Drake, Shawn Mendes pick up multiple Grammy nods
Top Canadian artists capture a batch of key nominations
TORONTO — Canadian superstar Drake emerged as one of the leading artists at the Grammy Awards nominations Friday, picking up seven nods, many of them in key categories.
The recognition for work on his 2018 double-album “Scorpion,” as well as contributions to other rappers’ tracks, comes after the Toronto-raised performer boycotted last year’s Grammys by choosing not to submit anything from his previous release, “More Life.”
Drake’s change of heart this year helped “Scorpion” pick up nominations in several top categories — album, record and song of the year for “God’s Plan.”
Shawn Mendes emerged with the first Grammy nominations of his career. The pop singer, raised in Pickering, was named in two categories — song of the year for “In My Blood” and best pop vocal album.
Songwriter Geoffrey Warburton, who also hails from Pickering, shares the “In My Blood” song nomination with Mendes.
In two categories, Drake will compete with himself for the golden gramophone. His song “God’s Plan” is also vying for best rap performance against Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” a track where Drake appears as a guest.
He’s also nominated twice in the rap song category, where “God’s Plan” and “Sicko Mode” are among the contenders for the award given to the songwriters.
Several of Drake’s associates also landed Grammy recognition.
Boi-1da, born Matthew Samuels in Toronto, was nominated as producer for his body of work this year, which includes songs with Drake, Cardi B, G-Eazy and Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Samuels also received two nominations in the best rap song category as a songwriter on Eminem’s “Lucky You” and Jay Rock’s “Win.”
Noah Shebib, another of Drake’s collaborators, is recognized with three nominations for songs from the “Scorpion” album.
In other categories, Daniel Caesar appeared in the R&B performance category for the second consecutive year, this time for the song “Best Part,” a duet with California-based singer H.E.R.
Jim (Kimo) West, who was born in Toronto and is known as “Weird Al” Yankovic’s guitarist, is nominated for “Moku Maluhia — Peaceful Island” in the new age album category.
Brandon, Man.-raised violinist James Ehnes is nominated for classical instrumental solo for his concerto “Kernis,” while Toronto-born conductor Peter Oundjian also received a nod for classical compendium.
Violinist Christina Day Martinson, from Saskatchewan, is nominated in the classical instrumental solo category for “Biber: The Mystery Sonatas” with the Boston Baroque.