Music News
Winners Announced for the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards

The 2024 Juno Awards struck a harmonious balance between honouring Canadian music history and looking ahead to its diverse future. Held on March 24 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the CBC-televised event showcased breakthrough stars, cultural milestones, and heartfelt tributes.
Punjabi-Canadian sensation Karan Aujla claimed the TikTok Fan Choice Award, the ceremony’s sole fan-voted honour. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “Sometimes I can’t believe I’m that same kid who lost my parents when I was in India, made my way to Canada, and now I’m here! If you are dreaming, make sure you dream big.” Aujla also performed hits from Making Memories, his record-breaking Punjabi debut album.
Montreal’s Charlotte Cardin took home Album of the Year for 99 Nights, a project that reached No. 3 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and propelled its single “Confetti” into the Canadian Hot 100’s top 10. Cardin later performed the track amidst a dazzling confetti shower.
Toronto rockers The Beaches won Group of the Year, presented by Canadian icon Anne Murray. In their acceptance speech, the band urged young women to follow their lead: “To all the young girls watching, go start bands with your best friends!” The Beaches closed the show with their hit “Blame Brett.”
Ottawa-born TALK won Breakthrough Artist of the Year after a powerful performance of his chart-topping single “Run Away to Mars.” In his acceptance speech, he championed arts funding, coinciding with the Canadian government’s announcement of increased support for the music industry.
The evening featured performances in six languages, reflecting Canada’s multicultural artistry. Aujla’s set included Punjabi hits, while Jeremy Dutcher and Elisapie performed an Inuktitut rendition of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” The event also saw the highest number of Indigenous nominees in Juno history, starting with a moving land acknowledgment and performances by Wolastoqey artists.
Hosted by Nelly Furtado, the ceremony opened with a medley of her iconic hits, including “Promiscuous” and her latest track, “Eat Your Man.” Maestro Fresh Wes, dubbed “our rap Prime Minister,” was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In a heartfelt moment, he declared, “Now, this music we love won’t ever be underestimated,” before performing a medley of his own hits.
Tributes to late Canadian legends Gordon Lightfoot, Robbie Robertson, and Karl Tremblay provided emotional highlights. Allison Russell, William Prince, and others joined together to perform “If You Could Read My Mind” and “The Weight.”
Actor Elliot Page presented the Humanitarian Award to Tegan and Sara, praising their advocacy for queer youth. The duo remarked, “If the world were not so hostile to 2SLGBTQ+ people, we would see ourselves purely as musicians. We love being gay. So gay.”
Here is the full list of Nominees and Winners:
TikTok Juno Fan Choice
- Charlotte Cardin
- Daniel Caesar
- DVBBS
- Josh Ross
- Karan Aujla
- Shubh
- Tate McRae
- The Weeknd
- ThxSoMch
- Walk Off the Earth
Single of the year
- “Confetti,” Charlotte Cardin
- “Always,” Daniel Caesar
- “Pretty Girl Era,” Lu Kala
- “A Little Bit Happy,” Talk
- “Greedy,” Tate McRae
International album of the year
- Gettin’ Old, Luke Combs
- Heroes & Villains, Metro Boomin
- One Thing at a Time, Morgan Wallen
- SOS, SZA
- 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift
Album of the year
- Néo-Romance, Alexandra Stréliski
- 99 Nights, Charlotte Cardin
- Never Enough, Daniel Caesar
- Mirror, Lauren Spencer Smith
- Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees, Talk
Artist of the year
- Charlotte Cardin
- Daniel Caesar
- Lauren Spencer Smith
- Shania Twain
- Tate McRae
Group of the year
- Arkells
- Loud Luxury
- Nickelback
- The Beaches
- Walk Off the Earth
Breakthrough artist of the year
- Connor Price
- Karan Aujla
- Lu Kala
- Shubh
- Talk
Breakthrough group of the year
- Busty and the Bass
- Crash Adams
- Good Kid
- Men I Trust
- New West
Songwriter of the year
- Allison Russell: “Eve Was Black” (co-songwriters Drew Lindsay, JT Nero); “Stay Right Here” (co-songwriters Drew Lindsay, JT Nero); “The Returner” (co-songwriters JT Nero).
- Aysanabee: “Alone”(co-songwriters Ali Willa Milner, Charlie McClean); “Here and Now”(co-songwriters Ali Willa Milner, Derek Hoffman); “Somebody Else”(co-songwriters Derek Hoffman, Sean Sroka).
- Charlotte Cardin, Jason Brando and Lubalin: “Confetti;” “Daddy’s a Psycho”(co-songwriters Aaron Paris, Harper Gordon); “Jim Carrey” (co-songwriter Mathieu Sénéchal).
- Nicholas Durocher (Talk) and Connor Riddell: “Afraid of the Dark”(co-songwriters Eric Allen Palmquist, Joshua Speers); “A Little Bit Happy” (co-songwriters Brandon Colbein, Jussi Karvinen, Justin Tranter); “Wasteland”(co-songwriters Brandon Colbein, Justin Tranter and Sam Homaee).
- William Prince: “Broken Heart of Mine;” “Easier and Harder:’ “When You Miss Someone.”
Country album of the year
- The Compass Project – South Album, Brett Kissel
- Right Round Here, Dean Brody
- Do it Anyway, Jade Eagleson
- Ahead of Our Time, James Barker Band
- Spillin’ My Truth, Tyler Joe Miller
Adult alternative album of the year
- Powder Blue, Begonia
- Multitudes, Feist
- Are We Good, Hayden
- Motewolonuwok, Jeremy Dutcher
- Revolution, Shawnee Kish
Alternative album of the year
- Here and Now, Aysanabee
- Dizzy, Dizzy
- To Learn, Leith Ross
- See You in the Dark, Softcult
- Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees, Talk
Pop album of the year
- 99 Nights, Charlotte Cardin
- Mirror, Lauren Spencer Smith
- Saturn Return, Rêve
- Queen of Me, Shania Twain
- Lost in Translation, Valley
Rock album of the year
- Fearless, Crown Lands
- Formentera II, Metric
- Blame My Ex, the Beaches
- Pretty Monster, the Blue Stones
- Glory, the Glorious Sons
Vocal jazz album of the year
- Songwriter, Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
- You’re Alike, You Two, Caity Gyorgy and Mark Limacher
- Little Bit a’ Love, Denielle Bassels
- Our Roots Run Deep, Dominique Fils-Aimé
- Your Requests, Laila Biali
Jazz album of the year (solo)
- Day Moon, Christine Jensen
- Walls Made of Glass, Gentiane MG
- Sonic Bouquet, Jocelyn Gould
- Twelve, Noam Lemish
- The South Detroit Connection, Russ Macklem
Jazz album of the year (group)
- Migrations, Allison Au with the Migrations Ensemble
- Septology-The Black Forest Session, Canadian Jazz Collective
- Cry Me a River, Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band
- Recent History, Mike Murley & Mark Eisenman Quartet
- Convergence, Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali
Instrumental album of the year
- Néo-Romance, Alexandra Stréliski
- When we were that what wept for the sea, Colin Stetson
- Calibrating Friction, Haralabos [Harry] Stafylakis
- Fourth Album, Markus Floats
- Tesseract, Meredith Bates
Francophone album of the year
- Zayon, FouKi
- Dans la seconde, Karkwa
- En concert avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (sous la direction du chef Simon Leclerc), Les Cowboys Fringants & l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
- À boire deboutte, Salebarbes
- Non conventionnel, Souldia
Children’s album of the year
- Big Words, ABC Singsong
- Going Back: Remembered and Remixed Family Folk Songs, Vol. 1, Ginalina
- Love-a-By, Splash’N Boots
- Welcome to the Flea Circus, the Swinging Belles
- Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro Stick to Your Vision For Young Athletes, Young Maestro
Classical album of the year (solo artist)
- Infinite Voyage, Barbara Hannigan
- Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4, James Ehnes
- Fauré: Nocturnes & Barcarolles, Marc-André Hamelin
- De Hartmann: Cello Concerto, Matt Haimovitz
- Mouvance, Suzie LeBlanc
Classical album of the year (large ensemble)
- Bekah Simms: Bestiaries, Cryptid Ensemble, Ensemble Contemporain de Montreal
- Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas, Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by Jacques Lacombe
- Sibelius 3 & 4, Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5,Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, conducted by Rafael Payare
- Rachmaninoff: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3; Isle of the Dead, the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Classical album of the year (small ensemble)
- Mythes, Andrew Armstrong and James Ehnes
- Portrait: Alex Baranowski, Angèle Dubeau and La Pietà
- Portrait, Cheng² Duo
- Il Ponte di Leonardo, Constantinople
- Basta parlare!, Les Barocudas
Classical composition of the year
- Simulacra, Amy Brandon
- Portrait of an Imaginary Sibling, Dinuk Wijeratne
- …and the Higher Leaves of the Trees Seemed to Shimmer in the Last of the Sunlight’s Lingering Touch of Them…, Emilie Cecilia LeBel
- Shāhīn-nāmeh, for Voice and Orchestra, Iman Habibi
- Don’t Throw Your Head in Your Hands, Nicole Lizée
Rap album/EP of the year
- Bag or die, bbno$
- Spin the Globe, Connor Price
- Crying Crystals, Haviah Mighty
- Kaytraminé, Kaytraminé
- Panic, Tobi
Dance recording of the year
- “Eat Your Man,” Dom Dolla and Nelly Furtado
- “Crew Thang,” DVBBS, Jeremih and Sk8
- “Need Your Love,” Felix Cartal and Karen Harding
- “I Go Dancing,” Frank Walker feat. Ella Henderson
- “Next to You,” Loud Luxury, DVBBS feat. Kane Brown
Contemporary R&B recording of the year
- For the Better, Aqyila
- Never Enough, Daniel Caesar
- Heartbreak Hill, Jon Vinyl
- When it Blooms, Nonso Amadi
- Facets, Shay Lia
Reggae recording of the year
- “Stir This Thing,” Ammoye
- “Feel Like Home,” Exco Levi
- Roots Girl, Jah’Mila
- Dread, Kirk Diamond & Finn
- “Rush Dem,” Omega Mighty feat. 4Korners, Haviah Mighty
Contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year
- Here and Now, Aysanabee
- Scream, Holler & Howl, Blue Moon Marquee
- Inuktitut, Elisapie
- Revolution, Shawnee Kish
- Bekka Ma’iingan, Zoon
Contemporary roots album of the year
- The Returner, Allison Russell
- We Will Never Be the Same, Good Lovelies
- Beyond the Reservoir, Julian Taylor
- A Light in the Attic, Logan Staats
- Stand in the Joy, William Prince
Traditional roots album of the year
- Paint Horse, Benjamin Dakota Rogers
- The Breath Between, David Francey
- Roses, Jackson Hollow
- Second Hand, James Keelaghan
- Resilience, Morgan Toney
Blues album of the year
- SoulFunkn’Blues, Blackburn Brothers
- Scream, Holler & Howl, Blue Moon Marquee
- One Step Closer, Brandon Isaak
- The Big Bottle of Joy, Matt Andersen
- Gettin’ Together, Michael Jerome Browne
Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year
- Glory to God, Brooke Nicholls
- All Ye Lepers, Joshua Leventhal
- Arrow, K-Anthony
- Where I’m Meant to Be, Stirling John
- Alive, Tuzee
Global music album of the year
- Donte sann yo, Bel and Quinn
- Kizavibe, Kizaba
- SMS for Location Vol. 5, Moonshine
- Okantomi, Okan
- Soap Box, Waahli
Jack Richardson producer of the year
- Hill Kourkoutis: “Ego Death,” Aysanabee; “Whiskey Bar,” Tafari Anthony (co-producers Jordyn Woodside, Mike Tompa, Tafari Anthony).
- Jason Brando, Lubalin, Mathieu Sénéchal and Sam Avant: “Confetti,” Charlotte Cardin (co-producer Rob Grimaldi); “Jim Carrey,” Charlotte Cardin.
- Joel Stouffer: “Breaking Up With Jesus,” Reve; “Whitney,” Reve (co-producers Aaron Paris, Banx & Ranx.
- Shawn Everett: “Used to Be Young,” Miley Cyrus (co-producers Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus); “What Now,” Brittany Howard (co-producer Brittany Howard).
- Wondagurl: “Circus Maximus,” Travis Scott (co-producers Jahaan Sweet, Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Travis Scott); “HYAENA” (co-producers Jahaan Sweet, Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Travis Scott).
Recording engineer of the year
- Denis Tougas: “Dawgcatcher,” Amanda Marshall; “Special,” Amanda Marshall
- George Seara: “Everything Belongs,” Cory Asbury; “The Promise is the Same,” Cory Asbury.
- Matty Green: “because of you,” Chris LaRocca; “Midnight Dreams,” Ellie Goulding.
- Serban Ghenea: “Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift; “Paint The Town Red,” Doja Cat.
- Shawn Everett: “Used to Be Young,” Miley Cyrus; “What Now,” Brittany Howard.
Album artwork of the year
- Carolyne De Bellefeuille (art director), Jessica Ledoux (designer, illustrator), Mali Savaria-Ille (designer, illustrator), Veronique Lafortune (designer, illustrator), Leeor Wild (photographer: Inuktitut, Elisapie.
- Heather Goodchild (art director), Colby Richardson (designer), Colin Fletcher (illustrator), Sara Melvin (photographer): Multitudes, Feist.
- Kit King (illustrator), Vanessa Heins (photographer): The Love Still Held Me Near, City and Colour.
- Nicolas Lemieux (art director), Mykaël Nelson (designer and illustrator), Albert Zablit (photographer): Riopelle Symphonique, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal.
- Quinton Nyce (art director), Brodie Metcalfe (designer), Davis Graham (illustrator), Kaylee Smoke (photographer): I’m Good, HBU?, Snotty Nose Rez Kids.
Music video of the year
- “Of Woods and Seas,” Andrew De Zen (Alaskan Tapes)
- “Demons,” Ethan Tobman (Allison Russell)
- “Onetwostep,” Jordan Clarke(des hume feat. juicelover)
- “Damn Right,” Sterling Larose(Snotty Nose Rez Kids)
- “Feral canadian scaredy cat,” Sterling Larose and Zachary Vague(young friend)
Electronic album of the year
- Infinity Club, Bambii
- Birds, Bees, the Clouds & the Trees, Harrison
- Creatures of the Late Afternoon, Kid Koala
- Synthetic Season 2, Rich Aucoin
- No Highs, Tim Hecker
Metal/hard music album of the year
- As Gomorrah Burns, Cryptopsy
- Electric Sounds, Danko Jones
- Goliath, Kataklysm
- Void, Ken mode
- Morgöth Tales, Voivod
Adult contemporary album of the year
- Heavy Lifting, Amanda Marshall
- I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not, Banners
- To Be Loved, Vol. 1, Josh Sahunta
- Run Where the Light Calls, Luca Fogale
- Wildflower, Steph La Rochelle
Comedy album of the year
- Life of Leisure, Derek Seguin
- Never Was, Graham Clark
- A Lylebility, Kyle Brownrigg
- Sexiest Fish in the Lake, Laurie Elliott
- SAP, Mae Martin
Traditional R&B/soul recording of the year
- “Hello,” Aqyila
- “Unbreakable,” Jhyve
- Where to Find Me, Katie Tupper
- “9 to 5,” Luna Elle
- Real World, RealestK
Rap single of the year
- “American Nightmare,” Belly
- “Spinnin,” Connor Price feat. Bens
- “Honey Bun,” Haviah Mighty
- “Minimum Wage,” Pressa
- “Someone I Knew,” Tobi
Underground dance single of the year
- “Call My Name,” Blond:ish
- “Mad Mess,” DJ Karaba
- “Could Be Wrong,” Lostboyjay
- “Eclipse,” Peach
- “Concorde Groove,” Smalltown DJs
Traditional Indigenous artist or group of the year
- Sing. Pray. Love., Joel Wood
- LFS5, Nimkii and the Niniis
- Mitòòdebi (For My Relatives), the Bearhead Sisters
- Reverie, the Red River Ramblers
- Drum Nation, Young Scouts
Music News
Luke Combs Announces 12 New Stadium Shows for 2027 ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour’
Luke Combs is extending his My Kinda Saturday Night Tour into 2027, announcing 12 new stadium shows across the United States.
The new dates continue the tour that Combs launched in 2026, though fans can expect a different lineup of opening acts. Treaty Oak Revival, Avery Anna, Shenandoah and Wyatt McCubbin will join Combs at various stops throughout the 2027 run.
The tour takes its name from “My Kinda Saturday Night,” a song from Combs’ latest album, The Way I Am. The singer recently wrapped the 2026 leg with three sold-out performances at London’s Wembley Stadium.
For now, the 12 newly announced stadium concerts are the only dates listed on Combs’ official tour calendar. Tickets for all 12 shows go on sale August 21.
The announcement had been teased throughout the week, with several venues revealing details before Combs officially announced the dates on Thursday morning.
The limited schedule reflects a shift in how Combs is approaching life on the road. With three young children — ages four, nearly three and six months — the singer has spoken about putting more time aside for his family. The days of spending most of the week away from home may be becoming less common for the country star.
That does not mean Combs is stepping away from the stage. Every 2027 date announced so far is scheduled at a football stadium with a capacity of at least 60,000 people.
The strategy is similar to one adopted by several major country artists in recent years, including Morgan Wallen: fewer shows in much larger venues. Rather than spending months on the road playing arenas and smaller venues, Combs can reach a large audience with a limited number of performances.
For fans, that makes each stop a bigger event. For Combs, it offers a way to keep touring while spending more time at home with his family.
Tickets go on sale August 21.
Tour Dates for Luke Combs 2027 ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour’:
April 3 — Arlington, Texas @ AT&T Stadium
April 10 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ U.S. Bank Stadium
April 17 — Detroit, Mich. @ Ford Field
April 24 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Lincoln Financial Field
May 1 — Foxborough, Mass. @ Gillette Stadium
May 8 — Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Acrisure Stadium
May 15 — Kansas City, Mo. @ Arrowhead Stadium
May 29 — Edmonton, Alb. Canada @ Commonwealth Stadium
June 5 — Vancouver, B.C. Canada @ BC Place
June 12 — Boise, Idaho @ Albertsons Stadium
June 19 — Denver, Colo. @ Empower Field at Mile High
June 26 — San Diego, Calif. @ Petco Park
Music News
Steve Lacy Announces 27-Date Fall Tour Behind Oh Yeah?
Steve Lacy is hitting the road this fall with a 27-date tour in support of his upcoming album, Oh Yeah?
The tour kicks off September 27 in Minneapolis and will take Lacy across North America, with stops planned in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York. The run will wrap up in Vancouver.
Oh Yeah? marks Lacy’s first album since 2022’s Gemini Rights, the record that helped further establish him as one of R&B and alternative music’s most distinctive voices. The new album features appearances from SZA, Erykah Badu and Cecile Believe.
The upcoming tour will be Lacy’s first major run since the 2022 Give You the World Tour, which supported Gemini Rights. Four years later, he is set to return to the stage with new material and a string of dates across North America.
Steve Lacy Oh Yeah? Tour Dates:
09-27 Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
09-30 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
10-03 Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
10-05 Toronto, Ontario – Coca-Cola Coliseum
10-06 Laval, Quebec – Place Bell
10-10 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
10-13 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10-15 Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
10-18 Washington, DC – The Anthem
10-20 Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome by Rutter Mills
10-22 Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
10-23 Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
10-26 Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheatre
10-28 Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
10-30 Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
11-02 Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
11-05 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
11-07 Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
11-08 Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
11-11 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
11-13 Las Vegas, NV – The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
11-17 Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
11-19 San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
11-21 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
11-24 San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11-28 Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
11-30 Vancouver, British Columbia – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
