Underrated and overlooked the array of artists is superb. Listen in.
KURATED NO. 174
THE JUNO AWARDS 2023
Why They’re Overlooked and Underrated
Screenshot 2023 03 24 At 4.30.53 Pm

Ottawa’s Angelique Francis won the Juno Award for Best Blues Album
(James St. Laurent photo)

CONTENTS
  • PLAYLIST: 32 Songs on YouTube
  • LIST of Award Winners and Nominees
Screenshot 2023 03 13 At 4.47.04 Pm

Family group Digging Roots take the 2023 Juno Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year

GEMS IN THE JUNO AWARDS

Why so overlooked and underrated?

My big surprise about the 52nd edition of the Juno Awards is the sheer amount of great work up for recognition. The music includes hundreds of musical gems from the more than 150 groups and solo artists represented across 46 categories. Who knew? Certainly not the average listener.

Ask anyone who tuned into all or some of the 2-hour broadcast a couple of weeks ago – or those who heard about it on the news – and you’ll know that two items made headlines: 1) a topless environmental protester sporting felt-penned slogans who caused a short onstage ruckus with 38 year-old “skater girl” star Avril Lavigne and 2) the induction of the band everyone, everywhere loves to hate – Nickelback – into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. It was all very, um, Canadian. But the Juno Awards are more than a made-for-TV, 2-hour show that features a mere six award presentations and a handful of acts.

I had a good look at who garnered the Juno nominations. Thanks to a lingering seasonal bug that kept me on the couch, I had quite a few hours to sample songs and albums from the diverse and intriguing selection. I’m glad I did.

Many of the artists and their songs were new to me. Others were only somewhat familiar. There are a range of reasons for this. We are living in a time of accessible musical abundance. And the Canadian component – as vital and alive as it may be – has a lot of competition on the air waves and streaming services. That said, if you’re so inclined, you can stay tuned to our national broadcaster, CBC Radio, which has a lot of different programs with well informed hosts on its two services. And you can subscribe online to Exclaim! which lives up to its billing as “Canada’s Authority on Music, Film and Entertainment”.

My musical meanderings revealed a number of wonderful artists and songs. Do have a listen to the 32-song Kurated playlist and browse the extensive Juno Awards winners and nominee list below.

Kurated is a music sharing project.
Listen in!
Kris Sig Plastic V3

25 March 2023

Screenshot 2023 03 13 At 4.39.29 Pm

Manitoba’s Bros. Landreth won the Juno for Contemporary Roots Album

A 32-song playlist sampler of Juno 2023 nominees

A few standouts include Ottawa blues woman Angelique Francis, Ontario R&B player Dax and Alberta duo Altameda.

Then there’s new classical composer Stephan Moccio who plays some mysterious and sublime instrumentals and has also worked with Canada’s The Weeknd and penned tunes for Celine Dion. Quebecers Les Louanges are intriguing as is Jean-Michel Blais‘ neo-classical piano play.

Vocals from Ontario’s Shakura S’Aida, Savannah Ré and Daniel Caesar (with BadBadNotGood) are pretty sweet too. And there’s more such as winning indigenous family band Digging Roots and the jazz of Florian Hoefner Trio and… Enjoy.

THE TRACKLIST

  1. SS Radiant Pharis & Jason Romero
  2. I’ve Never Angelique Francis
  3. flâneur Jean-Michel Blais
  4. Ramona Retreat Altameda
  5. Tall Grass Digging Roots
  6. Dear Alcohol Dax
  7. Reggae Party Finn and Kirk Diamond
  8. Makambo Ya Gaga (Skit) Pierre Kwenders
  9. Imparfait (feat. Songe) Pierre Kwenders
  10. Dooodun Shakira S’Aida
  11. Just Know It Dan Mangan
  12. Shame The Bros. Landreth
  13. Pigeons Les Louanges
  14. (Interlude) You Must Crazy Angelique Francis
  15. Last One Savannah Ré
  16. Please Do Not Lean Daniel Caesar (BadBadNotGood)
  17. Goodbye Old Friend Carn Davidson 9
  18. Stars The Weather Station
  19. Foxtails and Fireflies Esmerine
  20. nina Jean-Michel Blais
  21. Neptune Florian Hoefner Trio
  22. ouessant Jean-Michel Blais
  23. My Beloved Twin Flame Stephan Moccio
  24. Esmé’s Waltz Stephan Moccio
  25. Encore Les Louanges
  26. Déziel Les Louanges
  27. Ispiciwin Andrew Balfour and Musica Intima
  28. Chanson des Amants Marie Nadeau-Tremblay + Sylvain Bergeron
  29. The Loneliest Time Carly Rae Jepsen + Rufus Wainwright
  30. Twin Flame KAYTRANADA + Anderson.Paak
  31. The Time Is (Now) Fred Everything
  32. CTRL+ALT+DEL Réve

JUNO AWARD WINNERS AND NOMINEES

Winners are in bold

TikTok Juno fan choice

  • Avril Lavigne 
  • Lauren Spencer-Smith
  • MacKenzie Porter
  • Preston Pablo
  • Rêve
  • Shawn Mendes
  • Tate McRae
  • The Reklaws
  • The Weeknd
  • Tyler Shaw

Single of the year

  • “Bite Me,” Avril Lavigne 
  • “Flowers Need Rain,” Preston Pablo and Banx & Ranx 
  • “When You’re Gone,” Shawn Mendes 
  • “She’s all I Wanna Be,” Tate McRae 
  • “Sacrifice,” the Weeknd

International album of the year

  • Ed Sheeran
  • Harry’s House, Harry Styles
  • Montero, Lil Nas X
  • Midnights, Taylor Swift
  • Red (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift 

Album of the year

  • Who Hurt You?,Ali Gatie
  • Love Sux, Avril Lavigne
  • Demons Protected By Angels, Nav
  • I Used to Think I Could Fly, Tate McRae
  • Dawn FM, the Weeknd 

Artist of the year

  • Avril Lavigne
  • Lauren Spencer-Smith
  • Michael Bublé
  • Shawn Mendes
  • The Weeknd 

Group of the year

  • Arcade Fire
  • Arkells
  • Billy Talent
  • Metric
  • The Reklaws 

Breakthrough artist of the year

  • Dax
  • Devon Cole
  • Preston Pablo
  • RealestK
  • Rêve 

Breakthrough group of the year

  • Banx & Ranx
  • Harm & Ease
  • Rare Americans
  • Tommy Lefroy
  • Wild Rivers 

Songwriter of the year

  • Abel Tesfaye: “Less Than Zero” (co-songwriters Tomoko Yamaguch, Hamada Tetsuro, Daniel Lopatin, the Weeknd); “Out of Time” (co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord); “Sacrifice” (co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord).
  • Faouzia: “Anybody Else” (co-songwriters Andre Davidson, Michelle Buzz, Sean Davidson);
  • “Puppet” (co-songwriters Andre Davidson, Johnny Goldstein, Sean Davidson); “RIP, Love” (co-songwriters Fran Hall, Jakke Erixson).
  • Tate McRae:”Chaotic” (co-songwriter Victoria Zaro); “Feel Like Shit” (co-songwriters Victoria Zaro, Jacob Hindlin, Russell J Chell); “She’s all I Wanna Be” (co-songwriter Greogry Kurstin).
  • Tenille Townes: “The Last Time” (co-songwriters Gordon Sampson, Benjamin Goldsmith); “When you Need It” (co-songwriter Stephen Wrabel); “When’s it Gonna Happen” (co-songwriters Stephenie Jones, Stephen Wrabel).
  • Tobi: “Before we Panic” (co-songwriters Alex Goose, Eric Hagstrom, John Stephen Sudduth, Kevin Martin, Tony Martin, Stephenie Jones, Stephen Wrabel); “Flowers” (co-songwriters Alex Goose, Daniele Luppi, Homer Steinweiss, Nick Movshon, Nicole Wray, Leon Michels, Paul Spring); “Move” (co-songwriters Alex Goose, Jessica Lee Hansell, Jon Bap, Robin Hannibal, Tavon Thompson, Tyler Demorest).

Country album of the year

  • Way Back, High Valley
  • Honkytonk Revival, Jade Eagleson 
  • Bronco, Orville Peck
  • Masquerades, Tenille Townes 
  • Good Ol’ Days, the Reklaws 

Adult alternative album of the year

  • Born Losers, Altameda 
  • The Garden, Basia Bulat 
  • Being Somewhere, Dan Mangan 
  • Colder Streams, the Sadies 
  • How is it That I Should Look at the Stars, the Weather Station 

Alternative album of the year

  • Blue Rev, Alvvays 
  • Duality, Luna Li 
  • Sewn Back Together, Ombiigizi 
  • The Unraveling of PupTheBand, Pup 
  • Tongues, Tanya Tagaq

Pop album of the year

  • In the Meantime, Alessia Cara
  • Love Sux, Avril Lavigne
  • The Loneliest Time, Carly Rae Jepsen
  • I Used to Think I Could Fly, Tate McRae
  • Dawn FM, the Weeknd

Rock album of the year

  • Otherness, Alexisonfire
  • Crisis of Faith, Billy Talent
  • Get Rollin’, Nickelback
  • Outta Sight, the Sheepdogs
  • Explosions, Three Days Grace

Vocal jazz album of the year 

  • Featuring, Caity Gyorgy 
  • Blue, Diana Panton 
  • Venez donc chez moi, Laura Anglade and Sam Kirmayer 
  • Nikki by Starlight, Nikki Yanofsky 
  • The Ostara Project, the Ostara Project

Jazz album of the year 

  • Joy, Ernesto Cervini 
  • A Little Louder Now, Lauren Falls
  • El Tinajon, Luis Deniz 
  • Rumba, Rafael Zaldivar 
  • Kinds of Love, Renee Rosnes

Jazz album of the year 

  • Semantics, Andrew Rathbun Quintet 
  • Talk Memory, BadBadNotGood 
  • The History of Us, Carn Davidson 9 
  • Desert Bloom, Florian Hoefner Trio 
  • The Dragon’s Tail, Mark Kelso & the Jazz Exiles

Instrumental album of the year 

  • Canadiana, Canadian Brass 
  • Everything was Forever Until it was no More, Esmerine 
  • Iguana, Hard Rubber Orchestra 
  • Aubades, Jean-Michel Blais 
  • Lionheart, Stephan Moccio 

Album francophone de l’année

  • Medium plaisir, Ariane Roy
  • Mercure en mai, Daniel Bélanger
  • Pictura de ipse: Musique directe, Hubert Lenoir
  • Crash, Les Louanges
  • Chiac Disco, Lisa LeBlanc

Children’s album of the year 

  • Nice to Meet You, Beppie 
  • Say Hello, Jeremy and Jazzy
  • I am Love, Splash’N Boots
  • Walk off the Earth & Romeo Eats, Vol. 2, Walk off the Earth and Romeo Eats 
  • Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Julia the Great, Young Maestro and Keysha Freshh

Classical album of the year (solo artist)

  • Winner of the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Warsaw 2021, Bruce Liu 
  • Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1, David Jalbert
  • La Zingarella: Through Romany Songland, Isabel Bayrakdarian
  • Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, James Ehnes 
  • Fables, Philip Chiu

Classical album of the year (large ensemble)

  • Clara – Robert – Johannes: Lyrical Echoes, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Shelley 
  • Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Ensemble Caprice, Ensemble Vocal Arts-Quebec, conducted by Matthias Maute, featuring Karina Gauvin
  • Richard Strauss: Metamorphosen – Arvo Pärt: Symphonie No. 4, ‘Los Angeles,’ I Musici de Montréal, conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni
  • Viola Borealis, Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis, featuring Marina Thibeault 
  • Radiant Dawn: Music for Advent and Christmas, The Elora Singers, conducted by Mark Vuorinen

Classical album of the year (small ensemble) 

  • Nagamo, Andrew Balfour and musica intima
  • Hemsi: Chamber Works, ARC Ensemble 
  • Vagues et ombres, collectif9 
  • Early Italian Cello Concertos, Elinor Frey and Rosa Barocca, conducted by Claude Lapalme 
  • De la cour de Louis XIV à Shippagan! Chants traditionnels acadiens et airs de cour du XVIIe siècle, Suzie LeBlanc, Marie Nadeau-Tremblay, Vincent Lauzer, and Sylvain Bergeron

Classical composition of the year 

  • An Overall Augmented Sense of Well-being, Anthony Tan 
  • Bestiary I & II, Bekah Simms 
  • The Black Fish, Keyan Emami 
  • Prayers for Ruins, Nicole Lizée
  • Supervillain Études, Vincent Ho

Rap album/EP of the year 

  • Gonzo, Boslen
  • Retrospected (Acoustic), Classified
  • The Fleur Print Vol. 2, Jazz Cartier
  • Demons Protected by Angels, Nav
  • Shall I Continue?, Tobi

Dance recording of the year

  • “Afterglow,” Bob Moses and Kasablanca 
  • “Shinigami Eyes,” Grimes 
  • “These Nights,” Loud Luxury feat. Kiddo 
  • “Ctrl + Alt + Del,” Rêve 
  • Spiral, Rezz

Contemporary R&B recording of the year

  • When Flowers Bloom, Adria Kain
  • “If I get Caught,” dvsn 
  • No Longer in the Suburbs,Dylan Sinclair 
  • Yessie, Jessie Reyez
  • “WTF,”Savannah Ré

Reggae recording of the year

  • Water, Ammoye 
  • “Like a Star,”Celena
  • “Jah Love,”Exco Levi
  • “In the Streets,”Kairo McLean 
  • “Reggae Party,”  Kirk Diamond, Kairo McLean and Finn feat. Kairo McLean

Contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year

  • Watin, Aysanabee 
  • Zhawenim, Digging Roots
  • Code Red, Indian City
  • Beyond the Reservoir, Julian Taylor 
  • The Crossing, Susan Aglukark

Contemporary roots album of the year

  • O Glory, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings 
  • That was you and Me, Fortunate Ones 
  • Hold on to Love, Shakura S’Aida
  • Come Morning, the Bros. Landreth 
  • House of Dreams, the East Pointers

Traditional roots album of the year 

  • Hurricane Clarice, Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
  • 20 printemps, Le Vent du Nord 
  • Narrow Line, Mama’s Broke
  • Tell ‘Em You Were Gold, Pharis & Jason Romero 
  • The Empress, the McDades

Blues album of the year 

  • Long River, Angelique Francis
  • Midnight Blues, Crystal Shawanda 
  • Thanks for Tomorrow, Harrison Kennedy 
  • Preach to my Soul, Spencer Mackenzie 
  • Live at the King Eddy, the Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer

Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year 

  • Into the Wild, Dan Bremnes
  • Trust, Daniel Ojo
  • Jordan St. Cyr, Jordan St. Cyr
  • Only Ever Always, Love & the Outcome
  • The Church Will Rise, Tehillah Worship

Global music album of the year

  • In the Footsteps of Rumi, Ghalia Benali, Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian
  • Thieves of Dreams, Lenka Lichtenberg 
  • José Louis and the Paradox of Love, Pierre Kwenders
  • Vox.Infold, Ruby Singh
  • Tradisyon, Wesli 

Jack Richardson producer of the year

  • Akeel Henry: “For Tonight,” Giveon (co-producers Sevn Thomas, Jahaan Sweet); “Splash,” John Legend (co-producer Tone, Kevin Ekofo).
  • Banx & Ranx: “Ctrl + Alt + Del,” Rêve; “Dynamite feat. Sia,” Sean Paul (co-producers Greg Kurstin, Jason Jigzagula Henriques).
  • Kaytranada: “dog food,” IDK; “Iced Tea,” Joyce Wrice and Kaytranada.
  • Mike Wise: “10 Things I Hate About You,” Leah Kate; “Yuck,” Charli XCX.
  • Murda Beatz: “California Breeze,” Lil Baby (co-producer Marcel Korkutata); “Have Mercy,” Chlöe (co-producers Chlöe, BoogzDaBeast, Fnz, Joseph L’Etranger).

Recording engineer of the year

  • Derek Hoffman: “My Body,” Lili-Ann De Francesco; “Stronger Than you Know,” the East Pointers.
  • George Seara: “Hell/Heaven,” Keshi; “It’ll be Okay,” Shawn Mendes.
  • Gus van Go: “Grow up Tomorrow,” the Beaches; “What Feels Like Eternity,” Metric.
  • Jason Dufour: “She Don’t Know,” Jade Eagleson; “The old Me,” Ria Mae.
  • Serban Ghenea: “That’s What I Want,” Lil Nas X; “Unholy,” Sam Smith feat. Kim Petras.

Album artwork of the year

  • Emy Storey (art director, designer, photographer), Becca McFarlane and Pamela Littky (photographers): Crybaby, Tegan and Sara.
  • Ian Ilavsky (art director and designer), Maciek Szczerbowski (illustrator): Everything was Forever Until it was no More, Esmerine.
  • Jud Haynes (art director, designer): Kubasongs, Kubasonics.
  • Kee Avil (art director), Lawrence Fafard (photographer): Crease, Kee Avil.
  • Lights (art director, illustrator), Virgilio Tzaj (designer), Matt Barnes (photographer): PEP, Lights.

Music video of the year

  • “Fraud” by Emma Higgins (Jessie Reyez)
  • “Unholy” by Floria Sigismondi (Sam Smith and Kim Petras)
  • “Have Mercy” by Karena Evans (Chlöe)
  • “Different Than Before” by Mayumi Yoshida (Amanda Sum)
  • “Remember me for Me” by Sterling Larose (SonReal and Lily Moore)

Electronic album of the year

  • Not OK, Mecha Maiko
  • Spectrums, Odonis Odonis
  • Nightmare on Rezz Street 2 Mix, Rezz
  • Synthetic Season One, Rich Aucoin
  • Interior, Teen Daze

Metal/hard music album of the year

  • Psychic Jailbreak, Cancer Bats
  • Merciless Destruction, Get the Shot
  • Paid in Full, Skull Fist
  • Synchro Anarchy, Voivod
  • Thought Form Descent, Wake

Adult contemporary album of the year

  • Adventure Book, Francois Klark
  • Descendant, Jann Arden
  • He Sang she Sang, Marc Jordan & Amy Sky
  • Higher, Michael Bublé
  • A Tyler Shaw Christmas, Tyler Shaw

Comedy album of the year

  • Let me Hold Your Baby, Courtney Gilmour
  • Splash Pad, Jackie Pirico
  • A Person who is Gingerbread, Jon Dore 
  • Here Live, not a Cat, Matt Wright
  • Things Black Girls Say — the Album, Zabrina Douglas

Traditional R&B/soul recording of the year

  • “Please do not Lean,” Daniel Caesar feat. BadBadNotGood
  • Palisade, Jon Vinyl
  • “All I Need,”Safe
  • How to Make Love,TheHonestGuy
  • “Last One,” Savannah Ré feat. Dylan Sinclair

Rap single of the year

  • “Alejandro Sosa,” 6ixbuzz and Pengz
  • “Been Himma,” Dom Vallie
  • “Wrath,” Freddie Dredd
  • “Twin Flame,” Kaytranada and Anderson .Paak
  • “Wrong Decisions,” Nav

Underground dance single of the year

  • “Debonair,” Bensley 
  • “Aye Aye,” Blond:ish and Cameron Jack
  • “The Time Is (Now),” Fred Everything
  • “I Knew Techno,” Greg Gow
  • “Easy,” Tiga

Traditional Indigenous artist or group of the year

  • Kâkîsimo ᑳᑮᓯᒧᐤ, Cikwes 
  • Katajjausiit, Iva & Angu
  • Mikwanak Kamôsakinat, Joel Wood
  • Ôskimacîtahowin: A New Beginning, Northern Cree
  • Unbreakable, the Bearhead Sisters