Michael Bublé handed Canadians a heartfelt dose of patriotism at the Juno Awards on Sunday, setting the tone for a night of not-so-subtle references to Canada’s current tensions with the United States.
The Vancouver crooner jumped into his role as hometown Junos host by telling the crowd he was proud to be Canadian.
“We are the greatest nation on earth,” he said during his opening monologue. “And we are not for sale.”
Other musicians leaned into Canadiana, including East Coast hero Anne Murray.
Dressed in a sequined red hockey jersey with “Canada” emblazoned across the front, she accepted a lifetime achievement award, before shifting her speech to how early in her career she was pressured to move to New York or Los Angeles.
“I just couldn’t do it,” she said.
“I knew instinctively I needed a place to go, to escape when my work was done. Canada is my safe haven. My safety blanket. My light at the end of the tunnel â it still is.”
Other winners of the night were even more overt with their message.
Fan choice winner bbno$, the social media star and rapper, expressed his shock at beating out major names like Tate McRae and Shawn Mendes for the prize, but closed his remarks with a political jab.
“Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” bbno$ shouted, referencing the Tesla CEO and senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.
What does Canada mean to Juno artists?
A few moments later, Arkells frontman Max Kerman seconded the sentiment.
Singer Josh Ross had a more reserved message for the fans after winning country album of the year for Complicated.
“I think it’s time to get back to our Canadian roots and remember that friends are better than enemies,” he said from the stage.
Other winners included Toronto band The Beaches, who picked up group of the year.
Palestinian Canadian Nemahsis added to her Juno wins, being named this year’s breakthrough artist, in addition to her win for alternative album at a pre-broadcast show on Saturday night.
“I’ve been wearing a hijab for 20-plus years,” she said. “All I ever wanted was to turn on Family Channel or YTV and just see somebody who looks like me. I didn’t think it would take this long.”
Headed into the show, Calgary pop star Tate McRae was already considered a big winner.
She picked up four awards at an industry gala on Saturday night, winning major categories that include artist and single of the year.
Here’s a list of all the nominees and winners (in bold):
Aaron Paris: intro (end of the world) (co-producer Ariana Grande, Nick Lee, Shintaro Yasuda), eternal sunshine, Ariana Grande; Bought the Earth (co-producer Calton McDowell, Charlie Coffeen, Rex Kudo), 2093, Yea; Let it Breathe (co-producer Charlie Coffeen, Carton, Rewind, Rex Kudo, Russell Boring, the Kount), 11th Dimension, Ski Mask the Slump God; Tiger Eye (co-producer Akeel Henry), Tiger Eye, Loony; “Dishonored” (co-producer Jack Rochon, Leonardo Dessi, Matthew Sean Leon), In Loving Memory, Sean Leon, Jessie Reyez; R e a l W o m a n (co-producer Eli Brown, Noah “40” Shebib, Prep Bijan), PartyNextDoor 4 (P4), PartyNextDoor
Akeel Henry: Spin featuring Victoria Monét (co-producer Yonatan Ayal), Megan, Megan Thee Stallion; Smoke (co-producer Bongo ByTheWay), Smoke, Ari Lennox; Shake featuring Jeremih (co-producer Bongo ByTheWay, Kareen Lomax, Trey Campbell), Trouble in Paradise, Chlöe; Oh, Waitâ¦Â featuring Nao (co-producer Ari PenSmith, Blake Straus), Love’s Letter (deluxe), Shae Universe; I Choose You (co-producer Yonatan Ayal), Say Yes, Melanie Fiona; Love Ain’t Guaranteed (co-producer Harry Beech), Redemption, Mist
Evan Blair: Pretty Slowly, Benson Boone; Beautiful Things, Benson Boone; club heaven, Nessa Barrett; No High, David Kushner; this is how a woman leaves, i hope i never fall in love, Intermission, Maren MorrisÂ
Jack Rochon: II Hands II Heaven (co-producer Beyoncé, Dave Hamelin), Protector (co-producer Beyoncé), Jolene (co-producer Alex Vickery, Beyoncé, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Khirye Tyler), Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé; My Way (co-producer Charlotte Day Wilson, Leon Thomas); Cyan Blue, Charlotte Day Wilson; Crash (co-producer Aaron Paris, Aidan, Alex Goldblatt, Khris Riddick, Mariel Gomerez-Rodriguez, Oak), Tears featuring Omah Lay (co-producer Etienne, GuiltyBeatz, Mariel Gomerez-Rodriguez, Oak, Symphony), Crash, KehlaniÂ
Shawn Everett: II Most Wanted (co-producer Beyoncé, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus), Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé; Found Heaven, Found Heaven, Conan Gray; Bright Lights (co-producer Jonathan Rado), Bright Lights, the Killers; I Don’t, (co-producer Brittany Howard), Eye of the Night, Found Heaven, Conan Gray; Prove it to You (co-producer Brittany Howard), What Now, Brittany Howard
Abel Tesfaye (the Weeknd): Dancing in the Flames (co-songwriters Max Martin, Oscar Holter), the Weeknd; Timeless (co-songwriters Blessed, Jarrod “Twisco” Morgan, Jordan Terrell Carter, Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood, Lawson, Mark Williams, Mike Dean, Pharrel Williams, Raul Cubina (Volta), Tariq “BL$$D” Sharrieff); São Paulo featuring Anitta (co-songwriters Agustinho Raphael Dos Santos, Andre Luiz Viegas, Everton Ramos De Araujo, Flavio Seraphim De Almeida, Larissa de Macedo Machado, Marcelo Nei Leal, Mike Dean, Sean Solymar, Tatiana Dos Santos Lourenco, Washington Luis Costa Vaz)
AP Dhillon: Old Money (co-songwriters Abdul Aziz Dieng, Chris Mathew LaRocca-Cerrone, Luke Maurizio Mauti, Michael Tompa, Robert Benvegnu, Satinderpal Singh); Losing Myself featuring Gunna (co-songwriters Abdul Aziz Dieng, Herman Atwal, Luke Maurizio Mauti, Rashpal Singh, Sergio Giavanni Kitchens); Bora Bora featuring Arya Starr (co-songwriters Anas Rahmoune, Joseph Watchorn, Mason Tanner, Satinderpal Singh)
Jessie Reyez: Child of Fire (co-songwriters Oladipo Omishore, Spencer Stewart, Tiffany Day); Ridin featuring Lil Wayne (co-songwriters Dwayne Carter, Jeff Gitelman, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson); Shut Up featuring Big Sean (co-songwriter Christopher Smith, Giovani Figueroa-Borges, Julian Harris, Nolan Lambroza, Sean Anderson, Uforo Ebong)
Mustafa: Name of God (co-songwriters Aaron Dessner, Simon Hessman); Leaving Toronto (co-songwriters Jonah Yano, Rodaidh Mcdonald, Simon Hessman); I’ll Go Anywhere (co-songwriters Simon Hessman)
Nemah Hasan: stick of gum (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman); you wore it better (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman); coloured concrete (co-songwriters Danny Casio, Pablo Bowman)
Evan Blair: Beautiful Things, Pretty Slowly (co-songwriters Benson Boone, Jackson Lafrantz Larsen), Benson Boone; “i hope i never fall in love” (co-songwriters Delacey, Lucy Healey, Maren Morris), Maren Morris
Lowell: Texas Hold ‘Em (co-songwriters Atia “Ink” Boggs, Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq); Bodyguard (co-songwriters Beyoncé, Leven Kali, Raphael Saadiq, Ryan Beatty, Shantoni Ajane Nichols, Terius “The Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant), Beyoncé; Takes One to Know One (co-songwriters Eliza Enman-Mcdaniel, Gus van Go, Jordan Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl), the Beaches
Nathan Ferraro: Texas Hold ‘Em (co-songwriters/co-compositeurs Atia “Ink” Boggs, Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Raphael Saadiq), Beyoncé; Smoke (co-songwriters Akeel Henry, Ant Clemons, Courtney Salter, Uforo Ebong Smoke), Ari Lennox; Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent) (co-songwriters Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Michael Wise, Sofia Camara), Sofia Camara
Shaun Frank: Love Somebody (co-songwriters Ashley Gorley, Elof Loelv, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Bryon, Martina Sorbara, Morgan Wallen, Nicholas Gale, Ryan Vojtesak, Steve Richard Francis Mastroianni, Yaakov Gruzman), Morgan Wallen; Training Season (co-songwriters Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Dua Lipa, Kevin Parker, Martina Sorbara, Nicholas Gate, Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni, Tobias Jesso Jr., Yaakov Gruzman), Dua Lipa; Sideways (co-songwriters A. Graham, David Karbal, Marcel Kosic, Richard Beynon, Tiernan Kelly, Tinashe Sibanda), Gordo
Tobias Jesso Jr.: Houdini (co-songwriters Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker), Dua Lipa; push me over (co-songwriters Catherine Hope Gavin, Josette Maskin, Maren Morris, Naomi McPherson), Maren Morris; Come Show Me (co-songwriters Camila Cabello, DJ Spinn (Morris Anthony Harper), Jasper Harris, Pablo Diaz-Reixa), Camila Cabello
