‘COME FROM AWAY’ CREATORS NOMINATED
Plenty of Canadians vying for awards including Bieber, Cara
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. Other Canadian nominees include: • Michael Buble and Sarah McLachlan have nominations in the best traditional pop vocal album category. Buble is up for the deluxe edition of “Nobody But Me” and McLachlan for “Wonderland,” her second Christmas album.
• Arcade Fire’s “Everything Now” for best alternative album.
• The Weeknd’s “Starboy” for best urban contemporary album.
• Northern Cree’s “Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand (Live)” for best regional roots album.
• A recording of “Handel: Messiah” performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is nominated for best choral performance and producer of the year, classical.
• Barbara Hannigan’s “Crazy Girl Crazy” for best classical solo vocal album.
• Alex Cuba’s “Lo Unico Constante” for best Latin pop album.
• Jane Bunnett and Maqueque’s “Oddara” for best Latin jazz album.
• Shawn Everett (along with Joseph Lorge and Patricia Sullivan) for best engineered album, non-classical.
• Leighton James and Christian Srigley of Adventure Club for best remixed recording, for their version of Kehlani’s “Undercover.”
• Matt Maher’s “Echoes” for best contemporary Christian album.
Jay-Z is the leader of the 2018 Grammy Award nominations with eight honours, including album, song, and record of the year. Bruno Mars is also nominated for the big three.