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Attendees cheer during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Members of the band Wife Patrol accept the award for best rock/punk/metal album for their album “NOPLACE.” Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Howie’s album “Sun At Night” won best R&B album and overall album of the year at the 2026 Naptones music awards. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Rebel Noire performs at the 2026 Naptones music awards. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Forgotten Tribe performs during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Tochi Angel accepts the award for best jazz single for the song “candidly.” Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Troy Freeman gives an award to Winner Patrick Meister for winning best blues single for the song “Blues at Dusk.” Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Nominee XRO Sizzerr (center) walks the red carpet during the 2026 Naptones music awards. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

(Above left and right) Mirror Indy arts and culture reporter Mesgana Waiss (right) gives the award for best rock/punk/metal single to BEE! the Band during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Organizer Troy Freeman, also known as Troy Track Select, hosts the 2026 Naptones music awards. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

River Thief performs during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis. Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Members of BEE! the Band accept the award for best rock/punk/metal single for their song, “Brain Wires.” Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

WiLL E. accepts the award for best rap single for the song “Home.” Credit: Jenna Watson/Mirror Indy

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Nichelle Short is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor. Contact her at nichelleseye90@gmail.com.

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Local musicians get their flowers at Naptones music awards

by Nichelle Short, Mirror Indy
March 30, 2026

<h1>Local musicians get their flowers at Naptones music awards</h1>
<p class="byline">by Nichelle Short, Mirror Indy <br />March 30, 2026</p>
<br />
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS01.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76219" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Attendees cheer during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS12-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76230" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Members of the band Wife Patrol accept the award for best rock/punk/metal album for their album “NOPLACE."</figcaption></figure>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS14.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76232" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Howie’s album “Sun At Night” won best R&amp;B album and overall album of the year at the 2026 Naptones music awards.</figcaption></figure>
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<div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS02.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76220" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rebel Noire performs at the 2026 Naptones music awards.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="1666" data-id="76240" data-link="https://mirrorindy.org/2026-naptones-music-awards_ns22-jpg/" data-url="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS22-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2500" src="https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS22-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" /></figure>
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<figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="2500" data-id="76234" data-link="https://mirrorindy.org/2026-naptones-music-awards_ns16-jpg/" data-url="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS16-775x1024.jpg" data-width="1892" src="https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS16-775x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" /></figure>
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<figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="2500" data-id="76238" data-link="https://mirrorindy.org/2026-naptones-music-awards_ns20-jpg/" data-url="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS20-827x1024.jpg" data-width="2020" src="https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS20-827x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" /></figure>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS03.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76221" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Forgotten Tribe performs during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignwide">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS07.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76225" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tochi Angel accepts the award for best jazz single for the song “candidly."</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS06.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76224" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Troy Freeman gives an award to Winner Patrick Meister for winning best blues single for the song “Blues at Dusk."</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS04.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76222" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nominee XRO Sizzerr (center) walks the red carpet during the 2026 Naptones music awards.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignwide">
<div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:33.33%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS09.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76227" /></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS10.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76228" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Above left and right) Mirror Indy arts and culture reporter Mesgana Waiss (right) gives the award for best rock/punk/metal single to BEE! the Band during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS05-743x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76223" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Organizer Troy Freeman, also known as Troy Track Select, hosts the 2026 Naptones music awards.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS08-1024x788.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76226" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">River Thief performs during the 2026 Naptones music awards March 29, 2026, at Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignwide">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS11.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76229" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Members of BEE! the Band accept the award for best rock/punk/metal single for their song, “Brain Wires."</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NAPTONES-MUSIC-AWARDS_NS13.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76231" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">WiLL E. accepts the award for best rap single for the song “Home."</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<p><em>Nichelle Short is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor. Contact her at <a href="mailto:nichelleseye90@gmail.com">nichelleseye90@gmail.com</a>.</em></p>
<p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org/2026-naptones-music-awards-celebrates-local-artists/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org&quot;&gt;Mirror Indy&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-Mirror-Indy-square-logo-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p>
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