It was a night of positivity and resilience at the Juno Awards as the stars of Canadian music focused on celebrating the upsides of life.
Host Michael Buble set the tone early on Sunday night by announcing his wife害羞草研究所檚 third pregnancy 害羞草研究所� but other performers were quick to grab the tide of optimism during their own stage moments.
害羞草研究所淚 just hope that we can all rise above negativity in our lives and just do what we believe in,害羞草研究所� said Arcade Fire害羞草研究所檚 Win Butler as he accepted the band害羞草研究所檚 album award for 害羞草研究所淓verything Now.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淪peak your truth and don害羞草研究所檛 be afraid to just do whatever the hell you want.害羞草研究所�
Gord Downie害羞草研究所檚 brothers Mike and Patrick echoed an unbounded sense of resolve as they accepted a posthumous award for the singer, who died last October of brain cancer.
害羞草研究所淚f we害羞草研究所檝e learned anything from Gord it was the value of taking care of each other,害羞草研究所� said Patrick.
害羞草研究所淭his is Gord害羞草研究所檚 award. It害羞草研究所檚 artist of the year, but he was our man of a lifetime. I害羞草研究所檇 like to believe we害羞草研究所檙e all better artists and people because of him. We love you Gord and we害羞草研究所檙e all taking good care of each other.害羞草研究所�
An acoustic tribute to Downie was led by Sarah Harmer and Dallas Green, alongside Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn, who performed 害羞草研究所淏obcaygeon害羞草研究所� as archival clips of the Tragically Hip frontman played behind them.
It was Buble whose seemingly effortless charm kept the show on an upbeat track.
Without fully addressing why he stepped aside from his Juno hosting duties last year, he acknowledged this was a comeback of sorts. He pulled out of the 2017 Junos after his son was diagnosed with cancer.
Buble told the audience that after being 害羞草研究所済one for a while害羞草研究所� he wondered if he might have lost 害羞草研究所渨hatever it is害羞草研究所� that built his name.
害羞草研究所淏ut honestly after standing here for 40 seconds, I realize that I害羞草研究所檓 even better than I was before,害羞草研究所� he added.
Buble later joined Diana Krall for a charming duet of the Nat King Cole classic 害羞草研究所淟-O-V-E.害羞草研究所�
Daniel Caesar grabbed R&B/soul recording for his album 害羞草研究所淔reudian害羞草研究所� while Jessie Reyez scored breakthrough artist. She offered an emotional acceptance speech reflecting on her sudden rise to fame.
害羞草研究所淚t means so much to get this love out at home,害羞草研究所� she said.
Both performers reappeared later to duet on Reyez害羞草研究所檚 song 害羞草研究所淔igures.害羞草研究所�
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There were a number of pseudo surprises throughout the show.
The rappers behind the Canadian hit 害羞草研究所淣orthern Touch害羞草研究所� took it upon themselves to improvise a version of the song they were once denied performing on the Junos telecast 20 years ago.
The Northern Touch All-Stars announced Tory Lanez as the winner of this year害羞草研究所檚 rap award, but when he wasn害羞草研究所檛 around to accept it, rapper Kardinal Offishall jumped in to ask the audience a question.
害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 you all wish we had some more hip hop in here tonight?害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚 know this is going to mess up the Junos a little bit 害羞草研究所� but I don害羞草研究所檛 care. Do you want to do 害羞草研究所楴orthern Touch害羞草研究所� right now?
The group 害羞草研究所� which also includes rappers Red1, Misfit, Checkmate, Thrust and Choclair 害羞草研究所� then launched into a full version of 害羞草研究所淣orthern Touch,害羞草研究所� which appeared on the Rascalz 1998 album 害羞草研究所淐ash Crop.害羞草研究所�
Junos president Allan Reid acknowledged the moment was partly staged. He said the Junos organizers approached the rap group earlier in the afternoon with the idea.
One of the night害羞草研究所檚 other big surprises wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have shocked gossip magazine readers.
Recent tabloid speculation that Buble害羞草研究所檚 wife is pregnant became an official announcement on the show as the singer revealed actress Luisana Lopilato is expecting their third child.
He told the audience it was the second time her pregnancy has been linked to the Junos. Five years ago when he hosted in Regina, she was expecting their first child.
害羞草研究所淥ops you did it again!害羞草研究所� Buble said as the audience cheered the revelation.
Grimes and Buffy St. Marie introduced pop artist Lights with an impassioned speech for gender equality led by the Indigenous folk singer.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 time for change, it害羞草研究所檚 time for women to be recognized for our accomplishments and our value to this industry,害羞草研究所� St. Marie said with powerful delivery.
害羞草研究所淲e need to build a foundation upon which we can support an environment that actually encourages success for women害羞草研究所� because it害羞草研究所檚 not here yet.害羞草研究所�
Barenaked Ladies and former bandmate Steven Page were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
After singing a brief tune as they accepted their award, the band closed the broadcast by launching into some of their old hits, starting with 害羞草研究所漁ne Week.害羞草研究所� It was the first time they害羞草研究所檇 performed with Page since he went solo nearly a decade ago.
The group wasn害羞草研究所檛 alone on stage for long, as it evolved into an all-star tribute, with guests who spanned the music genres and fit comfortably with the band害羞草研究所檚 offbeat sense of humour.
Jann Arden, Jim Cuddy and Nunavut band The Jerry Cans danced alongside members of the Northern Touch All-Stars as they all performed a sing-along to 害羞草研究所淚f I Had $1,000,000,害羞草研究所� which finished with balloons and fake million-dollar bills falling from the rafters.
Page then pulled from one of the song害羞草研究所檚 most famous lines about Kraft Dinner to pose a question that害羞草研究所檚 lingered for years:
害羞草研究所淐ome on, 30 years now, Kraft. Isn害羞草研究所檛 it time for a sponsorship?
David Friend, The Canadian Press
