Red Pheasant’s Biz Nico wins 2026 Gospel Recording of the Year at SIMA awards

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For the Red Pheasant Cree Nation artist, encounters like that give meaning to the message of hope behind his music. Now, that music has earned him Gospel Recording of the Year at the 2026 Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association Awards.

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“I wasn’t really expecting to win the award of the night.”

The recognition marks another step in a musical journey that began with community meals, grew through an unlikely introduction to rap and took on new meaning after the loss of his parents.

Back in 2014, Biz Nico began holding backyard gatherings that combined music, messages of hope and food for the community.

He was shy, and was more interested in country music than hip hop. Then he watched Winnipeg Christian rapper and two-time Grammy nominee Fresh I.E. perform.

“I want to be able to do what he does,” he recalled thinking.

(Image Credit: Biz Nico/submitted)

Fresh I.E. became his mentor, teaching him to rap, write, and record music before taking him on the road for performances and events.

Biz Nico released his first songs in 2018. Three years later, grief following the loss of his mother and father pushed him to take it more seriously.

He wanted to carry on the community work they had done as a family, using hip hop to reach young people facing addictions and gang involvement.

“They don’t have to go down that way because we all have a purpose in our life.”

His songs also draw on struggles of his own. Save Me reflects a period of depression he experienced in 2019, and he said its message has connected with listeners.

He wants his music to offer people reassurance during difficult moments.

“There’s somebody out there that you know who can relate to what they’re going through in life.”

His Christian faith remains central to that work.

Away from the awards stage, his performances remain closely tied to outreach. This summer, he joined others for events in communities including North Battleford and Regina, combining hip-hop shows with free barbecues and clothing.

“We go get the whole community to come out for hot dogs and burgers and give them clothing and just love all them,” he said.

The group gives away about 200 to 300 hot dogs and burgers at its community gatherings, he said.

People gather at an outreach event combining music, free food and clothing. Biz Nico takes part in the initiative to offer community support and a message of hope. (Image Credit: Biz Nico/submitted)

A bus used in the outreach initiative offers people experiencing homelessness a place to warm up, along with soup and winter clothing. (Image Credit: Biz Nico/submitted)

Winter brings a different kind of support. After a break beginning in 2018, the outreach resumed in 2021 with a warming bus offering people experiencing homelessness soup, winter clothing and a place to escape the cold between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The group is now fundraising to prepare three buses for the coming winter.

“We have one bus for Regina, one bus for Saskatoon, and a bus for Prince Albert.”

Preparing each bus costs about $5,000, he said. The Saskatoon bus is roughly halfway finished, and he hopes it will be ready by November if the remaining funds are raised. Anyone interested in donating or supporting the outreach program can find more information on its Facebook page: Church in the Hood Ministries.

Meanwhile, he plans to release a new single, Honest, with a music video in about two weeks. He said he has about 20 songs ready, with more singles to come.

The award offers encouragement as he continues making music. But when he recalls the woman who approached him, he is careful about claiming credit for her achievements.

“I’m just a guy who does what I’m supposed to be, what I’m called to do.”

See below a complete list of winners from the 2026 Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association Awards:

• Country/Roots Person of the Year: Darryl Anderson
• Emerging Artist of the Year: Half-Seas Over
• Fans’ Choice of the Year: Terri-Anne Strongarm
• Female Artist of the Year: Terri-Anne Strongarm
• Gospel Recording of the Year: Biz Nico
• Instrumentalist of the Year: Joseph Desjarlais
• Male Artist of the Year: RaytheNihilist
• Rap/Hip Hop/Electronic Person of the Year: RaytheNihilist
• Rock/Heavy Metal/Blues Person or Group of the Year: Former Lovers
• Song of the Year: Darryl Anderson, “I’m A Lucky Man”
• Youth Artist of the Year: Julianna Parenteau
• The Williard Ahenakew Award: John Arcand

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kenneth.cheung@pattisonmedia.com