Digital show Monday a substitute for Saskatoon Junos that might have been
Originally set to take place in Saskatoon nearly four months ago, the Juno Awards have finally arrived. Here are a few points to get back up to speed in advance of Monday’s ceremony, which is being broadcast digitally.
After being named host city of the 2020 Junos, the awards presentation was originally scheduled to take place in Saskatoon on March 15, but it was cancelled just three days before as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Juno Awards recognize the best in Canadian music. The awards were hosted in Saskatoon for the first time in 2007 and then in Regina for the first time in 2013.
Allan Reid, CEO and president of CARAS and the Juno Awards, said the organization was “thrilled to finally announce the 2020 Juno winners and recognize all of the incredibly talented artists who’ve been waiting patiently since we had to, unfortunately, cancel Juno Week in Saskatoon.”
In the days leading up to Junos weekend, the city and province were actively monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 virus. After the first presumed case was announced in Saskatchewan on March 12, the awards ceremony and all subsequent events were cancelled.
Alessia Cara, 23, is nominated in six categories: best album, single, artist, songwriter, pop album and Juno Fan Choice. She was also set to be the second-youngest host in Junos history behind pop-country band The Moffats, who hosted as teenagers in 2000 in Toronto.
Others with multiple nominations include Tory Lanez in five categories (Juno Fan Choice, artist, rap recording and two in the R&b/soul recording); Alexandra Streliski in three categories (album, breakthrough artist and instrumental album); iconic rocker Bryan Adams (album, artist and adult contemporary album), bulow (single, songwriter, pop album), Loud Luxury (Juno Fan Choice, group and dance recording), NAV (Juno Fan Choice, album and rap recording), and pop sensation Shawn Mendes (single of the year for Senorita with Camila Cabello, artist of the year and Juno Fan Choice).
Saskatchewan artists nominated include the Hunter Brothers (breakthrough group, country album), Foxwarren (alternative album), The Death South (traditional roots album), and Terri Fidelak and Carey Shaw (album artwork).
Among those performing during the online event are The Dead South, iskwē, and Neon Dreams. Presenters include Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher, actor Andrew Phung from Kim’s Convenience and actor and musician Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things, Canadian personality George Stroumboulopoulos and Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault.
Of the 42 Juno awards, six were originally scheduled to be awarded during the live broadcast while 36 were to be presented at the Junos’ gala dinner the night before. Now, all 42 awards — for which a total of 171 artists are nominated — will be presented on Monday.
The digital broadcast begins Monday at 5 p.m. (7 p.m. ET) across CBC platforms.