It was a night of positivity and resilience at the Juno Awards as the stars of Canadian music focused on celebrating the upsides of life.
Host Michael Buble set the tone early on Sunday night by announcing his wifeB次元官网网址檚 third pregnancy B次元官网网址� but other performers were quick to grab the tide of optimism during their own stage moments.
B次元官网网址淚 just hope that we can all rise above negativity in our lives and just do what we believe in,B次元官网网址� said Arcade FireB次元官网网址檚 Win Butler as he accepted the bandB次元官网网址檚 album award for B次元官网网址淓verything Now.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪peak your truth and donB次元官网网址檛 be afraid to just do whatever the hell you want.B次元官网网址�
Gord DownieB次元官网网址檚 brothers Mike and Patrick echoed an unbounded sense of resolve as they accepted a posthumous award for the singer, who died last October of brain cancer.
B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檝e learned anything from Gord it was the value of taking care of each other,B次元官网网址� said Patrick.
B次元官网网址淭his is GordB次元官网网址檚 award. ItB次元官网网址檚 artist of the year, but he was our man of a lifetime. IB次元官网网址檇 like to believe weB次元官网网址檙e all better artists and people because of him. We love you Gord and weB次元官网网址檙e all taking good care of each other.B次元官网网址�
An acoustic tribute to Downie was led by Sarah Harmer and Dallas Green, alongside Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn, who performed B次元官网网址淏obcaygeonB次元官网网址� as archival clips of the Tragically Hip frontman played behind them.
It was Buble whose seemingly effortless charm kept the show on an upbeat track.
Without fully addressing why he stepped aside from his Juno hosting duties last year, he acknowledged this was a comeback of sorts. He pulled out of the 2017 Junos after his son was diagnosed with cancer.
Buble told the audience that after being B次元官网网址済one for a whileB次元官网网址� he wondered if he might have lost B次元官网网址渨hatever it isB次元官网网址� that built his name.
B次元官网网址淏ut honestly after standing here for 40 seconds, I realize that IB次元官网网址檓 even better than I was before,B次元官网网址� he added.
Buble later joined Diana Krall for a charming duet of the Nat King Cole classic B次元官网网址淟-O-V-E.B次元官网网址�
Daniel Caesar grabbed R&B/soul recording for his album B次元官网网址淔reudianB次元官网网址� while Jessie Reyez scored breakthrough artist. She offered an emotional acceptance speech reflecting on her sudden rise to fame.
B次元官网网址淚t means so much to get this love out at home,B次元官网网址� she said.
Both performers reappeared later to duet on ReyezB次元官网网址檚 song B次元官网网址淔igures.B次元官网网址�
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There were a number of pseudo surprises throughout the show.
The rappers behind the Canadian hit B次元官网网址淣orthern TouchB次元官网网址� took it upon themselves to improvise a version of the song they were once denied performing on the Junos telecast 20 years ago.
The Northern Touch All-Stars announced Tory Lanez as the winner of this yearB次元官网网址檚 rap award, but when he wasnB次元官网网址檛 around to accept it, rapper Kardinal Offishall jumped in to ask the audience a question.
B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 you all wish we had some more hip hop in here tonight?B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 know this is going to mess up the Junos a little bit B次元官网网址� but I donB次元官网网址檛 care. Do you want to do B次元官网网址楴orthern TouchB次元官网网址� right now?
The group B次元官网网址� which also includes rappers Red1, Misfit, Checkmate, Thrust and Choclair B次元官网网址� then launched into a full version of B次元官网网址淣orthern Touch,B次元官网网址� which appeared on the Rascalz 1998 album B次元官网网址淐ash Crop.B次元官网网址�
Junos president Allan Reid acknowledged the moment was partly staged. He said the Junos organizers approached the rap group earlier in the afternoon with the idea.
One of the nightB次元官网网址檚 other big surprises wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have shocked gossip magazine readers.
Recent tabloid speculation that BubleB次元官网网址檚 wife is pregnant became an official announcement on the show as the singer revealed actress Luisana Lopilato is expecting their third child.
He told the audience it was the second time her pregnancy has been linked to the Junos. Five years ago when he hosted in Regina, she was expecting their first child.
B次元官网网址淥ops you did it again!B次元官网网址� Buble said as the audience cheered the revelation.
Grimes and Buffy St. Marie introduced pop artist Lights with an impassioned speech for gender equality led by the Indigenous folk singer.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time for change, itB次元官网网址檚 time for women to be recognized for our accomplishments and our value to this industry,B次元官网网址� St. Marie said with powerful delivery.
B次元官网网址淲e need to build a foundation upon which we can support an environment that actually encourages success for womenB次元官网网址� because itB次元官网网址檚 not here yet.B次元官网网址�
Barenaked Ladies and former bandmate Steven Page were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
After singing a brief tune as they accepted their award, the band closed the broadcast by launching into some of their old hits, starting with B次元官网网址漁ne Week.B次元官网网址� It was the first time theyB次元官网网址檇 performed with Page since he went solo nearly a decade ago.
The group wasnB次元官网网址檛 alone on stage for long, as it evolved into an all-star tribute, with guests who spanned the music genres and fit comfortably with the bandB次元官网网址檚 offbeat sense of humour.
Jann Arden, Jim Cuddy and Nunavut band The Jerry Cans danced alongside members of the Northern Touch All-Stars as they all performed a sing-along to B次元官网网址淚f I Had $1,000,000,B次元官网网址� which finished with balloons and fake million-dollar bills falling from the rafters.
Page then pulled from one of the songB次元官网网址檚 most famous lines about Kraft Dinner to pose a question thatB次元官网网址檚 lingered for years:
B次元官网网址淐ome on, 30 years now, Kraft. IsnB次元官网网址檛 it time for a sponsorship?
David Friend, The Canadian Press
