Downie hip pick for April’s Juno Awards
Canadian rock icon up for half-dozen honours as solo artist and frontman for this year’s event in Ottawa
TORONTO — Gord Downie’s work in 2016 could garner a half-dozen Juno Awards in April as nominees were announced Tuesday.
Downie is nominated for songwriter of the year, best adult alternative album and best video for his multimedia solo project Secret Path, which is also in the running for recording package of the year.
His band The Tragically Hip is also up for group of year and rock album of the year honours.
Global music stars Drake, Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd all have five Juno nominations and are contending in marquee categories including best album, best single, artist of the year and the fan choice award.
“So it’s great to be back, nominated again and to have it cap off what’s been a crazy year.” — Dave Ritter
Pop singer Alessia Cara followed closely behind with four nominations as did the late Leonard Cohen.
A Tribe Called Red, Grimes, Ruth B, Kaytranada and Tegan and Sara all have three nominations.
A total of 12 acts with ties to B.C. got in on the Juno act on Tuesday.
Black Mountain, Marianas Trench, Zolas, Seamus Blake, Raffi, Will Stroet, Colin James, Matthew Barber & Jill Barber, Devin Townsend Project, Bob Moses and Hedley along with Tegan and Sara received Juno honours.
Pop singer Coleman Hell said returning to the Junos after being nominated as breakthrough artist last year is encouraging. He’s nominated for Summerland in the pop album category this year.
“It feels pretty validating,” he said. “You put so much time into these things and you never know what’s going to happen with it, so it’s nice to be recognized.”
The Strumbellas felt an extra sense of accomplishment with their three Juno nominations, which include group of the year and the fan choice award. They say it was about a year ago when their single Spirits, which is up for single of the year, started its surge into the mainstream.
“We got a Juno nomination early in our career and … we were so excited at the time,” said keyboardist Dave Ritter. “So it’s great to be back, nominated again and to have it cap off what’s been a crazy year.”
The Juno Awards will be staged at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre April 2 and air on CTV.
Michael Buble is still slated to host the show, although his involvement has become uncertain. Buble and his wife Luisana Lopilato announced in November they would put their careers on hold to devote attention to their three-year-old son Noah, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
— WENN.COM FILES