Latest news with #MusiquePlus
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Former MuchMusic VJ Juliette Powell, a ‘vibrant spirit and memorable presence,' dies at 54
Juliette Powell, former MuchMusic television host, beauty queen, tech leader and trailblazer, has died at age 54. Powell died of acute bacterial meningitis on June 3. She grew up competing in beauty pageants and became the first Black winner of the Miss Canada pageant in 1989, going on to represent Canada in Miss Universe. Powell was the first Black winner of Miss Canada in 1989. Ron Bull Powell's magnetic personality and knack for connecting with audiences made her a natural fit for television. She began as a VJ at Quebecois television broadcaster MusiquePlus in 1992, hosting the dance music show 'Bouge de là!' In 1996, she moved to Toronto and joined MuchMusic, where she became host of the shows 'Electric Circus,' a live dance music program, and 'French Kiss,' which aired French-language music videos. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Bell Media is deeply saddened to hear the news of Juliette's passing,' wrote Justin Stockman, spokesperson for Bell Media, in a June 10 email to the Star. 'Her vibrant spirit and memorable presence for both MuchMusic and MusiquePlus, on iconic programs such as Electric Circus and French Kiss, left an enduring legacy. Juliette's warmth and energy resonated with audiences and her contributions to Canadian television will never be forgotten.' Juiette Powell interviewing dancers during a live broadcast of 'Electric Circus.' Tony Bock In 1999, she founded her own media company, Powell International Entertainment, through which she produced features with luminaries such as Nelson Mandela, Janet Jackson and Steven Spielberg. Born in New York City, Powell moved to Montreal at age eight. She returned to New York to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at Columbia University, and ultimately became a faculty member in the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University. Powell became an author as well, writing '33 Million People in the Room: How to Create Influence, and Run a Successful Business Using Social Networking' in 2009. In 2023, she co-authored 'The AI Dilemma: 7 Principles for Responsible Technology' with Art Kleiner, and was a founder and managing partner of Kleiner Powell International, a consultancy focusing on business strategy and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Condolences can be left at
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Juliette Powell, ravishing MuchMusic host turned insightful tech critic, dies at 54
TORONTO - Juliette Powell, the captivating former MuchMusic VJ and host of live dance show 'Electric Circus,' has died at 54. The television personality who became an author and technology commentator was found dead at home in New York on June 3, says Art Kleiner, the co-author of her 2023 book 'The AI Dilemma.' He said the cause of death was acute bacterial meningitis. Friends and colleagues say Powell's professional achievements often broke down barriers. As a young adult she entered beauty pageants to challenge racial biases and in 1989 she became the first Black woman to win Miss Canada. That same year she represented the country at Miss Universe. By the mid-1990s, her towering height and captivating smile landed her jobs on Montreal music video channel MusiquePlus and eventually its Toronto sister channel MuchMusic. Powell later became a business reporter at TV news channel CablePulse 24, now known as CP24, and founded media consulting company Powell International Entertainment Inc. She launched another career in the fast-evolving world of technology, where she established herself as a trusted commentator on user privacy and published two books on entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Juliette Powell, ravishing MuchMusic host turned insightful tech critic, dies at 54
TORONTO – Juliette Powell, the captivating former MuchMusic VJ and host of live dance show 'Electric Circus,' has died at 54. The television personality who became an author and technology commentator was found dead at home in New York on June 3, says Art Kleiner, the co-author of her 2023 book 'The AI Dilemma.' He said the cause of death was acute bacterial meningitis. Friends and colleagues say Powell's professional achievements often broke down barriers. As a young adult she entered beauty pageants to challenge racial biases and in 1989 she became the first Black woman to win Miss Canada. That same year she represented the country at Miss Universe. By the mid-1990s, her towering height and captivating smile landed her jobs on Montreal music video channel MusiquePlus and eventually its Toronto sister channel MuchMusic. Powell later became a business reporter at TV news channel CablePulse 24, now known as CP24, and founded media consulting company Powell International Entertainment Inc. She launched another career in the fast-evolving world of technology, where she established herself as a trusted commentator on user privacy and published two books on entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former MuchMusic VJ Juliette Powell, 54, died 'unexpectedly': What to know about bacterial meningitis
Juliette Powell, a former MuchMusic VJ and author, has died. The 54-year-old, who appeared on Canadian television in the '90s as a host of Electric Circus and French Kiss died on June 3 after a brief illness. According to her obituary, Powell, who was born in the U.S. but raised in Montréal, "succumbed unexpectedly" due to acute bacterial meningitis. "Juliette had a magical way of drawing people in with her infectious enthusiasm, and her brilliant intelligence and gorgeous smile lit up every room she ever entered," reads her obituary. "Her loss is devastating and she will be deeply, painfully missed by so many." This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. In 1989, Powell became the first Black woman to be crowned Miss Canada. She joined MusiquePlus as a VJ in 1992 before going on to join MuchMusic in 1996. Eventually, she transitioned out of music and became a business reporter for CablePulse24. Following her career in television, she authored several books including The AI Dilemma: 7 Principles for Responsible Technology in 2023. So, what is bacterial meningitis and what are the signs and symptoms? Read on to learn everything you need to know about the condition. Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord membranes, typically caused by an infection, bacteria or sometimes fungi. According to Meningitis Foundation Canada, untreated bacterial meningitis is a "medical emergency" and can be "fatal in a few hours." Those who do recover can have permanent disabilities, such as brain damage, hearing loss and learning disabilities. The condition usually spreads through close contact to bacteria or virus, such as cold or flu germs. As such, sneezing, coughing, kissing and close physical contact can cause the germs to spread. Because it is difficult to stop the transmission of bacteria, prevention is essential. Bacterial meningitis is diagnosed by a medical professional after analyzing a sample of spinal fluid from the patient. This condition can often be mistaken for another life-threatening illness, sepsis, which is the body's extreme response to infection. Sepsis happens when an infection triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Without timely treatment, sepsis can quickly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. That the timing of bacterial meningitis symptoms can vary widely. Some people can get sick within a few hours of contracting the condition, while it may take others one to three days to show symptoms. Typically, early symptoms, occurring within the first six hours, include fever, headache, irritability, nausea and vomiting. Later symptoms occurring within six to 12 hours involve fever, muscle aches, leg pain and pale skin. After 12 hours, symptoms usually include cold hands and feet, stiff neck or neck pain, rash, confusion or delirium and decreasing responsiveness. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Certain risk factors can increase a person's risk for getting bacterial meningitis. The risk factors include: Age: Babies or young children are more likely to contract bacterial meningitis due to their weakened immune systems. That said, people of any age can develop the condition. Group settings: Meningitis tends to spread where large groups of people gather or live in close quarters, such as college dorms or music festivals. Certain medical conditions: Some medical conditions, medications or surgical procedures put people at increased risk for contracting bacterial meningitis. For example, having an HIV infection or not having a spleen can increase a person's risk for the condition. There are many ways to help prevent bacterial meningitis. Firstly, different vaccines can help protect against certain types of bacterial meningitis. There are vaccines for four types of bacteria that can cause the condition. Additionally, maintaining good health, washing your hands often, staying home when you're sick and having a strong immune system can protect us from most causes. Oftentimes we carry meningitis germs with no ill effects. However, if your immune system is compromised due to cancer treatments, HIV, organ transplants, infection or other serious health issues, speak with your doctor about how to help protect against meningitis. Lastly, seeking medical attention as soon as symptoms appear is essential. Moreover, as the condition is contagious, if you've been around someone who has it, call your healthcare provider to discuss how to keep from getting sick.
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
St-Victor: Juliette Powell never stood still, whether on MusiquePlus or tech's cutting edge
I'm a romantic and believe that television's golden age is yet to come, and that the medium's death has been greatly exaggerated. Still, while it may be hard to believe now, once upon a time television unified people every day, at the same time and not on demand. TV was about daily rendezvous, not just when it was time for sports spectacles and year-end shows. Quebec TV is unique. These daily rendezvous still exist, and beyond game shows and newscasts. In addition to those staples, the province produces high-quality, addictive televised fiction, like Radio-Canada's Stat and Dumas. At another time, for another generation, the daily rendezvous included everything and anything that aired on MusiquePlus. The U.S. had MTV, and the rest of Canada had MuchMusic. MTV became an unavoidable stop for artists and politicians alike, including a presidential candidate named Bill Clinton, who created one of the most memorable moments of his 1992 campaign on the channel. It wasn't that much different here in Quebec: MusiquePlus was a must for both international and local stars, who used the network to première their videos or announce their tours. Hosts emerged who thrived beyond their departure from the channel, which stopped airing in 2019, and who remain influential staples of our media landscape, like Anne-Marie Withenshaw and Rebecca Makonnen. Also on the MusiquePlus roster of hosts was Juliette Powell, who died June 3 of acute bacterial meningitis, a few weeks shy of her 55th birthday. I met her in 2009, not long after she released her book 33 Million People in the Room: How to Create, Influence, and Run a Successful Business With Social Networking. I interviewed her for a blog, and she was brilliant and generous. She was also an avant-gardist, understanding that social media was going to change everything. In her book, she analyzed Barack Obama's sophisticated usage of social media platforms, which has since become a blueprint for so many aspiring politicians. Powell also had influence. I wonder if she knew what seeing her on the screen meant to so many of us. When a public personality dies, the praise they receive is quite a barometer. When news of Powell's passing broke this week, there was an avalanche of love on social media. In addition to the sadness, posts have expressed admiration for a woman who broke many barriers. Sure, she was the first Black Canadian to be named Miss Canada in 1989, but parlaying that into a television gig where she interviewed some of the world's most prominent musical artists was quite a feat. For many of us, she was a star among stars. Did she know it? Possibly not. Local media critics could be brutal and gratuitous. But that's the price when you're one of the first and one of the very few. The impossibly high bar is set not by you, but by those who question whether you belong. MusiquePlus had its share of mediocre VJs. Juliette Powell was not one of them. Those of us who cherished seeing a Black woman on Quebec television knew this. She moved to Toronto in 1996, hosting on MuchMusic and also studying economics, which led to business reporting on television. Her continued thirst for knowledge brought her to New York, where she graduated from Columbia University and recently taught at New York University. She remained one step ahead of most of us, researching and advising on artificial intelligence and ethics in tech. Powell was gorgeous and, honestly, she could have just banked on her looks, but she was too bright and had too much talent and vision for that. She was style and substance. And that, too, had an impact. Did she know? Whether or not she did, Juliette Powell mattered.
