Michael Bublé takes home top prize at the Junos
Posted April 2, 2012 6:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, ON (NEWS1130) – Vancouver’s Michael Bublé took home top prize at the 2012 Junos in Ottawa. Bublé won the Album of the Year award for “Christmas.”
Feist won the Artist of the Year award, while the Sheepdogs won the Single of the Year award for their song, “I Don’t Know.”
The best artist win might have surprised some given that Feist’s contemplative fourth disc, “Metals,” wasn’t nominated for album of the year and she lost Songwriter of the Year earlier in the evening to City and Colour‘s Dallas Green.
That was hardly the only surprise in the early going at Sunday’s telecast.
Dance Recording of the Year went to Toronto’s Dragonette and French DJ Martin Solveig. They beat out presumed favourite Deadmau5, who had won the category four years in a row.
Green’s win might also have raised some eyebrows, given that he beat out Dan Mangan and Jim Cuddy.
“If I can find a way to cut this up into five individual pieces, I’d gladly share it with all the other nominees,” Green said as he claimed the trophy.
“Canada has some of the best songwriters in the world and I’m glad to be a part of it,” adds Green. “But I’d also, I’d just like to accept this on behalf of … all the people who truly believe it’s all about the song and it’s not about all the other stuff.”
Still, Cuddy was set to get his due. His band, Blue Rodeo, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, after a performance with Vancouver-based chanteuse Sarah McLachlan.
Not all the early results were shocking, however.
Pop sensation Justin Bieber‘s fervent fan base did it again, propelling the Stratford, Ont., native to a second straight victory for the Fan Choice award.
“What’s up everybody? This is Justin,” he said in a pre-recorded message, a tad redundantly given the shrill screaming inside Scotiabank Place. “Fan choice. As we all know, I have the best fans in the world, so this award is basically for all my fans. This is just yours.”
Mangan’s second Juno win seemed likely given the fact that he entered with four nominations.
“I feel like there’s a certain amount of chatter around the best new artist award every year going to … artists on their second or maybe third albums,” said Mangan, whose “Oh Fortune” was, yes, his third album.
“I would like to look at like this … it takes time to do anything that’s worthwhile.”
Nickelback opened the show with a performance of “This Means War,” before 81-year-old host William Shatner descended for a monologue and song.
The “Star Trek” icon poked light-hearted fun at Deadmau5 – intentionally mispronouncing his moniker – as well as Hedley, Carly Rae Jepsen and Sarah McLachlan.
“I’ve been to three Lilith Fairs,” he barked at the Vancouver-based chanteuse. “I came for the music, I stayed for the wheatgrass smoothies.”
He also strapped on a sunburst Les Paul to sing a few bars of several well-worn Canuck classics, including Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69,” Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Takin’ Care of Business” and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.”
While the Montreal-born actor provided a stark contrast to last year’s 25-year-old host, Drake, however the show opted for youth in other ways.
Critically acclaimed St. John’s, NL, outfit Hey Rosetta put in a rousing performance in front of a crowd that might have been largely unaware of their existence, while a dance medley featuring Dragonette, Alyssa Reid and JRDN brought the crowd to its feet.
