Juno Awards Broadcast Options Nickelback, Jessie Reyez, Hip-Hop at 50

Canada’s Juno Awards broadcast didn’t want the Weeknd in the home for somewhat pleasure at Edmonton’s Rogers Place Monday night time (March 13). Albertans have been already pumped with pleasure for the induction of their hometown rock stars, Nickelback, later within the present and a night-capping medley by the band, who hail from the tiny city of Hanna.

However the 12,000 individuals in attendance received an surprising eyeful when a topless protestor managed to get on the stage as Avril Lavigne was introducing top-selling Punjabi performer AP Dhillon. The digicam operators did pull again to a large shot for these watching at dwelling, however there was no time to bleep when Lavigne let off a few F-bombs to get the lady off the stage.

Then it was again to the polished, deliberate, well mannered celebration of Canadian music, the 52nd annual, hosted for the second consecutive yr by Canadian-born actor Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Barbie”), with the winners ensuring to reward their fellow nominees.

Even Nickelback’s acceptance speech, which did go off script a bit, was expletive-free, in case you don’t depend the phrase “badass”; the 50th anniversary of hip–hop segment, exhibiting Canada’s contribution to the artform, featured a medley requiring no bleeped lyrics; and Jessie Reyez turned a “sh” to “shoot.”

The vast majority of the awards had been given out at Juno Opening Evening awards, a personal gala dinner on March 11, on the Edmonton Conference Centre.

Solely seven honors have been awarded final night time —  fan alternative, album of the yr, rap album/EP, breakthrough artist, modern R&B recording, plus MusiCounts Trainer of the Yr and the Canadian Music Corridor Of Fame — in between stellar performances from Nickelback, Alexisonfire, Banx & Ranx with Preston Pablo and Rêve, AP Dhillon, Aysanabee, Jessie Reyez, Tate McRae,  Tenille Townes, and a “north stars” forged  — as Drake would say — of Canadian hip-hop acts.

The Weeknd was already the highest winner the opposite night time. The highest nominee (with six) swept the opening night time awards, however the huge deal was his further win on the published for album of the yr (“Daybreak FM”). Whereas the Toronto native’s no-show did elicit some boos of disappointment, what artist and presenter Tyler Shaw needed to say subsequent turned the response to claps.

“I do know, I do know,” presenter Tyler Shaw empathized. “Hear, it is a enjoyable reality. With this win tonight, the Weeknd is in second place for essentially the most Juno wins ever.” The document 25 is held by Anne Murray, who’s now retired. The Weeknd now has 22.

The Juno Awards later supplied an announcement from The Weeknd, whose actual identify is Abel Tesfaye. “I’m so honored to be acknowledged like this from my dwelling nation that I like a lot. I’m so humbled by all this and will by no means thank followers sufficient.”

Jessie Reyez — who carried out a killer model of her tune “Mutual Good friend — nabbed the Juno for modern R&B recording for her album Yessie. “Thanks very a lot for the popularity. It’s an honor to be acknowledged at dwelling. All of the nominees are wonderful musical abilities,” shouting out Dylan Sinclair, “my sister” Savannah Ré, Adria Kain “who graduated with me from The Remix Challenge,” and duo dvsn whose Danial Daley was considered one of her mentors on the after-school program for youth from under-served communities.

Breakthrough artist went to Preston Pablo, the 21-year-old whose profession launched with the ever present hit “Flowers Want Rain” with Juno-winning manufacturing duo Banx & Ranx. Backstage, he instructed Selection, “I positively seemed on the nominees and I shortly realized that there was only a lengthy checklist of fantastic artists, and to be acknowledged even alongside these artists, was already a win for me. So the truth that I used to be in a position to take dwelling the award is an excellent greater win.” 

He mentioned his dad and mom have been within the viewers, however he hadn’t seen them but. “I’m ready for that second the place all of us simply hug and rejoice collectively. I used to be in a position to FaceTime them from the inexperienced room with the Juno.” They’ve his first platinum plaque however “mother and pop, sorry, however I’m gonna maintain this Juno for myself.”

Tobi, who gained rap album/EP for “Shall I Proceed?” was offered the award simply after the compact and impressively written Canadian hip-hop historical past lesson section.

Canada’s hip-hop ambassador Kardinal Offishall (a.ok.a. Kardi) wrote the piece with Jemeni, after which co-hosted with Haviah Mighty, the primary feminine to ever win the rap album/EP class (2022). Every vital participant in Canada’s nearly 40-year historical past of the Bronx, U.S.-created style carried out: “the Godfather of Canadian Hip-Hop” Maestro Recent Wes, Choclair, pioneers Dream Warriors, “Canada’s First Girl of Hip-Hop” Michie Mee,  Maestro’s sister and DJ Mel Boogie and TOBi.

“I wasn’t to offer a giant shout out to all of the legends on the stage. As an artist, coming from Lagos, Nigeria to Canada, it means a lot to be on this stage and hip-hop is what I stay and what I breath, and I made this album, engaged on one thing that’s the best factor that I’ve ever labored on and It’s popping out subsequent yr and I can’t wait so that you can see it.”

Lavigne, who got here into the media Q&A room after the awards, instructed reporters: “It’s wonderful to be again, to be in Canada, to see the snow, to see a few of my household and to be on the Junos. That is an awards present that I watched rising up so simply coming again right here, again to my roots, it’s actually reflective for me to look again on the final 20 years. I’ve been coming to the Junos for the final 20 years and I’m so grateful to nonetheless be right here, making music and performing, being on tour and being on the Junos. It means so much.”

This fan alternative award — a 10-artist class voted on by the followers — marks her tenth Juno win. “I’ve a number of Junos in my basement. I actually treasure the Juno Award. I’ve been successful Junos for 20 years; they’ve truly modified alongside the best way. They give the impression of being totally different now,” she laughed. “They was once glass, then silver and now they’re gold.”