Top winners of the night include Alessia Cara with three, both Shawn Mendes and Tory Lanez take home two JUNOS each

TORONTO – The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) honoured and celebrated the Canadian music industry’s rising stars and returning favourites in tonight’s virtual broadcast of The JUNOS Presented by TD.  Featuring a lineup of guest presenters, the virtual event, now available to stream on the free CBC Gem streaming service, CBC Music’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages, and for audiences around the world at CBCMusic.ca/junos, announced 42 JUNO Awards across all categories and included special performances by Alessia Cara, iskwē, Neon Dreams, and by The Dead South, Presented by Creative Saskatchewan.

Alessia Cara performs at The National Arts Centre. Photo by Jen Derbach. (@jdphotos03)

The most decorated artist of the night with three statuettes, Alessia Cara, was awarded Album of the Year Presented by Music Canada for The Pains of Growing. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter also took home statuettes for Pop Album of the Year Presented by Live Nation Canada and Songwriter of the Year Presented by SOCAN.

Shawn Mendes at RBC Bluesfest Music Festival in Ottawa, ON Photo: Rob Blanchette

Shawn Mendes took the title of Single of the Year, for the third year in a row, and Artist of the Year Presented by CBC Music for the second consecutive year. Tory Lanez maintained his reign of the Rap Recording of the Year category, marking his third consecutive win, as well as being the first artist to win in both the Rap Recording and R&B/Soul Recording category (where he was a co-winner alongside Jessie Reyez) in the same year. For the second year in a row, nine-time JUNO Award winner Avril Lavigne won for JUNO Fan Choice Presented by TD and Regina based The Dead South made their province of Saskatchewan proud by taking home the JUNO for Traditional Roots Album of the Year.

Lennon Stella performs at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Photo: Renée Doiron

First-time winners dominated the ranks taking home 26 of the evening’s 42 awards. Alexandra Stréliski (Instrumental Album of the Year), Angela Schwarzkopf (Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber), Big Block Singsong (Children’s Album of the Year), Billie Eilish (International Album of the Year), Ben Kaplan (Jack Richardson Producer of the Year), Celeigh Cardinal (Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year Presented by APTN), Chad Moldenhauer, Ian Clarke, Warren Clark (Album Artwork of the Year), Dawn Tyler Watson (Blues Album of the Year), Djely Tapa (World Music Album of the Year),  Dominique Fils-Aimé (Vocal Jazz Album of the Year), Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop (Jazz Album of the Year: Group), Felix Cartal (Dance Recording of the Year), Half Moon Run (Adult Alternative Album of the Year), iskwē (Music Video of the Year Presented by Stingray), Jacques Kuba Séguin (Jazz Album of the Year: Solo), Lennon Stella (Breakthrough Artist of the Year Sponsored by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters), Les Louanges(Francophone Album of the Year), Lyndon John X (Reggae Recording Album of the Year),  Matt Maher (Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year), Meghan Patrick (Country Album of the Year), Neon Dreams (Breakthrough Group of the Year Sponsored by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters), Pup (Alternative Album of the Year Presented by Long & McQuade), Sarah Legault (Music Video of the Year Presented by Stingray), Sophie Buddle (Comedy Album of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada), and Striker (Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year) were all recognized with their first JUNO statuettes. One of the most unique stories of the night, this year’s winner in the Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral category, the Ottawa Bach Choir conducted by Lisette Canton, calls The Governor General of Canada Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, a member of their choir.

Among the special appearances of the night were presenters Chris Boucher from the 2019 NBA Championship team the Toronto Raptors, Actor and musician, Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things, IT and the upcoming Ghostbuster: Afterlife, JUNO Award winner and singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, two-time JUNO Award-winning soprano Measha Brueggergosman, Indigenous Music Summit founder and Producer and JUNO Award-winning artist with Digging Roots –  ShoShona Kish, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage The Honourable Steven Guilbeault.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS CLICK HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE WWW.JUNOAWARDS.CA.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES AND WINNERS OF THE JUNOS.
*Alessia Cara’s live performance is not available to view on demand on CBC Gem or CBCMusic.ca/junos