Tate McRae won both major awards she was nominated for at the 2024 Juno Opening Night Awards, which was livestreamed from the Halifax Convention Centre on Saturday (March 23). The Calgary-born breakout superstar continued her big year both in Canada and internationally, one that included a major Billboard chart hit and appearing on the cover of Billboard. She won single of the year for “greedy” and artist of the year, though the California-based singer was not in attendance to accept either award.
McRae performed at last year’s ceremony and was nominated for five 2023 awards but didn’t win any of them, but 2024 brought her to even bigger heights with the release of her album Think Later. She’s also nominated for the TikTok Juno Fan Choice Award on the main Juno Awards telecast on Sunday (March 24), which gives her the chance to win four this year.
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Several breakout Canadian stars earned accolades at the Opening Night Awards. According to Allan Reid, President & CEO of the Juno Awards, 2024 had the most submissions in Juno Awards history, which led to 90 first-time nominees.
Aysanabee won for both songwriter of the year and alternative album of the year for Hear and Now, and talked about his rags-to-riches journey. “I grew up in a trailer in North Ontario without electricity or running water,” he said. “And now I’m here.”
Until recently, it was rare for Indigenous musicians to win Junos outside of the Indigenous category, but that’s begun to change as First Nations artists have made a major impact in the country’s music industry. Aysanabee shouted out Amanda Rheume and ShoShona Kish, who founded the female and Indigenous-owned label Ishkodé Records. He recognized that this was the most Indigenous artists who had ever been nominated, and invited them all to stand up.
Despite his two wins, he actually lost in the contemporary Indigenous artist or group of the year category to Quebec’s Elisapie, whose album Inuktitut reimagines classic pop and rock hits in the title language. Peguis First Nation singer-songwriter William Prince’s Stand in the Joy won for contemporary roots album of the year.
The Beaches and Charlotte Cardin both had their first American chart hits since last year’s Junos, and both won major awards this year. The Beaches won for rock album of the year for Blame My Ex, while Cardin won for pop album of the year for 99 Nights. The Montreal-based Cardin led all artists for most nominations this year and will have a chance to win two more on Sunday for the popular-voted fan choice and for the year’s biggest award, album of the year. “This is so cool!” she said, accepting the award.
New West won for breakthrough group of the year and joked that they were a “very very famous TikTok band.” Co-hosts Aba Amuquandoh and Damhnait Doyle, both CBC personalities, earlier commented that being an artist in 2024 often meant becoming a TikTok star or being rediscovered by a new generation, but that Canadians “punch above our weight” because of both hustle and support from government arts funding. That’s under the microscope in the industry right now during an updating of the Broadcasting Act. The event also recognized this year’s Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award to music executive, author and lawyer Chip Sutherland, one of the architects of the Radio Starmaker Fund, which helps launch emerging Canadian artists with support from radio.
Winning electronic album of the year for INFINITY CLUB, Bambii talked about the unparalleled strength of Toronto’s underground scene, “the real Toronto,” and implored journalists and industry stakeholders to “do your research” and dig deeper.
Several Juno winners have also done well in the U.S. market. R&B star SZA won for international album of the year for SOS, while Shawn Everett won for both producer of the year and recording engineer of the year for his work with Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard. Daniel Caesar won in the contemporary R&B recording of the year category for Never Enough, while long-running singer-songwriter Feist won adult alternative album of the year for Multitudes. And Nashville-based Allison Russell’s video and its director Ethan Tobman won music video of the year for “Demons.”
A total of 42 awards were presented in rapid-fire succession at the Opening Night Awards. Performers included Aqyila, LU KALA, Begonia, Jah’Mila and Lili-Ann De Francesco.
Four more awards will be presented on the televised broadcast on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.
Here’s the complete list of winners at the 2024 Juno Opening Night Awards.
Single of the Year
“Confetti,” Charlotte Cardin, Cult Nation*The Orchard
“Always,” Daniel Caesar, Republic*Universal
“Pretty Girl Era,” LU KALA, LVK/Amigo Records*AWAL
“A Little Bit Happy,” TALK, Capitol*Universal
WINNER: “greedy,” Tate McRae, RCA*Sony
International Album of the Year
Gettin’ Old, Luke Combs, River House/Columbia*Sony
HEROES & VILLAINS, Metro Boomin, Boominati*Universal
One Thing At A Time, Morgan Wallen, Big Loud/Republic*Universal
WINNER: SOS, SZA, Top Dawg/RCA*Sony
1989 (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift*Universal
Artist of the Year
Charlotte Cardin, Cult Nation*The Orchard
Daniel Caesar, Republic*Universal
Lauren Spencer Smith, Universal
Shania Twain, Republic*Universal
WINNER: Tate McRae, RCA*Sony
Breakthrough Group of the Year
Busty and the Bass, Arts & Crafts*Universal
Crash Adams, Warner
Good Kid, Good People*The Orchard
Men I Trust, Independent
WINNER: New West, Republic*Universal
Songwriter of the Year
Allison Russell, Publisher: PO GIRL MUSIC / CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING
WINNER: Aysanabee, Publisher: SELF PUBLISHED
Charlotte Cardin, Jason Brando & Lubalin, Publisher: BIG BOY ED
Nicholas Durocher & Connor Riddell, Publisher: SUMMER CAMP MUSIC PUBLISHING LTD. / ARTHAUS MEDIA INC. / PEER MUSIC CANADA INC.
William Prince, Publisher: SELF PUBLISHED
Country Album of the Year
The Compass Project – South Album, Brett Kissel, Big Star*Universal
Right Round Here, Dean Brody, Starseed*Stem
Do It Anyway, Jade Eagleson, Starseed*Stem
WINNER: Ahead Of Our Time, James Barker Band, RECORDS/Columbia*Sony
Spillin’ My Truth, Tyler Joe Miller, MDM*Universal
Adult Alternative Album of the Year
Powder Blue, Begonia, Birthday Cake*The Orchard
WINNER: Multitudes, Feist, Universal
Are We Good, Hayden, Arts & Crafts*Universal
Motewolonuwok, Jeremy Dutcher, Secret City*F.A.B.
Revolution, Shawnee Kish, Amelia*Symphonic
Alternative Album of the Year
WINNER: Here and Now, Aysanabee, Ishkōdé*Universal
Dizzy, Dizzy, Royal Mountain*Universal
To Learn, Leith Ross, Republic*Universal
See You In The Dark, Softcult, Easy Life*The Orchard
Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees, TALK, Capitol*Universal
Pop Album of the Year
WINNER: 99 Nights, Charlotte Cardin, Cult Nation*The Orchard
Mirror, Lauren Spencer Smith, Universal
Saturn Return, Rêve, 31 East*Universal
Queen Of Me, Shania Twain, Republic*Universal
Lost In Translation, Valley, Universal
Rock Album of the Year
Fearless, Crown Lands, Universal
Formentera II, Metric, Metric Music*Thirty Tigers/The Orchard
WINNER: Blame My Ex, The Beaches, AWAL*Independent
Pretty Monster, The Blue Stones, MNRK*Outside
Glory, The Glorious Sons, TGS*Warner
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
Songwriter, Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe, Independent
You’re Alike, You Two, Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher, La Reserve*Independent/The Orchard
Little Bit a’ Love, Denielle Bassels, Independent
WINNER: Our Roots Run Deep, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Ensoul*F.A.B./Believe
Your Requests, Laila Biali, Empress*Independent/Believe
Jazz Album of the Year (Solo)
WINNER: Day Moon, Christine Jensen, Justin Time*F.A.B./Nettwerk
Walls Made of Glass, Gentiane MG, TPR*Propagande/A-Train
Sonic Bouquet, Jocelyn Gould, Independent
Twelve, Noam Lemish, TPR*Independent/A-Train
The South Detroit Connection, Russ Macklem, TQM*Independent/IDLA
Jazz Album of the Year (Group)
Migrations, Allison Au with the Migrations Ensemble, Independent
Septology-The Black Forest Session, Canadian Jazz Collective, HGBS Blue*MIG/Proper/UMV/MVD/Independent
WINNER: Cry Me A River, Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band, Alma*Universal
Recent History, Mike Murley & Mark Eisenman Quartet, Cornerstone*Outside/The Orchard
Convergence, Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali, Browntasauras/Independent
Instrumental Album of the Year
Néo-Romance, Alexandra Stréliski, Secret City* F.A.B.
WINNER: When we were that what wept for the sea, Colin Stetson, 52 Hz
Calibrating Friction, Haralabos [Harry] Stafylakis, New Amsterdam*Naxos
Fourth Album, Markus Floats, Constellation*Secretly
Tesseract, Meredith Bates, Phonometrograph*Independent
Francophone Album of the Year
Zayon, FouKi, Disques 7ième, Ciel*Believe
Dans la seconde, Karkwa, Simone*Sony/The Orchard
WINNER: En concert avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (sous la direction du chef Simon Leclerc), Les Cowboys Fringants & l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Les Disques de La Tribu*Propagande/Believe
À boire deboutte, Salebarbes, Productions Grand V.*The Orchard
Non conventionnel Souldia, Disques 7ième Ciel*Independent/Believe
Children’s Album of the Year
Big Words, ABC Singsong, Independent/The Orchard
Going Back: Remembered and Remixed Family Folk Songs, Vol. 1, Ginalina, Independent
Love-a-By, Splash’N Boots, Independent/The Orchard
WINNER: Welcome to the Flea Circus, The Swinging Belles, Independent
Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro, Stick To Your Vision For Young Athletes, Young Maestro, Independent
Classical Album of the Year (Solo Artist)
Infinite Voyage, Barbara Hannigan, Alpha Classics*Naxos/Independent
WINNER: Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4, James Ehnes, Chandos*Naxos/The Orchard
Fauré: Nocturnes & Barcarolles, Marc-André Hamelin, Hyperion*Universal
De Hartmann: Cello Concerto, Matt Haimovitz, Pentatone/Naxos
mouvance, Suzie LeBlanc, Centrediscs*Canadian Music Centre/Naxos
Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble)
Bekah Simms: Bestiaries, Cryptid Ensemble, Ensemble Contemporain de Montreal, Centrediscs*Canadian Music Centre/Naxos
WINNER: Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas, Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by/dirigé par Jacques Lacombe, ATMA*Universal
Sibelius 3 & 4, Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by/dirigé par Yannick Nézet-Séguin, ATMA*Universal
Mahler: Symphony No. 5, Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal, conducted by/dirigé par Rafael Payare, Pentatone*Naxos
Rachmaninoff: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3; Isle of the Dead, The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by/dirigé par Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Deutsche Grammophon*Universal
Classical Album of the Year
Mythes, Andrew Armstrong & James Ehnes, Onyx*The Orchard
Portrait: Alex Baranowski, Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà, Analekta*Naxos/The Orchard
Portrait, Cheng² Duo, Centrediscs*Canadian Music Centre/Naxos
WINNER: Il Ponte di Leonardo, Constantinople, Glossa*Naxos
Basta parlare!, Les Barocudas, ATMA*Universal
Classical Composition of the Year
Simulacra, Amy Brandon, Independent
Portrait of an Imaginary Sibling, Dinuk Wijeratne, Centrediscs*Canadian Music Centre/Naxos
…and the Higher Leaves of the Trees Seemed to Shimmer in the Last of the Sunlight’s Lingering Touch of Them…, Emilie Cecilia LeBel, Redshift
Shāhīn-nāmeh, for Voice and Orchestra, Iman Habibi, Analekta*Naxos/The Orchard
WINNER: Don’t Throw Your Head in Your Hands, Nicole Lizée, Redshift
Rap Album of the Year
bag or die, bbno$, Independent*Stem
Spin the Globe, Connor Price, Independent
Crying Crystals, Haviah Mighty, Mighty Gang*Foundation Media
KAYTRAMINÉ, KAYTRAMINÉ, Independent
WINNER: PANIC, TOBi, RCA*Sony
Dance Recording of the Year
“Eat Your Man,” Dom Dolla & Nelly Furtado, Three Six Zero*Sony
“Crew Thang,” DVBBS, Jeremih & Sk8, Ultra*Sony
WINNER: “Need Your Love,” Felix Cartal & Karen Harding, Physical Presents*Fontana North
“I Go Dancing” (feat. Ella Henderson), Frank Walker, Ultra*Sony
“Next To You” (feat. Kane Brown), Loud Luxury & DVBBS, Armada*Sony
Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year
“For the Better,” Aqyila, Sony
WINNER: “Never Enough,” Daniel Caesar, Republic*Universal
“Heartbreak Hill,” Jon Vinyl, Vinyl*Foundation Media
“When It Blooms,” Nonso Amadi, Universal
FACETS, Shay Lia, AWAL
Reggae Recording of the Year
“Stir This Thing,” Ammoye, Donsome*Ingrooves/Virgin
“Feel Like Home,” Exco Levi, Penthouse*High Priest/ONErpm
“Roots Girl,” Jah’Mila, Independent
WINNER: “Dread,” Diamond & Finn, Independent
“Rush Dem” (feat. 4Korners, Haviah Mighty), Omega Mighty, Independent*Foundation Media
Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year
Here and Now, Aysanabee, Ishkōdé*Universal
Scream, Holler & Howl, Blue Moon Marquee, Independent*IDLA
WINNER: Inuktitut, Elisapie, Bonsound*Sony/The Orchard
Revolution, Shawnee Kish, Amelia*Symphonic
Bekka Ma’iingan, Zoon, Paper Bag*Fontana North
Contemporary Roots Album of the Year
The Returner, Allison Russell, Fantasy*Universal
We Will Never Be The Same, Good Lovelies, Outside
Beyond The Reservoir, Julian Taylor, Howling Turtle*Warner
A Light in the Attic, Logan Staats, Red Music Rising*Believe
WINNER: Stand in the Joy, William Prince, Six Shooter*The Orchard
Traditional Roots Album of the Year
Paint Horse, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Good People*The Orchard
WINNER: The Breath Between, David Francey, Independent
Roses, Jackson Hollow, Mountain Fever*Syntax Creative
Second Hand, James Keelaghan, Borealis*Universal/IDLA
Resilience, Morgan Toney, Ishkōdé*Universal
Blues Album of the Year
SoulFunkn’BLUES, Blackburn Brothers, Electro-Fi*Isotope Music/The Orchard
WINNER: Scream, Holler & Howl, Blue Moon Marquee, Independent/IDLA
One Step Closer, Brandon Isaak, Independent
The Big Bottle of Joy, Matt Andersen, Sonic*Warner
Gettin’ Together, Michael Jerome Browne, Borealis*Universal/IDLA
Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Glory To God, Brooke Nicholls, Independent
ALL YE LEPERS, Joshua Leventhal, Independent
WINNER: Arrow, K-Anthony, Independent
Where I’m Meant to Be, Stirling John, Independent
Alive, Tuzee, Independent
Global Music Album of the Year
Donte sann yo, Bel and Quinn, Independent
Kizavibe, Kizaba, Disques Nuits d’Afrique*Believe
SMS for Location Vol. 5, Moonshine, Moonshine/FORESEEN*MNRK
WINNER: Okantomi, OKAN, Lulaworld*Symphonic
Soap Box, Waahli, Wyzah Musk*Lemont
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year
Hill Kourkoutis
Jason Brando, Lubalin, Mathieu Sénéchal & Sam Avant
Joel Stouffer
WINNER: Shawn Everett
“Used To Be Young” (co-producers/coproducteurs Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus)
ENDLESS SUMMER VACATION – Miley Cyrus Columbia*Sony
“What Now” (co-producer/coproducteur Brittany Howard)
WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard Island*Universal
Wondagurl
Recording Engineer of the Year
Denis Tougas
George Seara
Matty Green
Serban Ghenea
WINNER: Shawn Everett
“Used To Be Young” (co-producers/coproducteurs Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus)
ENDLESS SUMMER VACATION – Miley Cyrus Columbia*Sony
“What Now” (co-producer/coproducteur Brittany Howard)
WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard Island*Universal
Album Artwork of the Year
Carolyne De Bellefeuille (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Jessica Ledoux (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Mali Savaria-Ille (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Veronique Lafortune (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Leeor Wild (Photographer/Photographe); INUKTITUT – Elisapie, Bonsound*Sony/The Orchard
Heather Goodchild (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Colby Richardson (Designer/Concepteur), Colin Fletcher (Illustrator/Illustrateur), Sara Melvin (Photographer/Photographe), MULTITUDES – Feist, Universal
Kit King (Illustrator), Vanessa Heins (Photographer/Photographe), THE LOVE STILL HELD ME NEAR – City and Colour, Dine Alone*The Orchard
WINNER: Nicolas Lemieux (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Mykaël Nelson (Designer & Illustrator/Concepteur & Illustrateur), Albert Zablit (Photographer/Photographe), RIOPELLE SYMPHONIQUE – Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, GSI*Independent
Quinton Nyce (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Brodie Metcalfe (Designer/Concepteur), Davis Graham (Illustrator/Illustrateur), Kaylee Smoke (Photographer/Photographe), I’M GOOD, HBU? – Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Independent*Fontana North
Music Video of the Year
“Of Woods and Seas,” Andrew De Zen, Alaskan Tapes, Nettwerk*Amped
WINNER: “Demons,” Ethan Tobman, Allison Russell, Fantasy*Universal
“onetwostep” (feat. juicelover), Jordan Clarke, des hume des hume*Independent
“DAMN RIGHT,” Sterling Larose, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Distorted Muse*Fontana North
“feral canadian scaredy cat,” Sterling Larose & Zachary Vague, young friend Nettwerk
Electronic Album of the Year
WINNER: INFINITY CLUB, Bambii, Innovative Leisure*Red Eye
Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees, Harrison, Last Gang*MNRK
Creatures of the Late Afternoon, Kid Koala, Envision*Amplified/Believe
Synthetic Season 2, Rich Aucoin, We Are Busy Bodies*Redeye
No Highs, Tim Hecker, Sunblind/Kranky*The Orchard
Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year
WINNER: As Gomorrah Burns, Cryptopsy, Nuclear Blast*AEC/Believe
Electric Sounds, Danko Jones, Sonic Unyon*Universal
Goliath, Kataklysm, Nuclear Blast*AEC/Believe
VOID, KEN mode, Artoffact*MVD/The Orchard
Morgöth, Tales, Voivod Century*Sony
Adult Contemporary Album of the Year
WINNER: Heavy Lifting, Amanda Marshall, Metatune*The Orchard
I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not, BANNERS, Nettwerk*Amped
To Be Loved, Vol. 1, Josh Sahunta, Independent*Believe
Run Where the Light Calls, Luca Fogale, Amelia*Symphonic
Wildflower, Steph La Rochelle, Independent
Comedy Album of the Year
Life of Leisure, Derek Seguin, Independent
Never Was, Graham Clark, Independent
WINNER: A Lylebility, Kyle Brownrigg, Independent
Sexiest Fish in the Lake, Laurie Elliott, Howl & Roar*Independent
SAP, Mae Martin, Independent*Netflix
Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
WINNER: “Hello,” Aqyila, Sony
“Unbreakable,” Jhyve, Independent
“Where To Find Me,” Katie Tupper, Arts & Crafts*Universal
“9 to 5,” Luna Elle, Hot Freestyle*Independent/Believe
“Real World,” RealestK, Columbia*Sony
Rap Single of the Year
“American Nightmare,” Belly, XO/Roc Nation*Universal
“Spinnin” (feat. Bens), Connor Price, Independent
“Honey Bun,” Haviah Mighty, Mighty Gang*Foundation Media
“Minimum Wage,” Pressa, RCA*Sony
WINNER: “Someone I Knew,” TOBi, Same Plate/RCA*Sony
Underground Dance Single of the Year
WINNER: “Call My Name,” BLOND:ISH, Warner
“Mad Mess,” DJ Karaba, DJ Karaba*The Orchard
“Could Be Wrong,” LOSTBOYJAY, Universal
“Eclipse,” Peach, Psychic Readings*One Eye Witness/Music Deli
“Concorde Groove,” Smalltown DJs, Fool’s Gold*Virgin Music
Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year
WINNER: Sing. Pray. Love., Joel Wood, Independent
LFS5, Nimkii & the Niniis, Independent
Mitòòdebi (For My Relatives), The Bearhead Sisters, Independent
Reverie, The Red River Ramblers, Independent
Drum Nation, Young Scouts, Independent