CALIFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS

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CALFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS

9th Annual California Music Video Awards Pre-Announce Winners and Honorees in Selected Categories

TasteTV and the CALIFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS announce the advance release of selected Award Winners in designated music video and film categories for the 9th Annual awards competition.

In addition, selected recipients of the Special Achievement Awards have been named, recognizing exceptional creative, artistic, and technical contributions to music video and film production.

The CALIFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS honor excellence in visual storytelling, spotlighting outstanding music, musicians, filmmakers, and creative teams whose work demonstrates originality, innovation, and craft.

Additional Award Winners—including Viewers Choice Awards and regional honors such as Best of Europe, Best of Canada, and Best of Asia—will be announced at the Awards Reception in San Francisco on Monday, February 16th.

Now in its ninth year, the CALIFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS has established itself as a prestigious competition, attracting submissions from musicians, directors, and creative teams around the world. The awards recognize work that sets a high standard for creativity and excellence within the global music video and film community.

MUSIC VIDEO FINALISTS

Best Male Solo Artist
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • Heartbreaker
  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood – Winner
  • I Put A Spell On You
  • Remember in November
  • What Makes a Man
  • Pirate Radio
  • Mitch Rowland – Honeybabe
  • Hippie Chicks
  • Nesa – BWBY
  • Open Road

Best Female Solo Artist
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • Tombs of Stone
  • Touch me like I’m glass
  • Take it Back
  • Rock Music, Girl Secrets
  • Change
  • Country Couture
  • Wildcard
  • Criminal
  • Mighty Oak Tree
  • Nancy Reagan
  • It’s De-lovely – Music Video
  • My Love
  • Please
  • Root of the Wind
  • Single for Life
  • 2 can play
  • Single Bells
  • Drive
  • Evergreen Misery – Winner
  • Terminal 9 0123
  • Fix Me

Best Band or Group

  • Mould – Wheeze
  • YSFB-Keep Running – Winner
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma
  • Jane Doe: “Atlas” – Winner
  • Cancerous Country

Best Duet

  • Magic and Madness – Winner
  • ARGYLE Christmas

Best Movement (Choreography in a Music Video)

  • Single for Life – Winner
  • Fix Me
  • She Holds the Tide – Winner
  • This Is #1

Best Eye (Cinematography in a Music Video)

  • Single for Life
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma
  • Rock Music, Girl Secrets – Winner
  • Criminal
  • Mitch Rowland – Honeybabe
  • R the Straights OK
  • Wings Of Gold
  • Sunbeam
  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal – Winner
  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier
  • Streetlights – Scott Frenzel

Coolest Video Effects

  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal
  • This Is #1 – Winner
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • 2 can play
  • I Put A Spell On You
  • Pirate Radio
  • Golden Gate Glide – Winner
  • Stars (Kizzo Remix)
  • When It Gets Dark
  • Lamp
  • Marionette
  • What’s Locked Behind That Door?
  • Frozen in Time

Lyrics and Verse

  • 2 can play
  • Rock Music, Girl Secrets
  • Sunbeam
  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier
  • Magic and Madness
  • Tombs of Stone
  • Touch me like I’m glass
  • Mighty Oak Tree
  • It’s De-lovely – Music Video
  • Evergreen Misery
  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood
  • What They Didn’t See
  • Set It On Fire
  • My Mirror
  • America, I Can’t Breathe
  • Mirror of Humanity
  • Don’t Forget the Magic
  • Dance of Shadows – Winner
  • Dear Beyonce
  • Find My Way
  • The Sanctity of Faith

Best Inspirational

  • My Mirror – Winner
  • Mirror of Humanity
  • Find My Way
  • The Sanctity of Faith
  • Nesa – BWBY
  • Serenely F**KED
  • ROBO99 : Finding Your Heart – Winner
  • Whose Children Are These?
  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • Moon Over Capri

Made Me Laugh (Humor)
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • Frozen in Time
  • Single for Life
  • ARGYLE Christmas
  • We Love Dick’s
  • Hungover Salesman – Winner
  • Cello Republic – La Verdina
  • Grandpa’s Got A Brand New Pill
  • Big Limpin’

 Best Fashion and Makeup

  • 2 can play
  • Sunbeam
  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier
  • Evergreen Misery – Winner
  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal
  • This Is #1
  • Lamp
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma
  • Criminal – Winner
  • R the Straights OK
  • Fix Me
  • Country Couture
  • Paper Bags Music Videodd

Best Location or Set Design

  • Sunbeam
  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier – Winner
  • Evergreen Misery
  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal
  • Criminal
  • Single for Life – Winner
  • ARGYLE Christmas
  • It’s De-lovely – Music Video
  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood
  • Pirate Radio
  • Mitch Rowland – Honeybabe
  • Take it Back
  • Change
  • 404: Lost in Neondd

Best LGBTQ

  • Criminal
  • R the Straights OK
  • Grandpa’s Got A Brand New Pill
  • Streetlights – Scott Frenzel – Winner
  • NADIE SABE / No One Knows – Winner
  • Left for Dead
  • For You

Best Latin Music Video

  • NADIE SABE / No One Knows
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma – Winner
  • Root of the Wind
  • No Se Pk “IDKW”

Best Directing (Music Video)

  • Sunbeam – Winner
  • Evergreen Misery
  • Marionette
  • Cancerous Country
  • Please
  • Peer
  • He’s coming, my sweetheart

Best Editing (Music Video)

  • Peer
  • This Is #1
  • Nesa – BWBY
  • Wings Of Gold
  • 404: Lost in Neon
  • clipping. – Run It – Winner

Best Non-English Language Music Video

  • Peer – Winner
  • He’s coming, my sweetheart – Winner
  • NADIE SABE / No One Knows
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma
  • Root of the Wind
  • No Se Pk “IDKW”
  • Lamp
  • My Love
  • Sasha Vetrov «the waves»
  • Departing
  • Smoldering-Smoldering
  • I’m back
  • Empty Grave
  • Dangerous and Young Arabic Remix

Best Sci-Fi, Horror, or Fantasy

  • “Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol)” – HIji RR
  • Lamp
  • Evergreen Misery – Winner
  • Pirate Radio – Winner
  • Run Away (Music Video)
  • Here Goes
  • Chaton – From the Future
  • Kontaminate You (Variant)

Best Student Production Music Video or Film
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • Fix Me
  • Reverb
  • Finding Haven
  • The Muse – Winner
  • Unease

FILM & DOCUMENTARY FINALISTS

Best Short Music Film or Documentary (10-40 Minutes)

  • Bombastic
  • Choice Paradox
  • Creativity on Trial: The Music Copyright Dilemma – Winner
  • Glass Ceilings
  • IN VIADI
  • Life Of Ed
  • Menopause Menopaws
  • Terminal 9 0123
  • The Gamits Japan Tour 2025
  • The Muse
  • The Sanctity of Faith

Best Feature Music Film or Documentary 

  • Auraganic: The Gospel of Tuge
  • Hello! My Name Is Blotto THE MOVIE
  • Immersed – A Cinematic Immersive Album by Justin Gray – Winner
  • JIMMY SOMERVILLE, Smalltown Boy
  • Lifers
  • Lost Acres
  • Misfit Cabaret The Movie – Winner
  • Slouching Towards Branson
  • Whiskey Dixie & The Big Wet Country

Best Film Soundtrack or Album

  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier
  • She Holds the Tide
  • Nobody Heals Alone
  • Misfit Cabaret The Movie – Winner
  • Hero’s Victory – Orchestral Recording at Vienna Synchron Stage
  • 13 Waitresses

MUSIC VIDEO FINALISTS

True California

  • “Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol)” – HIji RR
  • Sunbeam – Winner
  • Criminal
  • 404: Lost in Neon
  • We Love Dick’s
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • YSFB-Keep Running
  • Traffic – Winner

The Chip E. Best EDM or Dance Music Award
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • “Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol)” – HIji RR – Winner
  • Chaton – From the Future
  • Kontaminate You (Variant)
  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal
  • 2 can play
  • This Is #1
  • Paper Bags Music Video
  • Nesa – BWBY
  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • Touch me like I’m glass
  • Dance of Shadows
  • Golden Gate Glide
  • Stars (Kizzo Remix)
  • Let’s Go Girls
  • Water Knows

Best Hip Hop
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • We Love Dick’s
  • Run Away (Music Video) – Winner
  • Empty Grave
  • Nancy Reagan
  • clipping. – Run It
  • Queen For A Night

Best Rap
(Viewers Choice Category)

  • Nancy Reagan – Winner
  • clipping. – Run It
  • Peer

Best R&B

  • Traffic
  • Devil’s Game (Live)
  • Find My Way
  • America, I Can’t Breathe – Winner
  • I Put A Spell On You
  • Bombay Beach Soiree
  • Elevator – Winner

Best Pop

  • Elevator
  • 2 can play – Winner
  • Sunbeam
  • Criminal
  • Fix Me
  • Marionette
  • Single for Life
  • Take it Back
  • Country Couture
  • Frozen in Time
  • Rock Music, Girl Secrets – Winner
  • Mighty Oak Tree
  • Wildcard
  • Drive

California Heat Index

  • Criminal
  • Country Couture – Winner
  • Rock Music, Girl Secrets
  • I Put A Spell On You – Winner
  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood
  • Magic and Madness
  • Set It On Fire

Best Love Song

  • Criminal – Winner
  • I Put A Spell On You
  • Mighty Oak Tree
  • Wildcard
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma – Winner
  • Remember in November
  • The High King’s Daughter

This Rocks

  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • YSFB-Keep Running – Winner
  • Evergreen Misery
  • Cancerous Country – Winner
  • Hungover Salesman
  • Mould – Wheeze
  • Jane Doe: “Atlas” – Winner
  • Heartbreaker
  • Sacrificed Official Music Video
  • Earworm
  • Honor And Pride

Best Metal

  • Jane Doe: “Atlas”
  • Here Goes – Winner
  • Drugs by Dawn Fades
  • Ainulindalë of Bauglir

Best Folk, Country or Blues
Viewers Choice Category

  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood
  • Country Couture
  • Magic and Madness
  • What Makes a Man
  • Hippie Chicks
  • Open Road
  • Sleeping in Public – Winner
  • I Don’t Think About You Anymore – Music Video
  • The Tasty Kings with Blondie Chaplin “Maybe I’m a Queen”
  • One More Trip in the Bike
  • If the Sun Dies

Best World Music

  • Traffic
  • Empty Grave
  • 404: Lost in Neon – Winner
  • Resound: 3peoplemusic
  • Dangerous and Young Arabic Remix
  • Cello Republic – La Verdina
  • Wings Of Gold
  • Zìrán
  • Congo Square – Winner
  • Bombastic

Best Instrumental, Jazz or Classical

  • Congo Square
  • Seal Lullaby
  • This Is #1
  • Resound: 3peoplemusic
  • Cello Republic – La Verdina
  • Wings Of Gold
  • Devil’s Game (Live) – Winner
  • It’s De-lovely – Music Video – Winner
  • When It Gets Dark
  • Single Bells
  • Oh! Pino
  • Change

Best Live or Studio Performance

  • Resound: 3peoplemusic – Winner
  • Devil’s Game (Live)
  • Hero’s Victory – Orchestral Recording at Vienna Synchron Stage – Winner
  • The Gamits Japan Tour 2025
  • Strong Enough (Live at the No Kings Protest, Corvallis Oregon)

Best Animation in a Music Video

  • Traffic
  • Congo Square
  • Sleeping in Public
  • I Don’t Think About You Anymore – Music Video
  • If the Sun Dies – Winner
  • Here Goes
  • Mould – Wheeze – Winner
  • The High King’s Daughter – Winner
  • Set It On Fire
  • We Love Dick’s
  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • Unease
  • Departing
  • ROBO99 : Finding Your Heart
  • From the Corner of My Eye
  • Seal Lullaby

Best AI-Generated Content

  • Zìrán
  • Ainulindalë of Bauglir
  • Heartbreaker – Winner
  • Earworm
  • Chaton – From the Future
  • Touch me like I’m glass
  • Dance of Shadows
  • Golden Gate Glide
  • Let’s Go Girls
  • Pirate Radio
  • Root of the Wind
  • Sasha Vetrov «the waves»
  • Mirror of Humanity
  • Serenely F**KED – Winner
  • Tombs of Stone – Winner
  • What They Didn’t See
  • Terminal 9 0123
  • Railbound

Best Music Video Collaboration

  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • “Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol)” – HIji RR
  • Pendulum X Wargasm – Cannibal – Winner
  • Strolling Down Brighton Pier

Best Filmed at Home Music Video

  • This Is #1
  • “Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol)” – HIji RR
  • Soda Gardocki – Waltzes, Trains, Wires & Wood – Winner

Best of Asia Music Video

  • Nesa – BWBY
  • Seal Lullaby
  • ROBO99 : Finding Your Heart
  • Lamp
  • Blue
  • Cancerous Country
  • Honor And Pride – Winner

Best of Europe Music Video

  • I’m back
  • The High King’s Daughter
  • Cello Republic – La Verdina – Winner
  • Departing
  • My Love
  • Smoldering-Smoldering – Winner
  • Please
  • Until the last minute

Best of Latin America Music Video

  • Change
  • Mirror of Humanity
  • No es tan Simple – Matar Fuma – Winner
  • Oh! Pino – Winner
  • Root of the Wind
  • Tombs of Stone
  • No Se Pk “IDKW”

Best of Canada Music Video

  • Open Road
  • One More Trip in the Bike
  • Remember in November – Winner

Best of Middle East and Africa Music Video

  • Dangerous and Young Arabic Remix
  • Devil’s Game (Live)
  • Empty Grave – Winner
  • Here Goes
  • Find My Way
  • Peer – Winner

Best Music Video Actor or Actress

  • Izzy Spring / Emily Vaughn – Winners

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER HONOREES

The Word Award Winners

  • Change (Dream Team Directors)

Peace Award Winners

  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • I’m back
  • The Sanctity of Faith
  • Whose Children Are These?

Social Justice, Love and Hope Winners

  • Strong Enough (Live at the No Kings Protest, Corvallis Oregon)
  • Congo Square
  • Sleeping in Public
  • America, I Can’t Breathe
  • NADIE SABE / No One Knows
  • Mighty Oak Tree
  • Argyle Christmas

Breakout Storytellers Winners

  • Root of the Wind
  • Terminal 9 0123
  • The High King’s Daughter
  • Empty Grave
  • The Gamits Japan Tour 2025
  • Reverb

Spotlight Award Winners

  • Jimmy Sommerville, Smalltown Boy
  • This Is #1
  • Nesa – BWBY
  • He’s coming, my sweetheart
  • Take it Back
  • Touch me like I’m glass
  • Zìrán
  • Fix Me

The Kids or Educational Award Winners

  • Colorful (feat. Danica Lipetsky)
  • Let’s Go Girls
  • My Mirror

The Trippy Award Winners

  • What’s Locked Behind That Door?
  • Lucky Stars (feat. Monkey Warhol) – HIji RR

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