McLachlan, Furtado lead Juno nods
TORONTO — Sarah McLachlan. Nelly Furtado. Celine Dion. Nickelback. There were few surprises Wednesday when this year’s batch of Juno nominees were announced.
Canada’s largest exports took the highest number of nods with McLachlan and Furtado leading the pack with five each. The multimillion-selling singers were followed by Dion and Nickelback with four apiece, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced.
McLachlan’s nominations include fan choice, album, artist and songwriter of the year. Her CD Afterglow is also up for pop album of the year. Furtado’s include best single for Powerless and best artist.
Tied at three are Billy Talent, Our Lady Peace and Sam Roberts. Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies, Michael Buble and Shania Twain each received two.
The winners will be announced during a live CTV broadcast April 4 from Edmonton’s Rexall Place.
Unlike the recent Grammy Awards and the Feb. 29 Oscars, the Junos have yet to be affected by the Janet Jackson peep show or Don Cherry tape delay issue.
But that decision may need to be re-evaluated as CTV was reprimanded Wednesday by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council for airing some derogatory language during last year’s Junos broadcast.
Eminem said a derivative of the four-letter word during a pre-recorded acceptance speech for his best international album award.
CTV apologized Wednesday to any viewers who were offended by the rappers’ comments, and said it will discuss whether a tape delay is necessary for the Junos.
“If we had had our decision from the CBSC a year ago as an isolated decision, I don’t think we’d be talking about (a tape delay). But in the bigger context of the Super Bowl, the Grammys, Don Cherry, all of a sudden it’s a topic of conversation,” said Ed Robinson, senior vice-president of variety programming at CTV. “It’s a curious time. We’ll see where it leads . . . Canadians don’t necessarily have the same concerns as American audiences but when it’s in public consciousness you have to consider it.”
Christina Aguilera, 50 Cent, Hilary Duff, Evanescence and Rod Stewart will compete for best international album. Group of the year contenders are Nickelback, Barenaked Ladies, Finger Eleven, La Chicane and Our Lady Peace.
Unexpected were nods for Danny Michel, Barlow and Kinnie Starr in the best new artist category. Michel, based in Guelph, Ont., has released six albums in his career, Starr’s released three, while Barlow has been producing music for close to a decade, has four indie albums under his belt and the song Married by Elvis was a radio hit in 2001.
“It’s a little funny six records later,” said Michel. “Better late than never. I guess it means I appeared on the radar of another level.”
Others in the category are newcomers Vancouver’s Buble and Hamilton’s Kazzer.
Country artists recognized for their work in the past year include Twain, Terri Clark, Doc Walker, Brad Johner and Aaron Lines. The five will compete for country recording of the year. Jazz musicians competing for vocal jazz album include stalwart Holly Cole and newcomer Denzal Sinclaire.
Hip hop and rap artists were stuck in their own niche categories this year, as usual. Unlike the U.S.’s Outkast and The Black Eyed Peas, no Canadian urban group was able to break free from the rap and R&B category.
Artists didn’t seem surprised. “It’s all very brand new compared to the States,” said Pops of In Essence, which received one nomination for R&B album of the year. “Everything is coming. It takes time.”
Rapper Choclair said it’s just the “Junos way.”
“It would be good to see a rapper get in more than one category,” said the Toronto-based musician, nominated for best rap recording. “It’s been that way.
We just got a category in 1989. We’ll just keep building it. Maybe in the next 15 years it’ll happen.”
There are 38 categories in all. A new one was added this year for best music DVD.
Albums released between Sept. 1, 2002, and Nov. 26, 2003, are eligible.
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