Canucks grab Grammy noms
The Canadian co-creators of the Broadway smash Come From Away have collected many awards this year, but they insist getting a Grammy nomination on Tuesday was a complete surprise.
Irene Sankoff, one half of the married couple behind the Newfoundland-set production, says she was still sleeping when husband David Hein awoke her to reveal they were in the running for the best musical theatre album award.
“Wake up, Grammy nominee,” Hein recalls telling his wife as he returned home from dropping their daughter at school.
“There’s been a lot of very excited cheering going on.”
The couple says the original cast recording was produced last December during a frantic time as they were preparing to move to New York for the Broadway opening.
“We’d just got back from Gander and were so exhausted and so focused and so stressed,” Sankoff says.
“I remember at the last minute ... sitting around going: ‘OK, how may more takes can we get? The clock is ticking.’ ”
The duo are in good company with plenty of other Canadians vying for Grammy awards in other categories. Some of the biggest names include Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, the late Leonard Cohen and the Weeknd.
Bieber is up for his vocal contributions to Despacito, the massive global hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, which is in the running for record of the year, song of the year, and best pop duo and group performance.
Cara is also nominated in the song of the year category for 1-800-273-8255, a song she cowrote and performs with rapper Logic. The song, named for the U.S. suicide prevention hotline, is also nominated for best music video.
She grabbed two other nods for the best new artist award and the best pop duo and group performance trophy for the song Stay with Zedd.
“Really honoured to be given this kind of acknowledgment,” Cara said in a tweet. “I’m not sure what to say or feel at the moment, but for now, thank you to everyone in my corner for all your love.”
Cohen is nominated in the best rock performance category for his song You Want It Darker and best American roots performance for the track Steer Your Way, both off his final album.
Toronto R&B singer Daniel Caesar also has two nominations. He’s contending for best R&B performance for Get You featuring Kali Uchis and best R&B album for Freudian.
Sound engineer Charles Moniz grabbed three nominations for his work on the Bruno Mars album 24K Magic. The Burlington, Ont., native already has two Grammys on his mantle, one for creating the catchy “doh” vocal line on the inescapable hit Uptown Funk and another for his contribution to Adele’s album 25.
The Grammys will mark its 60th anniversary by taking place in New York City on Jan. 28, 2018, rather than at the usual venue in Los Angeles.