The Weeknd cleans up at the Junos, Canada’s music awards.
On Monday night, the Canadian superstar won for album of the year Dawn FM, The Toronto-raised pop superstar, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, then took home trophies for Best Artist, Best Single for “Sacrifice” and Songwriter of the Year at the pre-telecast awards.
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The Weeknd, who wrote “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” for Avatar: The Way of Water, came into the Junos with a field-leading six nominations. She previously won for Best Artist at the Junos in 2015, 2016 and 2021, and beat out competition from Avril Lavigne, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Michael Bublé and Shawn Mendes in that high-profile category this year.
Featuring The Weeknd at Junos Dawn FM thrown into disrepute, as he continues to snatch Grammy Awards from across the state. At the same time, Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton rang with boos when the popular Canadian artist didn’t show up to accept his Album of the Year trophy at Junos.
Also during the live telecast, broadcast nationwide on the CBC network, Lavigne shouted profanities at a topless environmental activist who crashed onto the stage – with “Save the Green Belt” drawn on her back – as complicated The singer was presenting a musical rendition by AP Dhillon.
Lavigne also won the Juno Fan Choice Award for the fourth time. The Canadian superstar accepted the award, saying, “Now this time nobody tries to do anything.”
An emotional high point for this year’s Junos came during a performance by Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Ayasanabi, accompanied by video testimony, recalling her grandfather’s time at Mackintosh Residential School in northwestern Ontario, Where indigenous youth were separated from their families. It is alleged that he suffered physical and sexual abuse.
In other awards handed out on Monday night, the award for Best Rap Album went to Toronto rapper TOBi, also known as Nigerian-Canadian artist Oluwatobi Feysara Ajibolade. shall i continue, and Timmins, Ontario singer-songwriter Preston Pablo won for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, while Best Contemporary R&B Recording went to Jessie Reyes for the third time for her second studio album, Yesi.
Also on Monday night, Nickelback were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by Ryan Reynolds and Bublé via video appearances, and recognized Winnipeg-based Lakewood School music teacher Jewel Castleman as Canadian Music Educator of the Year. Went.
Other pre-telecast awards at the Junos include Best International Album trophy for Harry Styles Harry House, And Arkells picked up Juno for Best Group, a category they’ve won five times before.
The Junos, organized by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, was held in Edmonton, Alberta, with an individual award and concert. The 2023 edition was hosted for the second year Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, who showed off her song and dance skills, including backflips and a medley of Lavigne hits.
