Lowell, Tate McRae win big for global hits at Juno Awards industry gala
CBC
Tate McRae took home four awards, including artist and album of the year, at the Juno Awards industry ceremony on Saturday — although the global popstar was absent because she was booked to appear at a music festival in Brazil.
"I just want to thank everyone at the Junos, and all my fans in Canada who've been with me since the start of this wild ride," the singer wrote in a text message read out loud on stage.
The Junos hardware was handed out during the gala in Vancouver where prizes in more than 40 categories were awarded ahead of Sunday's televised ceremony, like the new Juno recognizing South Asian music.
Elizabeth Lowell Boland won the first songwriter of the year award created for non-performers. She picked up the prize for her work behind the scenes on Beyonce's Cowboy Carter album and the Beaches' Takes One To Know One.
The Calgary-raised Boland pushed for splitting the songwriting Juno category into two awards — performer and non-performer — after seeing the only Juno songwriting trophy consistently won by well-known stage performers.
"I've been fighting for this award," Boland said.
"I chased down people at parties. I was really annoying. I joked that people would run away from me when they saw me at parties, because I wasn't really interested in mingling. I just wanted to change this one little thing."
Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie and Haisla hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids were early winners at the industry ceremony.
The Saturday evening soirée saw Elisapie's pop covers collection Inuktitut pick up adult alternative album, while Rez Kids' Red Future landed rap album of the year.
"I had a good cry walking here," said Darren Metz from Rez Kids in the press room.
"When you work so hard towards something for so long, and then finally get it, all the emotions that you endured throughout that journey just come out."
Other winners included No Time by Interplanetary Criminal and SadBoi, which earned dance recording of the year.
Folk singer Sarah Harmer received this year's humanitarian award for her advocacy of environmental and human rights issues from longtime environmentalist David Suzuki.
Other big winners included Mustafa, who wasn't present to accept his two Junos. His self-directed Name of God was named music video of the year, and he also won songwriter of the year.
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