Juno Loves Shania & Avril
OTTAWA (CP) — After a weekend-long bash in a city renowned for politics rather than all-night parties, the music industry rewarded the faux face of rebel rock, Avril Lavigne, for her successes over the past year.
The 18-year-old singer, Canada’s latest contribution to the international music scene, scored single of the year for Complicated, album of the year for Let Go, best new artist and best pop album.
Approaching the microphone she laughed at the video clip of her breakout song Complicated that was playing overhead on a large screen. “I smile every time I see this video because it feels like 10 years ago,” she said. “We all look like little kids.”
Her tally was followed closely by country sweetheart Shania Twain with three awards — artist of the year, fan choice and best country recording.
Twain hosted the Juno soiree Sunday night, held at the 15,000-seat Corel Centre and attended by a full complement of Canadian talent including Nickelback, Blue Rodeo and Alanis Morissette.
It was a reunion of sorts for the two; Lavigne’s first stage performance came after winning a radio contest to sing with Twain at the stadium.
Twain got the show started singing Up! in a sequined Montreal Canadiens track suit. She continued the hockey theme returning from a commercial break in a white, red and black Ottawa Senators floor length gown
“So how’s your hockey team doing these days?” she asked the home-town crowd which included team captain Daniel Alfredsson.
Morissette was named producer of the year for songs Hands Clean and So Unsexy. It was the Ottawa singer-songwriter’s first time in the producer seat. She beat out Our Lady Peace’s producer Bob Rock, a music veteran who’s produced tracks for Metallica, Bon Jovi, The Cult and Motley Crue.
Alberta rockers Nickelback won songwriter of the year for Too Bad and How You Remind Me. Lead singer Chad Kroeger’s effort for Hero, from the Spider-Man soundtrack, also shared the award. The band beat out Lavigne, Twain, Ron Sexsmith, and Remy Shand.
Kroeger’s proteges Theory of A Deadman, signed to his newly formed 604 Records label, took best new group. Default, another Kroeger project, took the award last year.
Winnipeg’s Shand got his due with best R&B/soul recording for The Way I Feel. The singer was shut out of this year’s Grammy Awards after being nominated in four categories.
A visibly moved Shand said it was an honour to win in the soul category.
“This year has been a fantastic year for everyone who is Canadian playing R&B,” he said.
Bad boy rapper Eminem’s The Eminem Show was named best international album. He didn’t attend the show but offered a profanity-filled taped message apologizing for not attending because he was in the studio.
The subject of war was largely absent from the show with the exception of “No war” written on a white flag held up by rapper K-OS before performing with Montreal singer Sam Roberts.
Twain proved an energetic host, largely relying on her wardrobe to surprise and energize the crowd. She managed to represent all of the country’s hockey teams in her flamboyant outfits.
But she also pulled a few surprises, at one point showing up in the audience next to hip hop quartet Swollen Members. Leaning over in front of the band to face television cameras, she smiled suggestively saying she “wouldn’t dare sit on a swollen member.”
Sunday’s celebration was the second of two Juno nights. The majority of awards were handed out at a gala dinner Saturday night at Le Theatre du Casino in nearby Gatineau, Que. Among the 28 statuettes awarded: Our Lady Peace won best rock album for Gravity, Diana Krall took vocal jazz album for Live In Paris and Fred Penner for children’s album.
Here’s the complete list of winners,
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