Bublé set to host as 2018 Juno Awards return to Vancouver
It was an emotional return to the public eye for Burnaby’s Michael Bublé. The 12-time Juno Award winner was visibly moved taking to the podium at CBC Studios in downtown Vancouver following the announcement that he would be hosting the 2018 Juno Awards at Rogers Arena on March 25.
“I love my country, I love my city and it’s been a rough year, not just for me ... I’m sure it’s been a rough year for a lot of people,” said Bublé. “To be able to host the Juno Awards in my hometown is both an honour and a privilege, and I thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to handle that again. This is the place I’m at my happiest.”
Bublé was scheduled to host the Junos last year, but following his son Noah’s cancer diagnosis, both he and his wife, Luisana Lopilato, stepped back from public life to be with their boy. Bryan Adams and Russell Peters hosted last year’s event in Ottawa.
The singer had expressed interest in getting another run at the job to Juno Awards presenters, the Canadian Association of Recording Arts and Sciences. It only made sense for a local talent of such international renown to be representing his home province for the biggest night in Canadian music. North Vancouver’s Adams got last year’s go around. Displaying the fast-cracking wit that has helped make him a global celebrity, he even got in a crack about Sarah McLachlan being “just too controversial” to helm the event.
With a new album in the works and a brighter outlook on the future, the Canuck crooner appears prepared to launch himself back into the public eye and hit concert stages all over.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson was on hand to welcome the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and assorted dignitaries with a promise about the 2018 Junos.
The last time the city hosted was 2009. Robertson also appeared in a reflective state of mind, promising it would be a different experience this time around.
“In 2009, we kind of dropped the ball,” said Robertson. “There was this thing coming in the following year that loomed — you may recall the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. This time, we are a different city going into it.”
Vancouver Host Committee directors Nick Blasko and Catherine Runnals mentioned initiatives for the Juno week of March 19 to 25. Among these was the Let’s Hear It Celebration Site, a free festival for people to enjoy local music and culture with all-ages offerings. The under-19 Songwriters’ Circle will give budding talents a chance to showcase their chops. There are also a number of educational and industry events during the week leading up to the awards ceremony.
One of these brought out a good round of laughs.
“One of the most exciting of these is the — wait for it — uniquely named B.C. Artist Showcase,” quipped Blasko. “It presents artists from across B.C. in showcases from January to March throughout the province. As part of this, for the first time, there is a microgrant program with $25,000 available for distribution to support musical programming and events in local communities.”
Applications to the B.C. Artist Showcase micro-grant program will be available on Friday, Nov. 24 at MusicBC.org.
At Tuesday’s announcement, Dear Rouge, the 2016 Breakthrough Group of the Year from Vancouver, performed its hit Black to Gold and a new song, titled Boys and Blondes. Creative B.C. CEO Prem Gill noted that the band could be in the running for a 2018 award as its new album arrives soon.
Further Juno events will be announced over the next few months leading up to the week-long celebration. This is the fourth time that Vancouver has hosted the event. CBC reporter Gloria Macarenko MC’d the presentation, and the awards show returns to the broadcaster this year after a 16-year partnership with CTV.