boogey The Beat Receives 2025 Henry Armstrong Award

Acclaimed Anishinaabe DJ and producer Boogey The Beat is announced today as the 2025 recipient of the Henry Armstrong Award (HAA), a bursary and mentorship program dedicated to developing, elevating, and supporting the diverse talents within the Canadian Indigenous music community. Boogey The Beat will receive a $10,000 bursary and a customized mentorship program designed to support his professional growth, chosen by a juried selection process via a committee of Canadian music industry professionals.

Boogey The Beat (Les Boulanger) has long been a driving force behind the scenes, crafting genre-bending soundscapes that fuse traditional Anishinaabe rhythms with modern electronic and hip-hop influences. Known for his collaborations with trailblazing artists like The Halluci Nation and Snotty Nose Rez Kids, and for performances across Turtle Island, Boogey stepped into the spotlight with Cousins, his debut EP and a bold, beat-driven celebration of kinship, culture, and community. Rooted in his signature “pow wow step” sound, the project channels both joy and resistance, honouring Indigenous traditions while reimagining them for the dancefloor.

Boogey The Beat shares:

​​”Winning the Henry Armstrong Award is an incredible honour. As an Anishinaabe artist, my mission has always been to bridge generations through sound; blending the heartbeat of our ancestors with the energy of today. This recognition isn’t just for me — it’s for my community, my culture, and every voice that’s ever been silenced or overlooked. This opportunity fuels my drive to continue preserving our stories, amplifying our sound, and building a music career rooted in culture, truth, and innovation. I’ll keep creating, sharing, and honouring the path that brought me here, while paving the way forward.”

Past recipients of the Henry Armstrong Award have seen a significant impact on their careers, using the bursary and mentorship to take their artistry to new heights. Inaugural winner Kyle McKearney called the experience a “game-changer,” opening major doors for his career in the Americana/Roots/Country scene, while Edmonton-based Métis singer-songwriter Kaeley Jade (2023) described the program as “an integral part” of her career development, providing invaluable industry connections and guidance as she prepared to record her next project. 2024 winners City Natives credited the award with giving them their first real project budget, helping them collaborate with Multi-Platinum artist Classified on their next album.

The Henry Armstrong Award is made possible by MDM Recordings Inc. Named for MDM Recordings Inc. president and founder Mike Denney’s grandfather Lloyd Henry and mother Gloria Denney (née Armstrong), both fellow Six Nations Lower Mohawk, The Henry Armstrong Award is backed by a committee united with the goal of promoting inclusivity, equity, and equality in the Canadian music industry and beyond.

The HAA icon was conceptualized and designed by Leticia Spence from Pimicikamak and Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Spence is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Treaty One territory.