The Weeknd and his albums Dawn FM emerged with six leading nominations for the 2023 Juno Music Awards, Canada’s version of the Grammys.
Canadian pop star who wrote “You Give Me Strength” for Avatar: The Road of Water, will compete for best artist, best pop album, Juno Fan Choice award, best single for “Sacrifice,” best album and best songwriter. The Weeknd’s participation in Junos, with Dawn FM controversial, also comes as he continues to belittle the Grammys in the states.
Avril Lavigne and Canadian singer Tate McRae each earned five nominations, while Preston Pablo and The Reklaws each received three.
The nominations for Junos were announced during a press conference in Toronto on Tuesday. The Juno Fan Choice contest will see Lavigne, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Pablo, Reve and Shawn Mendes compete against McRae, The Reklaws, Tyler Shaw and The Weeknd.
Best single nominations are “Bite Me” by Lavigne, “Flowers Need Rain” by Pablo and Banx & Banx, “When You’re Gone” by Shawn Mendes, “She’s all I wanna be” by McRae and “Sacrifice” ‘ by The Weeknd.
Elsewhere, the best artist of the year category will feature competition from Lavigne, Spencer-Smith, Michael Buble, Mendes and The Weeknd. And the best album of the year category will compare Ali Gatie and Lavigne’s latest work with albums by NAV, McRae and The Weeknd.
And the best group competition features entries from Arcade Fire, Arkells, Billy Talent Metric and The Reklaws, while performers vying for breakout artist of the year include Dax, Devon Cole, Pablo, RealestK and Reve.
Junos, hosted by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, plans to host a gala dinner and awards ceremony live in Edmonton that will broadcast live on the CBC network on March 13. Simu Liu will be back. host for the 2023 Juno Awards after completing the premiere of the Canadian music awards in Toronto last year.
Liu, who has garnered many followers thanks to her breakthrough role in Convenient needlebusy in Hollywood with Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Lionsgate’s dog play King Arthur.
Charlotte Cardin was the big winner at Junos 2022, as she won four trophies.
