2025 Juno Winners, Including Local Artists

The 2025 Juno Awards were handed out on March 29 & 30 in Vancouver.

Here's a video of the televised ceremony.

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Below is the Gala from Saturday

Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Below is the complete list of winners. Local artists are bolded.

• ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Verbathim - Nemahsis (Milton)
  Click here for the acceptance speech
  
  
  
  Links: Nemahsis, More Nemahsis Stories, Video above courtesy of nemahsis
  
  
• BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR: This Old Life - Big Dave McLean (ft Jesse O'Brien on keys)
  
  
  
  Links: Big Dave McLean, More Big Dave McLean Stories, Jesse O'Brien, More Jesse O'Brien Stories, Video above courtesy of Big Dave McLean - Topic
  
  
• BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Nemahsis (Milton)
  Click here for acceptance speech
  
  
• HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Sarah Harmer (Burlington)
  
  
  
  Links: Sarah Harmer, More Sarah Harmer Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music
  
  
• COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Complicated - Josh Ross (Waterdown/Burlington)
  Click here for acceptance speech
  
  
  
  Links: Josh Ross, More Josh Ross Stories, Video above courtesy of JOSS ROSS
  
  
• ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Inuktitut - Elisapie  
• ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Lovers’ Gothic - Maïa Davies 
• ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR: Keenan Gregory (Art Director): Altruistic – Royal Tusk 
• ALBUM OF THE YEAR: THINK LATER - Tate McRae 
• ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Tate McRae
• CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME: Sum 41
• CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Penny Penguin - Raffi & Good Lovelies 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST): Freezing - Emily D’Angelo
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) : Rituæls - collectif9 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE): Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie - Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno featuring Marc-André Hamelin and Nathalie Forget 
• CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR: Angmalukisaa - Deantha Edmunds 
• COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Honourable Intentions - Debra DiGiovanni 
• CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Restore - Ryan Ofei 
• CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Brown Man - Sebastian Gaskin 
• CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Bloom - Aqyila 
• CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Strange Medicine - Kaia Kater 
• DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: No Time - Interplanetary Criminal & SadBoi 
• ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: This But More - Priori 
• FAN'S CHOICE: bbno$ 
• FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Abracadabra - Klô Pelgag 
• GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Dankoroba - Djely Tapa 
• GROUP OF THE YEAR: The Beaches
• INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Memory Palace - Intervals 
• INTERNATIOANL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Boi1da
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO): Montreal Jazz Series 1 (Échanges Synaptiques) - André Leroux  
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP): Gravity - Jeremy Ledbetter Trio 
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Anne Murray
• METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Beyond the Reach of the Sun - Anciients 
• MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Name of God - Mustafa 
• POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Think Later - Tate McRae 
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Jack Rochon
• RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR/ALBUM: Red Future - Snotty Nose Rez Kids 
• RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Shut Up - Jessie Reyez 
• RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Serban Ghenea
• REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Born to Be Free - Exco Levi 
• ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Set Your Pussy Free - NOBRO 
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR: exes - Tate McRae 
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Mustafa
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Non-Performer): Lowell
• SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR: The Brownprint - AP Dhillon 
• TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Jeannie Hunter
• TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: New Comings - Black Bear Singers 
• TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Retro Man … More and More (Expanded Edition) - Jake Vaadeland 
• TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Velvet Soul- THEHONESTGUY 
• UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Bamboo - Ciel 
• VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Hello! How Are You? - Caity Gyorgy 

Local Artist Performances at Ceremonies

• Nemahsis: Stick of Gum
• Josh Ross: Leave Me Too

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories

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Canadian Nominees for the 2025 Grammys (including local artists)

The nominees for the 2025 Grammy Awards were recently announced and quite a number of Canadian are in the running for the prestigious prize. 

In local news, Waterdown's Stony Plain Records have two albums up for the Best Traditional Blues Album category: Fabulous Thunderbirds - Struck Down (co-produced, co-written and guest starring Hamilton/Kitchener Bluesman Steve Strongman +  backing vocals by Chris Ayries (Hamilton) on 'Sideline') and Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman. Nothing In Rambling, a song from Fabulous Thunderbirds - Struck Down is also nominated for Best Americana Roots Performance.

The 67th GRAMMY Awards, will take be at the Crypto.com Arena (LA) on Sunday, February 2 and broadcast live on the CBS.

Here is the official Grammy Nominee Announcement.

Links: Grammy, More Grammy Stories, Video above courtesy of Recording Academy / GRAMMYs

Below is a complete list of Canadian nominees.

Steve Strongman (Hamilton/Kitchener)

• Best Traditional Blues Album (Fabulous Thunderbirds - Struck Down, co-producer, co-writer, guest on tracks) (released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)
  
  
  
  Links: Fabulous Thunderbirds, More Fabulous Thunderbirds Stories, Video above courtesy of The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Topic
  
  
• Best Americana Roots Performance (The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Nothing In Rambling ft Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal & Mick Fleetwood, Co-producer) (released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)

Chris Ayries  (Hamilton)

• Best Traditional Blues Album (Fabulous Thunderbirds - Struck Down, backing vocals on 'Sideline') (released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)

Sue Foley

• Best Traditional Blues Album (One Guitar Woman) (released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)

Arcade Fire

• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (Saltburn soundtrack, ft the song No Cars Go)

Lowell Boland

• Best Pop Solo Performance (Beyoncé - Bodyguard / Texas Hold 'Em, co-writer)
• Best Country Song / Record of the Year / Song of the Year (Beyoncé - Texas Hold 'Em, co-writer)
• Album of the Year/Best Country Album (Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter, co-writer on some tracks)

Marika Bournaki

• Best Classical Solo Vocal Album (Fotina Naumenko - Bespoke Songs, pianist)

Daniel Caesar

• Best Reggae Album: (Bob Marley: One Love - Music Inspired By the Film ft the song Waiting In Vain)

Deborah Cox

• Best Musical Theatre Album (The Wiz - 2024 Broadway Cast Recording)

Sara Diamond

• Best R&B Song (Coco Jones - Here We Go (Uh Oh), songwriter)

Grant Dickinson aka Thelabcook

• Best Rap Song ($ ft Rich the Kid & Playboi Carti - Carnival, songwriter)

Serban Ghenea

• Album of the Year (Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department, audio engineer & mixing)
• Best Engineered Album (Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet, audio engineer & mixing)

Dave Hamelin (The Stills)

• Best Country Solo Performance (Beyoncé - 16 Carriages, production and mixing recording engineer)

Shawn Everett

• Album of the Year/Best Country Album (Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter, production and mixing)
• Best Country Album / Best Country Solo Performance / Best Country Song / Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well, mixing)

Kaytranada 

• Best Remixed Recording (Doechii - Alter Ego)
• Best Dance/Electronic Music Album (Timeless)
• Best Dance/Electronic Recording (Witchy ft Childish Gambino)

Avril Lavigne

• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (Deadpool & Wolverine soundtrack, ft the song I'm With You)

Yannick Nézet-Séguin

• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (Maestro: Music by Leonard Bernstein with London Symphony Orchestra and Bradley Cooper)
• Best Opera Recording (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra - Catan: Florencia en el Amazonas / Metropolitan Opera Orchestra - Puts: the Hours)

Jessie Reyez

• Best Reggae Album: Bob Marley: One Love - Music Inspired By the Film ft the song Is This Love)

Spiritbox

• Best Metal Performance (Cellar Door)

Shania Twain

• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (Twisters: The Album, ft the song Boots Don't with Breland)

The Weeknd

• Best Melodic Rap Performance (We Still Don't Trust You with Future and Metro Boomin)

Charlotte Day Wilson

• Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (Cyan Blue)

Scott Zhang aka Monsune

• Best R&B Song (SZA - Saturn, songwriter)

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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Hamilton's Zoon on 2023 Polaris Long List

On June 13, 2023, the latest Polaris Music Prize Long List was unveiled. This prestigious competition celebrates musical creativity and diversity in the Canadian music scene. The short list will be announced on July 13.

You can view the announcement below.

Links: Polaris Music Prize, More Polaris Stories, Video above courtesy of polarismusicprize

Here's the complete Long List 

Click here for the winner & Short List

• Zoon – Bekka Ma’iingan
  
  
  
  Links: Zoon, More Zoon Stories, Video above courtesy of Paper Bag Records
  
  
• ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT – Darling The Dawn
• Alvvays – Blue Rev
• Aquakultre – Don’t Trip
• Aysanabee – Watin
• Badge Époque Ensemble – Clouds Of Joy
• Begonia – Powder Blue
• Bibi Club – Le soleil et la mer
• BIG|BRAVE – nature morte
• Philippe Brach – Les gens qu’on aime
• Mariel Buckley – Everywhere I Used To Be
• Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
• Chiiild – Better Luck In The Next Life
• Feist – Multitudes
• Debby Friday – Good Luck
• Gayance – Mascarade
• Ghostkeeper – Multidimensional Culture
• Home Front – Games of Power
• JayWood – Slingshot
• Khotin – Release Spirit
• Thierry Larose – Sprint!
• Murray Lightburn – Once Upon A Time In Montreal
• Isabella Lovestory – Amor Hardcore
• Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere
• N NAO – L’eau et les rêves
• Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
• Eliza Niemi – Staying Mellow Blows
• Nico Paulo – Nico Paulo
• Planet Giza – Ready When You Are
• poolblood – mole
• Jessie Reyez – Yessie
• The Sadies – Colder Streams
• Jairus Sharif – Water & Tools
• Andy Shauf – Norm
• Dylan Sinclair – No Longer In The Suburbs
• Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU?
• Alexandra Stréliski – Néo-Romance
• U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess
• Witch Prophet – Gateway Experience
• Yoo Doo Right – A Murmur, Boundless to the East

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CONGRATS! 2021 Juno Opening Night Winners (incl local artists)

A few area artists took home Juno Awards during the opening night virtual festivities on June 4, 2021.

Here is the full opening gala:

Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Below is a complete list of winners. Local acts are bolded.

• Electronic Album: Suddenly by CARIBOU (Dundas)
  
  
  
  Links: Caribou, More Caribou Stories, Video above courtesy of nostalgic music
  
  
• Group: Arkells (Hamilton)
  
  
  
  Links: Arkells, More Arkells Stories, Video above courtesy of Arkells Music, Video of the Arkells Accepting
  
  
• Rock Album: Ruthless by JJ Wilde (Kitchener)
  
  
  
  Links: JJ Wilde, More JJ Wilde Stories, Video above courtesy of JJ Wilde, Video of JJ Accepting
  
  
• Vocal Jazz Album: With You by Sammy Jackson (St. Catharines)
  
  
  
  Links: Sammy Jackson, More Sammy Jackson Stories, Video above courtesy of Sammy Jackson, Video of Sammy accepting the award

• Blues Album: Church House Blues by CRYSTAL SHAWANDA (released by Waterdown's True North Records) ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)
  
  
  
  Links: Crystal Shawanda, More Crystal Shawanda Stories, Video above courtesy of Folk Roots and Blues, Crystal accepting the award
  
  
• Adult Alternative Album: Sad Hunk by BAHAMAS
• Adult Contemporary Album: Such Pretty Forks in the Road by ALANIS MORISSETTE
• Album Artwork: NOTRE-DAME-DES-SEPT-DOULEURS – Klô Pelgag
• Alternative Album: Pray For It by July Talk
• Breakthrough Group: Crown Lands
• Children's Album: Heart Parade by Splash’N Boots 
• Classical Album (Large Ensemble): Ginastera – Bernstein – Moussa: Œuvres pour violon et orchestre / Works for Violin and Orchestra by Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Kent Nagano, feat. Andrew Wan
• Classical Album (Solo/Chamber): MOSAÏQUE by Ensemble Made In Canada 
• Classical Album: Vocal or Choral: Massenet: Thaïs by Erin Wall, Joshua Hopkins, Andrew Staples, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir with Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis
• Classical Composition: Violin Concerto “Adrano” by Samy Moussa 
• Comedy Album: Horse Power by JACOB SAMUEL
• Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album: THE WAY by SHAWNA CAIN
• Contemporary R&B Recording: After Hours by The Weeknd
• Contemporary Roots Album: Bravado by ROSE COUSINS
• Country Album: The Lemonade Stand by Tenille Townes
• Dance Recording: BUBBA by KAYTRANADA 
• Francophone Album: Quand la nuit tombe by Louis-Jean Cormier
• Indigenous Artist or Group: Leela Gilday
• Instrumental Album: Movements III by Blitz//Berlin
• International Album: Fine Line by  Harry Styles
• Jazz Album (Group): The reMission by Andy Milne and Unison 
• Jazz Album (Solo): Elegant Traveler by Jocelyn Gould 
• Metal/Hard Music Album: Abyss by UNLEASH THE ARCHERS
• Music Video: NO ONE'S IN THE ROOM - Jessie Reyez
• Producer: WondaGurl
• Rap Recording: ELEMENTS Vol. 1 by TOBi
• Recording Engineer: Serban Ghenea
• Reggae Recording: I Pray by TOME x Sean Kingston 
• Songwriter: The Weeknd
• Traditional Roots Album: Bet On Love by PHARIS & JASON ROMERO
• World Music Album: Espiral by OKAN

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories

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