The LGBT Academy of Recording Arts’ (LARA) 9th OUTmusic Awards were scheduled for production  January 19, 2015, but the ceremony was postponed due to the fact that OUTmusic Inc., the 501c3 non-profit organization was the victim of a substantial financial fraud crime. Jan. 1, 2016, Diedra Meredith, CEO of OUTmusic Inc. posted an update addressing the nominees, members and supporters of the non-profit organization to explain as much as she could about what occurred:

“Unfortunately, we had to abruptly postpone our production of the 9th OUTmusic Awards due to the fact that our organization is the victim of Financial Fraud Crime which caused significant and astronomical damages we were not able to recover from as fast as we wanted to. Hence, we were not able to deliver the production of the 9th OUTmusic Awards months later as we were planning. I wanted to share this information with you sooner,
but because this was a crime against our organization, I was advised to not disclose any details to ensure the best possibility for justice to prevail in our favor. I have taken the necessary steps with the proper authorities and have been working with some generous business, media, and creative industry professionals who stepped up to offer their support in our endeavor to recover.”

The organization took much needed time to re-structure and re-organize in efforts to recover from the
devastating hit the organization has endured. Moving forward, the organization will post an online digital presentation to announce the winners of the 9th OUTmusic. Following the online presentation, the Academy will mail Nomination and Winner certificates to recipients.

The organization is in planning stages for the next live production of the OUTmusic Awards. The Academy plans to present a specially produced segment during the production of the 10th OUTmusic Awards to present the winners of the 9th OUTmusic Awards with their OMA trophies onstage.

The online digital presentation will be posted  Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 at 8 p.m. CST on
OUTmusicAwards.com. During the online presentation each category will be posted via our social media
pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as each category is announced.

9TH OUTMUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

 ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Omar Thomas Large Ensemble     –    We Will Know

Tegan and Sara    –    Heartthrob   _

Well-Strung    –    Well-Strung

Charice    –    Chapter 10

Karmen Buttler    –    Daze Of Love

BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG

Toya Delazy     –    Forbidden Fruit

Jess Godwin    –    Bleed

Sarah Donner    –    With Pride

Matt Fishel    –    Radio-Friendly Pop Song

Aris    –    Fallen Blind

BEST CD COVER ARTWORK

Omar Thomas Large Ensemble    –    We Will Know

Dan Paul    –    The Make Up

Charice    –    Chapter 10

Matt Fishel    –    Not Thinking Straight

Derek Nicoletto    –    Just Panic And Get It Over With   

BEST CLASSICAL RECORDING/PERFORMANCE

Well-Strung    –    Since U Been Gone (Mozart Meets Kelly Clarkson)

Marc Peloquin    –    Gotham Glory

BEST DANCE/EDM SONG

Michael V. Doane    –    Looking For Love

Jason Walker Feat. Bimbo Jones    –    Tell It To My Heart

Jonte    –    Deja Vux

Sir Ari Gold    –    Play My F**kn Record

Reina    –    Forever 

BEST FOLK/COUNTRY SONG

Antigone Rising    –    That Was The Whisky

Run Jenny    –    Get My Whisky On

Linq    –    Seneca Falls To Selma

Dan Paul    –    Painted Over Portraits

Karmen Buttler    –    Something Great

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL SONG

Gary Floyd    –    Music In The Meaning

Adrian Ross    –    Anything

Ray Isaac    –    Mother Mary Song

The Relationship    –    Come Bless The Lord With Me

Aris    –    Pray For Change

HUMANITARIAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Omar Thomas    –    Hymn

MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Sheree Dunwell    –    Be Strong (LGBT Youth)

Jen Foster    –    SHE

Ray Isaac    –    Who I Am

Majola Majola   –    Boet Sissy

BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG

Toya Delazy    –    Forbidden Fruit

Ember Swift    –    Laowai (Foreigner) 老外

Matt Fishel    –    Radio-Friendly Pop Song

Charice    –    Yakap

Suzanne Nuttall    –    Comme Un Trophée (French version of Trophy Wife)

BEST JAZZ/CABARET SONG

Omar Thomas    –    We Will Know

Miche Branden   –    Story Of My Life

Sean360x    –    AppleJack Ci’mon Dill’Sithe

NHOJJ    –    Our Love Is Here To Stay

BEST NEW AGE/INSTRUMENTAL SONG

D’Lance Jones   –    Forever With You

Mark Barnes   –    On This Day

Dan Paul    –    A Subtle Casting

Sean360x    –    UniaumSOUL

BEST POP SONG

Charice   –    Unexpected Love

Bec & Sebastian   –    Barricade

Tegan and Sara   –    I Was A Fool

Matt Fishel    –    Radio-Friendly Pop Song

Sir Ari Gold    –    Play My F**kn Record

BEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Aris    –    Deaf, Dumb & Blind

Darren Orkert    –    Short Story Long

I.K.P.    –    Torch: Ignite It!

Matt Fishel and Mark Crew    –    Boxer Shorts & Razor Blades

Infinite    –     Infinite Various Artist Productions

BEST R&B/SOUL SONG

Reina Williams    –    Ooh Damn (Like Ooh)

Complete Love featuring Mikhial Douglas and True McG    –    Woman To Woman

D’Lance Jones    –    Forever With You

MRF    –    Be Strong (LGBT Youth)

Monifah    –    The Other Side

BEST RAP/HIP-HOP

Shorty Roc    –    Blue Flames

MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Sheree Dunwell, Shawn Caliber    –    Mob Music

I.K.P.    –    Settin’ the Record

Zebra Katz    –    Tear The House Up

Infinite feat. Sonny Lewis    –    New York

BEST ROCK SONG

Matt Fishel    –    Radio-Friendly Pop Song

Steve Grand    –    All American Boy

The Cliks    –    Savanna

Aris    –    Hallelujah

Derek Nicoletto    –    Hell in Gramercy

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Toya Delazy    –    Forbidden Fruit

Tegan and Sara    –    I Was A Fool

Monifah    –    The Other Side

Jason Walker feat. Bimbo Jones    –    Tell It To My Heart

Sir Ari Gold    –    Play My F**kn Record

BEST SPOKEN WORD RECORDING OR LIVE PERFORMANCE

MRF feat. TJ Johnson, Cleveland P Jones    –    Tender

Kameltoe    –    Keep The Cycle Going

Poet On Watch    –    “Not On My Watch”

Aris    –    I Believe In Love featuring Paula Cole

Kalup Linzy    –    Love In My Imagination

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Shangela Laquifa    –    Werqin’ Girl

Jess Godwin    –    Bleed

Antigone Rising    –    That Was The Whiskey

MRF feat. Lisa Bello, Justin Waithe, Yasko Kubota    –    Trying

Jen Foster    –    SHE

BEST SONG ON A SOUNDTRACK

Complete Love featuring Mikhial Douglas and True McG    –    Woman To Woman from the LGBT Film “Woman To Woman”

Rob Gokee    –    “Rebecca” from the Webseries Producing Juliet

Kalup Linzy    –    Katonya’s Commission

BEST COMEDY RECORDING OR LIVE PERFORMANCE

VonTanner    –    It’s Christmas Everyday (Comedy Audio)