Junos turn spotlight on banner year for Canadian music | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Light Rain  5.0°C

Kamloops News

Junos turn spotlight on banner year for Canadian music

FILE PHOTO - The Weeknd performs during the 2015 Juno Awards, in Hamilton, Ont., on March 15, 2015. Canada's stunning year of endurance on the pop charts will be celebrated at home this weekend as some of the country's top performers descend on the 2016 Juno Awards.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

CALGARY - Canada's stunning year of endurance on the pop charts will be celebrated at home this weekend as some of the country's top performers descend on the Juno Awards.

A heavy slate of relative newcomers, including the Weeknd, Shawn Mendes and Alessia Cara, are set to take the stage in Calgary for Sunday's telecast, which will honour rising musicians and chart-toppers alike.

"There's nothing like being embraced from home," says Cara, who is nominated for four Junos this year, including breakout artist and the fan choice award.

She'll be joined by several other pop stars who helped take Canadian music to extraordinary heights on the Billboard charts in 2015. At one point in December, Canadian singers held seven of the Top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Not all of those big stars are expected to grace the Junos with their presence this year.

Both Justin Bieber and Drake — who have five nominations each — haven't announced plans to attend, and it's unlikely either one will make a surprise appearance.

Most of the 42 Juno awards will be handed out at a gala dinner on Saturday night, which will be streamed on the Juno website.

Only eight of the highest-profile awards make the televised show on Sunday. The rest of the broadcast will be filled with tributes and live performances.

Production designer Alex Nadon says the diverse lineup of performers inspired him to create a stage of digital screens that incorporates elements of a concert theatre, including a marquee.

"The biggest trick is to try and come up with a home for so many different styles of music," he says, noting the concept started taking shape last summer.

"A theatre naturally comes to mind, for me. It's a space that can house any kind of music or any kind of artist."

Among the diverse voices of pop is The Weeknd, who holds the most Juno nominations this year with six. Mendes, who has four nominations, is also on the bill.

Sunday's show will be co-hosted by Canadian singer Jann Arden and Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, who have already showcased their duelling comedic personas in a blitz of media interviews since being recruited for the gig last month.

"He's only made me cry twice," Arden says of her hosting partner.

"And I only went on stage without my pants once," Montgomery countered. "That's win-win for everybody."

The telecast will open with a performance from Cara, who burst onto the global scene last summer with her infectious R&B-fused pop hit "Here."

Cara says she was shocked Juno organizers gave her the coveted opening slot.

"I didn't expect to even be able to go, let alone be nominated and be performing," she says.

"I'm really excited — nervous, but excited."

Cara plans to stray from her usual stripped-back performance style for the big show.

"I'm going to be doing some cool things that I haven't really done on stage before, like incorporating different scenes and things like that," she says.

"I don't want to give away too much, but it's a lot different than what I'm used to. I think the best moment to bring that out (is) at the Junos."

The Juno Awards airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

Follow @dfriend on Twitter.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2016
The Canadian Press

  • Popular penticton News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile