Latest news with #CanadianAcademyofRecordingArtsandSciences
CBC
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
It's official. The Junos are coming back to Hamilton in 2026
Social Sharing Canada's biggest night in music — the Juno Awards — is returning to Hamilton in 2026, the seventh time the city is hosting the event, organizers announced Thursday. Hamilton last hosted the Junos in 2015 and will once again honour the nation's top musical talent, with the 2026 Juno week running from Thursday, March 26, to Sunday, March 29. The week-long event will culminate with the 55th Annual Juno Awards, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) said in a news release. CARAS president and CEO, Allan Reid, said Hamilton's dynamic music scene and rich cultural heritage make it "an ideal location" for the awards. "We are thrilled to return to Hamilton and be one of the first events in Hamilton's newly renovated downtown arena," Reid said in the release. "The city and province of Ontario continue to show their passion for music and the arts, we're looking forward to 2026." The announcement comes just over a week before this year's Junos, which take place on March 30 at Vancouver's Rogers Arena, hosted by singer Michael Bublé. Next year, Juno week events will be held at the newly transformed Hamilton Arena, which is scheduled to reopen in late 2025. According to the release, the arena will be upgraded with several new features, including premium seating options, "state-of-the-art acoustics," upgraded concourses and advanced production capabilities for maximum efficiency. Arena renovations 60% complete "Hosting this prestigious award show in our soon-to-open venue will showcase the incredible transformation of the space and also the creative musical energy in Hamilton and throughout Ontario," said Nick DeLuco, Oak View Group senior vice-president and general manager of Hamilton Arena, in the news release. Oak View's vice president of project management Ryan Zrenda gave CBC Hamilton a tour of the arena on Wednesday. The renovation has turned the entire facility into a construction site, with 300 workers there daily. The project is about 60 per cent complete, Zrenda said. The renovation began in May 2024, with EllisDon as the main construction contractor. Oak View Group is an American company that specializes in sports and entertainment venues. In an interview, DeLuco said the goal is to be done by late November or early December. He said the Junos will be part of an opening series of events that will contain "diverse content and different options." Longtime arena-goers will be "shocked" when they come in for the first time, DeLuco said. "Everything on the inside is really different." For example, he said, the renovation is opening up previously inaccessible spaces across upper and lower levels in the arena, with the goal of making it easier for people to get in and out, and to access food, drinks and lounge spaces. The old design funnelled guests through one main route. Other highlights include special box seats at floor level, a new artist lounge and another elevator, company representatives said. The city and local music and tourism promoters have been advocating for the awards to come back to the city since at least last summer. At a General Issues Committee meeting last July, Tim Potocic, founder of Sonic Unyon Records, supported the 2026 bid by the city's tourism department. Events like the Junos "add massive economic impact … support the arts and the music sector, showcase local talent, build community, create legacy and they are a massive driver for the city in general," Potocic said at the meeting. "They not only bring economic impact when they're here, but they also leave economic impact when they leave. They're huge for the local community business, downtown business throughout the entire city, our hotel room stays, and they're just giant [economic] drivers. "They create massive vibrancy and they're incredible for our entire city when we have these events," Potocic added. 'A great opportunity for local talent' Juno week is also "a great opportunity for local talent to engage with national-level talent when they're coming through town, and also gives them a great opportunity to play locally," Potocic said. He noted that "Hamilton was the incubator, the first city that stepped up when the Junos changed their model to the arena model." In January Mayor Andrea Horwath announced that Ontario was supporting the city's bid to host the awards. "Our city has a rich and historic music scene that has shaped Canada's cultural landscape for generations and continues to thrive today," Horwath wrote on social media site X. "From legendary artists to rising stars, Hamilton has long been a hub of creativity and musical excellence."
CBC
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Buffy Sainte-Marie stripped of Juno, Polaris music awards
Buffy Sainte-Marie has been stripped of her Canadian music awards. Both the Juno Awards and the Polaris Music Prize announced Friday they were rescinding the honours Sainte-Marie had received over the years, after the 84-year-old musician returned her Order of Canada earlier this week, saying she is an American citizen and had "made it completely clear" she is not Canadian. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), which runs the Junos, said it made the decision in accordance with its eligibility requirements, following Sainte-Marie's statements about not being Canadian. Sainte-Marie had collected seven Juno Awards over the years. "This decision is not a reflection of Ms. Sainte-Marie's artistic contributions but ensures that CARAS celebrates and honours artists who meet the criteria. While this decision aligns with longstanding criteria, we acknowledge the impact it may have," CARAS said in its statement. "Buffy Sainte-Marie has been a strong supporter and advocate for Canadian music, and we acknowledge the past contributions she has made to our organization. However, CARAS' mandate is to educate, develop, celebrate, and honour Canadian artists." Polaris gave the same reason, saying that based on Sainte-Marie's statement, she "does not meet Polaris Music Prize's rules and regulations."
CBC
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Josh Ross, Snotty Nose Rez Kids among star-studded lineup of 2025 Junos performers
The 2025 Juno Awards will showcase a star-studded lineup, with multiple-award nominees and rising stars, including Josh Ross and Snotty Nose Rez Kids, performing at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver on March 30. Rising stars Aqyila, Nemahsis and Tia Wood will be making their Juno Awards performance debuts, joining third-time host Michael Bublé and 2025 Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Sum 41 on stage. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC made the announcement on Monday and said more performers will be announced soon. Here are all the 2025 Juno nominees How to tune in to the 2025 Juno Awards The awards will be broadcast and streamed live across Canada on CBC TV and CBC Gem at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and globally on CBC Music's YouTube channel. Here's a look at the performers for this year's show. Aqyila With more than 128 million worldwide streams and three billion short-form video views, Toronto R&B artist Aqyila's debut single, Vibe for Me (Bob for Me), earned her a Juno nomination in 2021 for contemporary R&B recording of the year, marking the beginning of her rise as a songwriter. Aqyila has two nominations this year, for traditional R&B/soul recording (for Limbo) and contemporary R&B recording (Bloom). Josh Ross This country performer co-leads this year's nominations (alongside Tate McRae) with a total of five, including TikTok Juno fan choice, single (for Single Again), album (Complicated), country album, and artist of the year. The former collegiate football player from Burlington, Ont., pairs a dark, mellow blast of modern country rock with a warm vocal rasp, heart-on-his-sleeve writing and addictive hooks that respect no borders — genre or otherwise. Nemahsis The music of Nemahsis, a rising Palestinian Canadian singer and songwriter from Milton, Ont., explores themes of identity and belonging, often drawing on her experiences as a hijabi Muslim woman. This year, Nemahsis is a first-time nominee for three Junos, including breakthrough artist or group, The Government of Canada and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters,????alternative album and songwriter of the year. WATCH | A look at B.C.'s Juno-nominated artists: B.C. artists front and centre in this year's Juno Awards nominations 12 days ago Duration 8:00 Snotty Nose Rez Kids Known for their high-energy live shows, the Indigenous hip-hop duo from the Haisla Nation in British Columbia burst onto the music scene in 2016 and have performed more than 100 shows across six countries. Snotty Nose Rez Kids have three Juno nominations this year, including rap single, rap album/EP and contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year. Tia Wood Born in Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta, a community of about 6,000 people in Treaty 6 territory, Wood seamlessly blends modern influences with the music of her Indigenous roots. This rich background laid the foundation for her debut, Pretty Red Bird, released in September 2024. Wood is a first-time Juno Award nominee this year, for contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year. Tia's father, Earl Wood, is a founding member of the legendary group Northern Cree, who are also nominated for a 2025 Juno award.
CBC
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Josh Ross, Nemahsis and more to perform at 2025 Juno Awards
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced a new slate of performers for the 2025 Juno Awards, to join host Michael Bublé and Hall of Fame inductees Sum 41. Haisla rappers Snotty Nose Rez Kids, country singer Josh Ross, pop singer-songwriter Nemahsis, R&B singer Aqyila and singer-songwriter Tia Wood will all perform on March 30 in Vancouver. It marks the first time that both Nemahsis and Tia Wood will perform on the awards stage, and they are also first-time nominees. The 54th Juno Awards are heading to Vancouver on March 30, hosted by Bublé. The show will be broadcast and streamed live across Canada from 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. AT on CBC-TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen and globally at and on CBC Music's YouTube page. All the nominees were announced on Feb. 11, and Ross leads the nominations alongside pop star Tate McRae with five a piece. Grammy-winning Toronto producer Boi-1da will be receiving the International Achievement Award at this year's ceremony, and Juno-winning singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer will receive the Humanitarian Award.
CBC
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Loreena McKennitt says Juno-nominated album was 'really a second thought'
Social Sharing Manitoba's Loreena McKennitt says she didn't set out to record the album that has put her once again in contention for a Juno Award. The Celtic singer-songwriter's new live album, The Road Back Home, has been nominated for traditional roots album of the year in the 2025 awards. The nomination is the latest accolade for the Morden-born musician, who's already won two Junos and received multiple Grammy Award nominations over a career that's spanned three decades. Last month, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced McKennitt will be one of five artists inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame this spring. "It's always an honour," she said in an interview with CBC News. "Probably most artists, everybody's got their nose to the grindstone. You're not necessarily thinking about awards and honours, but it's lovely when it happens." Listen | Morden's Loreena McKennitt on her Juno nomination The Road Back Home was recorded during a series of performances at southern Ontario folk festivals during the summer of 2023. "I didn't set out to make a recording," she said. Juno Awards 2025: A breakdown Here are all the 2025 Juno nominees "It was really a second thought … but I'm glad we did, because there's something about recordings of live performances that have a very unique kind of energy or electricity that studio ones don't always have." McKennitt was accompanied by The Bookends, a group of Celtic musicians she met in Stratford, Ont., where she currently lives. The singer-songwriter said the album is a departure from her previous explorations of Celtic music, which she discovered when she moved to Winnipeg in the late 70s. "That's when I became really immersed and fell in love with Celtic music," she said. "Those years in Winnipeg were extremely formative, as were the years in Morden … When I look back in my career, I see these two locations being very, very significant in my musical development." Other Manitoba nominees Other Juno nominees with Manitoba roots in this year's awards include: Boy Golden, For Eden (Contemporary roots album of the year). Jocelyn Gould, Portrait of Right Now (Jazz album of the year (solo)). James Ehnes, Williams Violin Concerto No. 1; Bernstein Serenade (Classical album of the year (solo). Big Dave McLean, This Old Life (Blues album of the year). The Secret Beach, We were born here, what's your excuse? (Adult alternative album of the year). Sebastian Gaskin, "Brown Man" (Contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year). Jordan St. Cyr, My Foundation (Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year).
