Juno? We do
Gazing into our crystal ball for winners,
CTV’s Juno Awards broadcast is less about the actual awards and more about live performances every year, which means a paltry six trophies will be presented onstage at the Calgary Saddledome on Sunday night.
This isn’t such a bad turn of events, really, as watching musicians making music is infinitely more interesting than watching musicians standing behind a podium with their little Juno statuettes endlessly thanking their parents, their management, their label, their fans and Jesus for their success.
Still, in getting 35 of the 41Juno categories out of the way at a pre-broadcast gala on Saturday night, the awards have removed some of the “Who’s it gonna be?” sport from the TV component. We will nevertheless try to preserve some of that excitement by giving you the lowdown on who’s up for hardware in front of the cameras — minus the Juno Fan Choice Award, which basically boils down to which nominee has the legions of fans most dedicated to registering their votes online en masse. If we had our way, we’d vote for Carly Rae Jepsen, but the smart money probably goes on Justin Bieber.
Anyway, on to the main event!
Album of the year Nominees: Drake, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late; Jean Leloup, À Paradis City; Justin Bieber, Purpose; Shawn Mendes, Handwritten; The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness Who will win: With apologies to the Bieb, who also had a pretty good year, this category feels primarily like a showdown between old pals Drake and The Weeknd. Drake’s rancorous “mix tape” If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is easily the better and least uneven of the two — and also the only million-seller to come along in 2015 besides Adele’s 25 — so one assumes common sense will prevail amongst the Juno jurors. Not that Drake will show up to claim his trophy if he wins; the man hasn’t set foot at the Junos since he hosted in 2011 and got blanked in all six categories for which he was nominated. Bad blood endures. Who should win: Drake. He’s be- come one of the biggest stars on the planet by making music that often caters very little to mainstream appetites. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is a remarkably uneasy listen for a chart-topper. Props. The dark horse: Justin Bieber. Purpose is a whiny affair, but it has its moments. And, of course, an Album of the Year Juno would be a logical capper to the record’s endlessly apologetic redemption narrative.
Single of the year Nominees: Alessia Cara, “Here”; Drake, “Hotline Bling”; Justin Bieber, “What Do You Mean?”; Ria Mae, “Clothes Off”; The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face” Who will win: Whew. This category is like a five-way battle royale of the earworms, but the most earworm-y and ubiquitous of them all last year was The Weeknd’s smash-hit Max Martin co-write “Can’t Feel My Face.” Bet you’re already singing it in your head right now, aren’t you? See? That’s why it’s going to win. Who should win: The Weeknd. Yes, we’re all a little sick and tired of it by now, but “I Can’t Feel My Face” is a proper, star-making beast of a tune. If it wasn’t 2015’s single of the year, it came pretty close. The dark horse: Alessia Cara. The 19-year-old Bramptonite cracked the U.S. Top 5 with — and sold more than two million copies of — a confident debut single released quietly to the Internet with no expectations. Don’t underestimate her chances here, either.
Group of the year Nominees: Hedley; Marianas Trench; Metric; Three Days Grace; Walk Off the Earth Who will win: Hedley. I don’t know if these guys have pictures of everyone in the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences or what, but they seem to win armloads of Junos every single year. Why should 2016 be any different? Who should win: Metric. Because the beloved Toronto indie-popsters are the only band on this list that isn’t utterly dreadful. Period. The dark horse: Metric. Because surely at least some of the voters must recognize quality and artistic integrity over shamelessly anodyne corporate-radio fodder. Right? Right?
Breakthrough artist of the year Nominees: Alessia Cara; Coleman Hell; Francesco Yates; Scott Helman; Tobias Jesso, Jr. Who will win: Alessia Cara. This is a respectably talented field all around, but “Here” heroine Cara is without a doubt the breakthrough artist of this bunch who broke through the most last year, not just in Canada but all over the planet. The Junos love to anoint new CanCon stars and Cara definitely seems like a star in the making. This is her award to lose. Who should win: Cara. Again, all of the nominees are deserving in their own way, but if we’re talking the biggest breakthrough artist of last year, it’s Cara all the way. And she looks like she’ll be in it for the long haul. The dark horse: Tobias Jesso, Jr. The Vancouver-raised singer, songwriter and piano man was elevated from critics’ darling to legitimate Next Big Thing last fall when none other than Adele — for whom Jesso co-wrote 25’ s “When We Were Young” — began singing his praises to anyone who would listen. A shoutout from the biggest artist on the planet definitely constitutes a breakthrough.
Country album of the year Nominees: Autumn Hill, Anchor; Brett Kissel, Pick Me Up; Dean Brody, Gypsy Road; High Valley, County Line; Paul Brandt, Frontier Who will win: Small wonder Country Album of the Year will be presented on Sunday’s Juno broadcast from Calgary, since it’s basically the Battle of Alberta. Everyone nominated, save the Toronto half of duo Autumn Hill, hails from the province. Brody’s Gypsy Road is the very epitome of professionally and likeably executed mainstream, big-room country in 2016, however, and might have the edge. Who should win: Paul Brandt. He’s got a roomful of Junos already, but he’s generally one of Canadian country music’s more tasteful hitmakers. Frontier is easily the most listenable album here, anyway. The dark horse: Brett Kissel. He won a couple of Junos — including Country Album of the Year — back in 2014 and he’s a right charmer, so he’s got a good shot here, too.