Even with no crimson carpet, the Juno Awards discovered methods to march generations of Canadian stars by way of their fiftieth anniversary celebration on Sunday night time.

From Shania Twain and Celine Dion to Kaytranada and Justin Bieber, most of the nation’s most profitable acts paid tribute to Canada’s largest night time in music by sharing music and recollections from a distance.

One of many obtrusive absences additionally occurred to be this 12 months’s largest winner.

The Weeknd picked up artist of the 12 months whereas his After Hours was named and album of the 12 months. However the Blinding Lights famous person didn’t flip as much as settle for his awards.

The Toronto singer had already received three Junos at a pre-broadcast ceremony on Friday, bringing his 2021 tally to 5.

A couple of different massive winners have been additionally absent from the Junos golden anniversary.

Shawn Mendes was chosen by viewers because the fan alternative winner, although he didn’t log in for the honour.

And although Justin Bieber carried out Someone from Los Angeles in a kaleidoscopic presentation, he didn’t present to just accept his pop album win for Modifications.

Others did, nonetheless, together with pop balladeer JP Saxe who was named breakthrough artist.

“I’ve by no means given a speech like this earlier than,” stated the surprised newcomer as he bumbled by way of a few sentences earlier than getting his bearings and thanking his father, and his girlfriend and co-writer Julia Michaels.

The Toronto-raised Saxe turned a radio favorite final 12 months for the duet If the World Was Ending, which he performs Michaels.

Savannah Re received for conventional R&B/Soul recording for Strong.

Members of the Tragically Hip have been offered with this 12 months’s humanitarian award by Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. They mirrored on the Kingston, Ont., band’s many years of philanthropic work, which incorporates supporting Camp Trillium and the Particular Olympics, in addition to psychological well being help within the music trade.

“The highlight that’s been so generously targeted on our band for the final 30-plus years has offered us with a myriad of alternatives,” stated Hip guitarist Rob Baker.

“We’ve at all times felt that it was our duty to mirror that gentle again and produce some illumination to the place it is likely to be wanted.”

Anne Murray ushered Jann Arden into the Canadian Music Corridor of Fame, a belated induction that was imagined to occur final 12 months.

Talking from her East Coast house, Murray mirrored on the Insensitive singer’s compassionate persona.

“Not solely is she humorous and a nice singer-songwriter, she’s additionally a nice human being,” Murray stated.

“Any time I’ve known as upon her she’s been there for me. She is heat, witty, sort, compassionate and wears her coronary heart on her sleeve.”

Arden, who began by joking she was “too younger” for the honour, paid tribute to her late mom Joan Richards who died in 2018 after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s illness and carried out the tune Good Mom.

Beneath the sheen of the Junos celebration was an acknowledgment that Canada is within the midst of a reckoning with its remedy of Indigenous peoples.

Buffy Sainte-Marie opened the present on a sombre notice by addressing the current discovery of what’s believed to be the stays of 215 kids buried at a former Kamloops, B.C., residential faculty.

She stated whereas the information could also be “stunning to some folks and a revelation” it isn’t stunning to Indigenous folks.

“The genocide fundamental to this nation’s delivery is ongoing and we have to face it collectively,” she added.

“And I ask on your compassion.”

The Kamloops discovery was acknowledged briefly by the Hip in addition to Susan Aglukark spoke in Inuktitut to Indigenous households confronted with one other tragedy.

“We grieve with you and we wish you to know that they won’t be forgotten,” she stated.

Kardinal Offishall led viewers by way of a journey of Canadian hip hop historical past to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the rap recording class.

Maestro Recent Wes made an look with Let Your Spine Slide earlier than Michie Mee, Jully Black, Nav and Haviah Mighty and rounded out the generations of artists who’ve usually gone underrecognized on the awards present.

The Junos initially hoped to mark their fiftieth anniversary with an occasion at Toronto’s Scotiabank Area, however Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions put an finish to that aim. As an alternative, organizers introduced they’ll return to Toronto for subsequent 12 months’s present.

Listed here are the winners introduced on Sunday:

Conventional R&B/Soul Recording Of The Yr — Strong, Savannah Ré
Artist of the Yr — The Weeknd
Breakthrough Artist of the Yr — JP Saxe
Album of the Yr — After Hours, The Weeknd
Pop Album of the Yr — Modifications, Justin Bieber
Juno Fan Alternative — Shawn Mendes

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For a full checklist of winners, go to the official Junos website.