Canada’s Juno Awards Celebrates Canadian Music, Takes Digs At US

Michael Bublé handed Canadians a heartfelt dose of patriotism at the Juno Awards on Sunday, setting the tone for a night of not-so-subtle references to Canada’s current tensions with the United States.

The Vancouver crooner jumped into his role as hometown Junos host by telling the crowd he was proud to be Canadian.

“We are the greatest nation on earth,” he said during his opening monologue. “And we are not for sale.”

Other musicians leaned into Canadiana, including East Coast hero Anne Murray.

Dressed in a sequined red hockey jersey with “Canada” emblazoned across the front, she accepted a lifetime achievement award, before shifting her speech to how early in her career she was pressured to move to New York or Los Angeles.

“I just couldn’t do it,” she said.

“I knew instinctively I needed a place to go, to escape when my work was done. Canada is my safe haven. My safety blanket. My light at the end of the tunnel — it still is.”

Other winners of the night were even more overt with their message.

Fan choice winner bbno$, the social media star and rapper, expressed his shock at beating out major names like Tate McRae and Shawn Mendes for the prize, but closed his remarks with a political jab.

“Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” bbno$ shouted, referencing the Tesla CEO and senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.

A few moments later, Arkells frontman Max Kerman seconded the sentiment.

Singer Josh Ross had a more reserved message for the fans after winning country album of the year for Complicated.

“I think it’s time to get back to our Canadian roots and remember that friends are better than enemies,” he said from the stage.

Other winners included Toronto band The Beaches, who picked up group of the year.

Palestinian Canadian Nemahsis added to her Juno wins, being named this year’s breakthrough artist, in addition to her win for alternative album at a pre-broadcast show on Saturday night.

“I’ve been wearing a hijab for 20-plus years,” she said. “All I ever wanted was to turn on Family Channel or YTV and just see somebody who looks like me. I didn’t think it would take this long.”

Headed into the show, Calgary pop star Tate McRae was already considered a big winner.

She picked up four awards at an industry gala on Saturday night, winning major categories that include artist and single of the year.

Here’s a list of all the nominees and winners (in bold):

TikTok Juno Fan Choice Award

• bbno$  
• Dean Brody 
• Jade Eagleson 
• Josh Ross 
• Karan Aujla 
• Les Cowboys Fringants 
• Preston Pablo 
• Shawn Mendes 
• Tate McRae 
• The Weeknd 

Single of the year 

• Single Again, Josh Ross 
• Winning Speech, Karan Aujla 
• Why Why Why, Shawn Mendes 
• Exes, Tate McRae 
• Timeless, the Weeknd and Playboi Carti 

Album of the year

• Inuktitut, Elisapie 
• Complicated, Josh Ross 
• Submergé, Roxane Bruneau 
• Undisputed, Sukha 
• Think Later, Tate McRae 

Breakthrough artist or group of the year

• Alexander Stewart
• AP Dhillon 
• AR Paisley
• Chris Grey
• Ekkstacy 
• Nemahsis
• Owen Riegling
• Sukha
• Tony Ann 
• Zeina 

Artist of the year

• Josh Ross 
• Kaytranada 
• Shawn Mendes 
• Tate McRae 
• The Weeknd 

Group of the year 

• Crash Adams 
• Mother Mother 
• Spiritbox 
• Sum 41 
• The Beaches 

Classical album of the year (solo artist)

• Signature Philip Glass, Angèle Dubeau 
• Messiaen, Barbara Hannigan
• Freezing, Emily D’Angelo
• Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth, India Gailey 
• Williams Violin Concerto No. 1; Bernstein Serenade, James Ehnes 

Classical album of the year (small ensemble)

• Known to Dreamers: Black Voices in Canadian Art Song, Canadian Art Song Project 
• Rituæls, collectif9 
• East is East, Infusion Baroque 
• Marie Hubert: Fille du Roy, Karina Gauvin 
• Kevin Lau: Under a Veil of Stars, St. John–Mercer–Park Trio 

Classical album of the year (large ensemble)

• Ispiciwin, Luminous Voices 
• Alikeness, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Sinfonia, conducted by Mark Fewer featuring Aiyun Huang, Deantha Edmunds and Mark Fewer 
• Sibelius 2 & 5, Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin 
• Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande & Verklärte Nacht, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Rafael Payare 
• Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno featuring Marc-André Hamelin and Nathalie Forget 

Jazz album of the year (solo)

• Montreal Jazz Series 1 (Échanges Synaptiques), André Leroux 
• The Head of a Mouse, Audrey Ochoa 
• Portrait of Right Now, Jocelyn Gould
• Slice of Life, Larnell Lewis 
• The Antrim Coast, Mark Kelso 

Jazz album of the year (group)

• Time Will Tell, Andy Milne and Unison 
• Reverence, Carn Davidson 9 
• Harbour, Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra 
• Gravity, Jeremy Ledbetter Trio
• Jaya,  Raagaverse

Vocal jazz album of the year

• Oh Mother, Andrea Superstein 
• Hello! How Are You?, Caity Gyorgy 
• Winter Song, Kellylee Evans 
• Wintersongs, Laila Biali 
• Magpie, Sarah Jerrom

Instrumental album of the year

• Disaster Pony, Disaster Pony 
• Distant Places, Eric Bearclaw 
• Ginger Beef, Ginger Beef 
• Memory Palace, Intervals 
• Confluencias, Lara Wong & Melón Jimenez 

Blues album of the year

• This Old Life, Big Dave McLean 
• New Orleans Sessions, Blue Moon Marquee 
• Yeah!, David Gogo 
• Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit, Samantha King & the Midnight Outfit 
• One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley 

Traditional roots album of the year

• Hemispheres, Inn Echo 
• Retro Man … More and More (Expanded Edition), Jake Vaadeland 
• Domino!, La Bottine Souriante 
• The Road Back Home (Live), Loreena McKennitt 
• At the End of the Day, Sylvia Tyson 

Contemporary roots album of the year

• Anniversary, Abigail Lapell 
• For Eden, Boy Golden 
• Things Were Never Good if They’re Not Good Now, Donovan Woods 
• Pathways, Julian Taylor 
• Strange Medicine, Kaia Kater 

Country album of the year

• The Compass Project: West Album, Brett Kissel 
• Dallas Smith, Dallas Smith 
• Complicated, Josh Ross 
• Nobody’s Born With a Broken Heart, MacKenzie Porter 
• Going Home, Tyler Joe Miller 

Adult alternative album of the year 

• Inuktitut, Elisapie 
• Revelation, Leif Vollebekk 
• Healing Power, Terra Lightfoot 
• We were born here, what’s your excuse?, the Secret Beach 
• Never Better, Wild Rivers 

Alternative album of the year

• When a Thought Grows Wings, Luna Li 
• Verbathim, Nemahsis 
• Magpie, Peach Pit 
• What’s the Point, Ruby Waters 
• Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden, Valley 

Rock album of the year

• Pages, Big Wreck 
• Vices, JJ Wilde 
• Grief Chapter, Mother Mother 
• Set Your Pussy Free, Nobro
• Heaven :x: Hell, Sum 41 

Metal/hard music album of the year

• Beyond the Reach of the Sun, Anciients
• PowerNerd, Devin Townsend 
• Fire, Kittie 
• The Fear of Fear, Spiritbox 
• Ultrapower, Striker 

Adult contemporary album of the year

• Roses, Aphrose 
• Boundless Possibilities, Celeigh Cardinal 
• Transitions, Kellie Loder 
• Songs of Love & Death, Maddee Ritter 
• Lovers’ Gothic, Maïa Davies 

Pop album of the year

• Bleeding heart, Alexander Stewart 
• If this is it…, Jamie Fine 
• Anywhere But Here, Preston Pablo 
• Shawn, Shawn Mendes 
• Think Later, Tate McRae 

Dance recording of the year

• Uh Huh, DijahSB 
• No Time, Interplanetary Criminal featuring SadBoi 
• Give in to you, Rezz, Virtual Riot featuring One True God 
• Call Me When, So Sus 
• Foul Taste, Wawa 

Underground dance single of the year

• Bamboo, Ciel 
• Keepsake, Destrata 
• Distant Memories, Hernan Cattaneo, Hicky & Kalo 
• La Vérité, Jesse Mac Cormack, Charlie Houston, Brö 
• WTP, Suray Sertin 

Electronic album of the year 

• Honey, Caribou 
• Union, Èbony 
• Love, Care, Kindness & Hope, Fred Everything 
• Timeless, Kaytranada 
• This But More, Priori 

Rap single of the year

• People, Classified 
• Double the Fun, Haviah Mighty 
• Shut Up, Jessie Reyez 
• BBE, Snotty Nose Rez Kids 
• Hier encore, Souldia, Lost 

Rap album/EP of the year

• 96 Miles From Bethlehem, Belly 
• Luke’s View, Classified 
• The Flower That Knew, DijahSB 
• See You When I See You, Dom Vallie 
• Red Future, Snotty Nose Rez Kids 

Traditional R&B/soul recording of the year

• Limbo, Aqyila 
• The Worst, Benita 
• Cyan Blue, Charlotte Day Wilson 
• Halfway Broken, Luna Elle 
• Velvet Soul, TheHonestGuy 

Contemporary R&B recording of the year

• Bloom, Aqyila 
• Noire, Avenoir 
• For the Boy in Me, Dylan Sinclair 
• Loony, Loony 
• Eastend Confessions, Zeina 

Reggae recording of the year

• Destiny, Lee “Scratch” Perry & Bob Riddim 
• Born to Be Free, Exco Levi 
• Fallback, King Cruff & Runkus 
• Sky’s the Limit, Skystar 
• Rise, Tonya P 

Children’s album of the year

• Shun Beh Nats’ujeh: We Are Healing Through Songs, Kym Gouchie 
• Penny Penguin, Raffi & Good Lovelies 
• Riley Rocket: Songs From Season One, Riley Rocket and Megablast 
• Buon Appetito, Walk off the Earth, Romeo Eats 
• Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro “Rhyme Travellers,” Young Maestro 

Comedy album of the year

• Wonder Woman, Courtney Gilmour 
• Honourable Intentions, Debra DiGiovanni 
• Popcorn, Ivan Decker 
• Sad Witch, Jess Salomon 
• Down With Tech, Nathan Macintosh 

Traditional Indigenous artist or group of the year

• New Comings, Black Bear Singers 
• Winston & I, Brianna Lizotte 
• Travelling Home, Cree Confederation 
• REZilience, Northern Cree 
• Ostesihtowin-“Brotherhood,” Young Spirit 

Contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year 

• Precious Diamonds, Adrian Sutherland 
• Boundless Possibilities, Celeigh Cardinal 
• Brown Man, Sebastian Gaskin 
• Red Future, Snotty Nose Rez Kids 
• Pretty Red Bird, Tia Wood 

Francophone album of the year

• Aliocha Schneider, Aliocha Schneider 
• Demain il fera beau, Fredz 
• Toutes les rues sont silencieuses, Jay Scøtt 
• Abracadabra, Klô Pelgag 
• Pub Royal, Les Cowboys Fringants 

Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year

• Elenee., Elenee 
• My Foundation, Jordan St. Cyr 
• Restore, Ryan Ofei 
• Miracle in the Making, Tehillah Worship 
• Hymns Alive (Live), Toronto Mass Choir 

Global music album of the year

• Aarambh, Abby V 
• Kanzafula, Ahmed Moneka 
• Malak, Didon 
• Dankoroba, Djely Tapa 
• Niebla, Ramon Chicharron 

South Asian music recording of the year

• The Brownprint, AP Dhillon 
• Coolin, Chani Nattan, Inderpal Moga, Jazzy B
• Love Like That, Jonita Gandhi 
• Tauba Tauba (from Bad Newz), Karan Aujla 
• Arul, Yanchan Produced, Sandeep Narayan 

Album artwork of the year

• Erik M. Grice (art director), Vanessa Elizabeth Heins (photographer): Chandler, Wyatt C. Louis 
• Gabriel Noel Altrows (art director, illustrator): Good Kid 4, Good Kid
• Kee Avil, Jacqueline Beaumont (art director), Fatine-Violette Sabiri (photographer): Spine, Kee Avil
• Keenan Gregory (art director): Altruistic, Royal Tusk
• Kevin Hearn, Lauchlan Reid (art director), Antoine Jean Moonen (designer), Lauchlan Reid (illustrator): Basement Days, the Glacials 

Music video of the year 

• Human, Adrian Villagomez (Apashe & Wasiu)
• Nasty, Jonah Haber (Tinashe)
• Gravity, Jorden Lee (Sean Leon) 
• Name of God, Mustafa 
• Jump Cut, Winston Hacking (Corridor)

Jack Richardson producer of the year

• Aaron Paris: intro (end of the world) (co-producer Ariana Grande, Nick Lee, Shintaro Yasuda), eternal sunshine, Ariana Grande; Bought the Earth (co-producer Calton McDowell, Charlie Coffeen, Rex Kudo), 2093, Yea; Let it Breathe (co-producer Charlie Coffeen, Carton, Rewind, Rex Kudo, Russell Boring, the Kount), 11th Dimension, Ski Mask the Slump God; Tiger Eye (co-producer Akeel Henry), Tiger Eye, Loony; “Dishonored” (co-producer Jack Rochon, Leonardo Dessi, Matthew Sean Leon), In Loving Memory, Sean Leon, Jessie Reyez; R e a l W o m a n (co-producer Eli Brown, Noah “40” Shebib, Prep Bijan), PartyNextDoor 4 (P4), PartyNextDoor

• Akeel Henry: Spin featuring Victoria Monét (co-producer Yonatan Ayal), Megan, Megan Thee Stallion; Smoke (co-producer Bongo ByTheWay), Smoke, Ari Lennox; Shake featuring Jeremih (co-producer Bongo ByTheWay, Kareen Lomax, Trey Campbell), Trouble in Paradise, Chlöe; Oh, Wait… featuring Nao (co-producer Ari PenSmith, Blake Straus), Love’s Letter (deluxe), Shae Universe; I Choose You (co-producer Yonatan Ayal), Say Yes, Melanie Fiona; Love Ain’t Guaranteed (co-producer Harry Beech), Redemption, Mist

• Evan Blair: Pretty Slowly, Benson Boone; Beautiful Things, Benson Boone; club heaven, Nessa Barrett; No High, David Kushner; this is how a woman leaves, i hope i never fall in love, Intermission, Maren Morris 

• Jack Rochon: II Hands II Heaven (co-producer Beyoncé, Dave Hamelin), Protector (co-producer Beyoncé), Jolene (co-producer Alex Vickery, Beyoncé, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Khirye Tyler), Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé; My Way (co-producer Charlotte Day Wilson, Leon Thomas); Cyan Blue, Charlotte Day Wilson; Crash (co-producer Aaron Paris, Aidan, Alex Goldblatt, Khris Riddick, Mariel Gomerez-Rodriguez, Oak), Tears featuring Omah Lay (co-producer Etienne, GuiltyBeatz, Mariel Gomerez-Rodriguez, Oak, Symphony), Crash, Kehlani 

• Shawn Everett: II Most Wanted (co-producer Beyoncé, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus), Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé; Found Heaven, Found Heaven, Conan Gray; Bright Lights (co-producer Jonathan Rado), Bright Lights, the Killers; I Don’t, (co-producer Brittany Howard), Eye of the Night, Found Heaven, Conan Gray; Prove it to You (co-producer Brittany Howard), What Now, Brittany Howard

Recording engineer of the year

• George Seara: Soft Spot, Dream, Requiem, keshi
• Hill Kourkoutis: Ghost, Sebastian Gaskin; Should We, Razzle, Emi Jeen 
• Mitch McCarthy: Good Luck, Babe!, Chappell Roan; Make You Mine, Madison Beer 
• Serban Ghenea: Please Please Please, Short n’ Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter; Lose Control, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), Teddy Swims
• Shawn Everett: Don’t Forget Me, Maggie Rogers; Deeper Well, Kacey Musgraves

Classical composition of the year

• Angmalukisaa, Deantha Edmunds
• The fog in our poise, Gabriel Dharmoo
• L’écoute du perdu : III. « Voix jetées », Keiko Devaux
• Dark Flower, Linda Catlin Smith 
• String Quartet No. 4 “Insects and Machines,” Vivian Fung

Songwriter of the year 

• Abel Tesfaye (the Weeknd): Dancing in the Flames (co-songwriters Max Martin, Oscar Holter), the Weeknd; Timeless (co-songwriters Blessed, Jarrod “Twisco” Morgan, Jordan Terrell Carter, Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood, Lawson, Mark Williams, Mike Dean, Pharrel Williams, Raul Cubina (Volta), Tariq “BL$$D” Sharrieff); São Paulo featuring Anitta (co-songwriters Agustinho Raphael Dos Santos, Andre Luiz Viegas, Everton Ramos De Araujo, Flavio Seraphim De Almeida, Larissa de Macedo Machado, Marcelo Nei Leal, Mike Dean, Sean Solymar, Tatiana Dos Santos Lourenco, Washington Luis Costa Vaz)

• AP Dhillon: Old Money (co-songwriters Abdul Aziz Dieng, Chris Mathew LaRocca-Cerrone, Luke Maurizio Mauti, Michael Tompa, Robert Benvegnu, Satinderpal Singh); Losing Myself featuring Gunna (co-songwriters Abdul Aziz Dieng, Herman Atwal, Luke Maurizio Mauti, Rashpal Singh, Sergio Giavanni Kitchens); Bora Bora featuring Arya Starr (co-songwriters Anas Rahmoune, Joseph Watchorn, Mason Tanner, Satinderpal Singh)

• Jessie Reyez: Child of Fire (co-songwriters Oladipo Omishore, Spencer Stewart, Tiffany Day); Ridin featuring Lil Wayne (co-songwriters Dwayne Carter, Jeff Gitelman, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson); Shut Up featuring Big Sean (co-songwriter Christopher Smith, Giovani Figueroa-Borges, Julian Harris, Nolan Lambroza, Sean Anderson, Uforo Ebong)

• Mustafa: Name of God (co-songwriters Aaron Dessner, Simon Hessman); Leaving Toronto (co-songwriters Jonah Yano, Rodaidh Mcdonald, Simon Hessman); I’ll Go Anywhere (co-songwriters Simon Hessman)

• Nemah Hasan: stick of gum (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman); you wore it better (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman); coloured concrete (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman)

Songwriter of the year (non-performer)

• Evan Blair: Beautiful Things, Pretty Slowly (co-songwriters Benson Boone, Jackson Lafrantz Larsen), Benson Boone; “i hope i never fall in love” (co-songwriters Delacey, Lucy Healey, Maren Morris), Maren Morris

• Lowell: Texas Hold ‘Em (co-songwriters Atia “Ink” Boggs, Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq); Bodyguard (co-songwriters Beyoncé, Leven Kali, Raphael Saadiq, Ryan Beatty,  Shantoni Ajane Nichols, Terius “The Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant), Beyoncé; Takes One to Know One (co-songwriters Eliza Enman-Mcdaniel, Gus van Go, Jordan Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl), the Beaches

• Nathan Ferraro: Texas Hold ‘Em (co-songwriters/co-compositeurs Atia “Ink” Boggs, Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Raphael Saadiq), Beyoncé; Smoke (co-songwriters Akeel Henry, Ant Clemons, Courtney Salter, Uforo Ebong Smoke), Ari Lennox; Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent) (co-songwriters Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Michael Wise, Sofia Camara), Sofia Camara

• Shaun Frank: Love Somebody (co-songwriters Ashley Gorley, Elof Loelv, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Bryon, Martina Sorbara, Morgan Wallen, Nicholas Gale, Ryan Vojtesak, Steve Richard Francis Mastroianni, Yaakov Gruzman), Morgan Wallen; Training Season (co-songwriters Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Dua Lipa, Kevin Parker, Martina Sorbara, Nicholas Gate, Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni, Tobias Jesso Jr., Yaakov Gruzman), Dua Lipa; Sideways (co-songwriters A. Graham, David Karbal, Marcel Kosic, Richard Beynon, Tiernan Kelly, Tinashe Sibanda), Gordo

• Tobias Jesso Jr.: Houdini (co-songwriters Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker), Dua Lipa; push me over (co-songwriters Catherine Hope Gavin, Josette Maskin, Maren Morris, Naomi McPherson), Maren Morris; Come Show Me (co-songwriters Camila Cabello, DJ Spinn (Morris Anthony Harper), Jasper Harris, Pablo Diaz-Reixa), Camila Cabello