Three-time host Michael Bublé opened the 2025 Juno Awards with an announcement that was each considerably anticipated, and fairly not like something heard at a Canadian awards present earlier than.
“We’re the best nation on Earth,” he mentioned of the nation he had simply completed describing as lovely, expansive and distinctive. “And we aren’t on the market.”
Stars-and-stripes degree of patriotism is not one thing typical for Canadian artists, not to mention ones at a ceremony normally simply preventing for a motive to exist alongside the Grammys.
However within the face of a spiraling trade war and grocery store maple leaf stickers, the Vancouver-set Junos seemingly acquired a much-needed injection of nationwide pleasure that popped up because the night time continued on.
In a lifetime achievement award acceptance speech by Group Canada jersey-wearing Anne Murray, she defined why she fought towards relocating to the U.S. early on in her profession.
“I knew instinctively that I wanted a spot to go, to flee when my work was achieved,” she mentioned. “Canada was my secure haven, my security blanket, my gentle on the finish of the tunnel. And it nonetheless is.”
Canadian pleasure was additionally in producer Boi-1da’s gracious thanks to Drake, after Boi-1da was offered with a global achievement award.
He was seemingly undaunted about popping out in Drake’s nook regardless of the rapper’s prolonged rap feud with Kendrick Lamar, who penned the anthem Not Like Us in regards to the Canadian star’s seeming distance from American Black tradition.
“The best rapper of all time, the best artist of all time,” he mentioned onstage of his frequent collaborator. “And he is from Canada. Drizzy Drake, that is my brother.”
When requested if he was in any approach nervous to choose sides in a beef that has roped in everybody from Rick Ross to DeMar DeRozan to Serena Williams, he mentioned the thought hadn’t crossed his thoughts.
“That entire selecting sides stuff is simply on the web, as a result of once you go wherever else within the precise world everyone listens to Drake,” he mentioned within the press room backstage.
Junos host Michael Bublé kicked off the awards ceremony in Vancouver by saying he was proud to be Canadian. The pop crooner known as Canada ‘the best nation on Earth’ and added that the nation shouldn’t be on the market.
Because the present got here to an in depth, seven-time nominee and Vancouver native bbno$ (pronounced “child no cash,” he mentioned, not “B.B. nos”) grabbed his first profession gold within the fan selection class. It was one of many greatest upsets of the ceremony’s roughly 50 awards, as he beat out heavy hitters just like the Weeknd, Shawn Mendes and Tate McRae.
After acknowledging the achievement and thanking his hometown, bbno$ had one thing else to finish his speech with.
“Additionally, Elon Musk is a bit of rubbish,” he mentioned. He was met with roaring applause.
The digicam shortly lower to a barely sheepish Bublé, standing subsequent to Max Kerman, lead singer of the band Arkells.
“Man, I did not hear that, however folks preferred it,” Bublé joked.
“I heard it and it was proper,” Kerman mentioned.
Together with that defiance, the present was bolstered by some large names, even when they weren’t all in attendance.
Tate McRae had already emerged because the Juno’s large winner at Saturday’s awards gala, taking dwelling trophies for single, album, artist and pop album of the 12 months — although she wasn’t in attendance both night time.
Calgary’s Lowell and Toronto’s Jack Rochon gained primarily for his or her work on Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album, with Rochon successful finest producer and Lowell the inaugural non-performing songwriter, a class she championed for years.
Sunday could have had fewer awards to announce, however there was nonetheless no scarcity of notoriety. It began with a bombshell opening that featured Bublé biking by means of his hits Feeling Good, Dwelling and Simply Have not Met You But — paired with an unique rap part by Maestro Recent Wes, and verses by nominees Jonita Gandhi, Roxane Bruneau and Elisapie using Punjabi, French and Inuktitut, respectively.
The primary award of the night time was group of the 12 months for The Seashores, making it the second 12 months in a row the Blame Brett rockers managed to snag the victory. They have been joined by a slew of different reside acts, fleshing out the roughly two-hour broadcast that included solely 4 essential classes.
There was bbno$ performing his It Boy alongside TV persona Priyanka, and fellow Vancouverites Peach Pit displaying off their hit Magpie.
There was singer-songwriter Nemhasis, who would win breakthrough artist or group, belting her Stick of Gum and crooner Josh Ross singing Depart Me Too, simply after taking dwelling nation album of the 12 months for his Difficult.
There was Jazzy B, Inderpal Moga and Chani Nattan going by means of Coolin’. The monitor was nominated for the inaugural South Asian music recording of the 12 months, created for the music style’s stratospheric rise in Canada that Jazzy B touched on on the finish of their efficiency: “From Surrey, to the world, to the Junos,” he mentioned, holding his hand to the sky.
There was Snotty Nostril Rez Children — who gained finest rap album the night time earlier than, changing into the primary Indigenous group ever to take action — operating by means of a medley of their hits together with Pink Future, One of many Greatest, Shapeshifter and Free alongside collaborator Tia Wooden.
And final, there was Sum 41, equally rocking out to a medley of their hits for his or her last-ever live performance. Good Charlotte’s Benji and Joel Madden additionally inducted the band into the Canadian Music Corridor of Fame earlier within the present.
It was a bittersweet displaying. There was a loving video tribute to Sum 41, that includes everybody from Tommy Lee to Run DMC, George Stroumboulopoulos and Iggy Pop marvelling on the In Too Deep rockers’ affect. However the efficiency itself was barely marred by sound points which— for some broadcasts — lower the tune off earlier than it was achieved.
Regardless of the technical foible, the band soldiered by means of like nothing was flawed. And of their Corridor of Fame acceptance speech, even made an elliptical remark that might have been interpreted as a touch upon why — or as a touch upon the night time’s dominant Canadian-identity-crisis theme.
“The good Iggy Pop informed us one time, ‘Neglect who you suppose you’re, and all the time simply be who you actually are,” mentioned lead singer Deryck Whibley.
“It doesn’t matter what you do in life, be your self, imagine in your self and — above all — keep persistent.”
Source link