Juno Awards 2018: An emotional tribute to Gord Downie, plus a complete winners list

It was a night of positivity and resilience at the Juno Awards as the stars of Canadian music focused on celebrating the upsides of life.

Host Michael Buble set the tone early on Sunday night by announcing his wife’s third pregnancy — but other performers were quick to grab the tide of optimism during their own stage moments.

“I just hope that we can all rise above negativity in our lives and just do what we believe in,” said Arcade Fire’s Win Butler as the accepted the band’s album award for Everything Now.

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“Speak your truth and don’t be afraid to just do whatever the hell you want.”

Gord Downie‘s brothers Mike and Patrick accepted a posthumous award for the singer, who died last October of brain cancer.

“If we’ve learned anything from Gord it was the value of taking care of each other,” said Patrick.

“This is Gord’s award. It’s artist of the year, but he was our man of a lifetime. I’d like to believe we’re all better artists and people because of him. We love you Gord and we’re all taking good care of each other.”

Buble later returned alongside Diana Krall on the piano to sing the upbeat Nat King Cole classic L-O-V-E.

Daniel Caesar grabbed R&B/soul recording for his album Freudian while Jessie Reyez scored breakthrough artist. She offered an emotional acceptance speech reflecting on her sudden rise to fame.

“It means so much to get this love out at home,” she said. “Hell ya, to be Canadian say ‘Yah.”

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Both performers reappeared later to duet on Reyez’s song Figures.

It was a number of surprises throughout the show.

Buble used his hosting spot to announce he’s expecting another child with his wife, actress Luisana Lopilato. He told the audience it was the second time her pregnancy has been linked to the Junos.

Five years ago when he hosted in Regina she was expecting their first child.

“Oops you did it again!” Buble said as the audience cheered the revelation.

Grimes and Buffy St. Marie introduced pop artist Lights with an impassioned speech led by the Indigenous folk singer.

“It’s time for change, it’s time for women to be recognized for our accomplishments and our value to this industry,” St. Marie said with powerful delivery.

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“We need to build a foundation upon which we can support an environment that actually encourages success for women… because it’s not here yet.”

Barenaked Ladies and former bandmate Steven Page were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The band reunited with Page to perform together for the first time since Page went solo nearly a decade ago. They sang a brief tune when accepting their award, then closed the show with a performance of their hits.

A posthumous tribute to Gord Downie was led by Sarah Harmer and Dallas Green, alongside Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn.

Though the main event is tonight, many awards were handed out at a gala on Saturday. Gord Downie and Diana Krall led the tally of winners with two each.

Buble also warmed up to hosting duties by picking up an adult contemporary album Juno for Nobody But Me.

A complete list of the night’s winners is below.

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Artist of the Year

• Winner: Gord Downie (Posthumously)
• Daniel Caesar
• Lights
• Ruth B
• Shania Twain

Album of the Year

• Winner: Arcade Fire, “Everything Now”
• Johnny Reid, “Revival”
• Michael Buble, “Nobody But Me”
• Ruth B, “Safe Haven”
• Shania Twain, “Now”

Juno Fan Choice

• Winner: Shawn Mendes
• Alessia Cara
• Justin Bieber
• The Weeknd
• Arkells
• Shawn Hook
• Theory
• Walk Off The Earth

R&B/Soul Recording of the Year

• Winner: Daniel Caesar, “Freudian”
• Jahkoy, “Foreign Water”
• Jessie Reyez, “Kiddo”
• Jhyve, “Human”
• Keshia Chante, “Unbound 01”

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

• Winner: Jessie Reyez
• Allan Rayman
• Charlotte Cardin
• NAV
• Virginia to Vegas

Rap Recording of the Year

• Winner: Tory Lanez, “Shooters”
• Belly, “Mumble Rap”
• Clairmont The Second, “Lil Mont from the Ave”
• Lou Phelps, “001: Experiments”
• Maestro Fresh Wes, “Coach Fresh”

Single of the Year

• Winner: Shawn Mendes, “There’s Nothing Holdin’ me Back”
• Alessia Cara, “How Far I’ll Go”
• Arcade Fire, “Everything Now”
• Arkells, “Knocking at the Door”
• The Weeknd, “I Feel it Coming”​

International album of the year

• Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
• Ed Sheeran, Divide
• Winner: Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
• Post Malone, Stoney​
• Taylor Swift, Reputation

Group of the year

• Winner: A Tribe Called Red
• Alvvays
• Arcade Fire
• Broken Social Scene​

Breakthrough group of the year

• James Barker Band
• Winner: The Beaches
• The Dead South
• The Franklin Electric
• ​The Jerry Cans

Songwriter of the year

• Amelia Curran: “Come Back For Me,” “Watershed,” “Try” (Amelia Curran, Watershed)
• Charlotte Cardin: “Main Girl,” “Paradise Motion,” “The Kids” (Charlotte Cardin, Main Girl)
• Winner: Gord Downie and Kevin Drew: “A Natural,” “Introduce Yerself,” “The North” (Gord Downie, Introduce Yerself)
• Rose Cousins: “Chosen,” “Grace” (co-songwriter Mark Erelli), “White Flag” (co-songwriter KS Rhoads) (Rose Cousins, Natural Conclusion)
• Scott Helman: “21 Days” (co-songwriters Simon Wilcox, Thomas “Tawgs” Salter, Michael J. Wise, Ron Lopata), “It’s Kinda Complicated” (co-songwriters Thomas “Tawgs” Salter, Todd Clark, Ron Lopata), “PDA” (co-songwriters Simon Wilcox, Thomas “Tawgs” Salter, Ron Lopata) (Scott Helman, Hȏtel de Ville)

Country album of the year

• Dean Brody, Beautiful Freakshow
• High Valley, Dear Life
• Winner: James Barker Band, Game On
• Jess Moskaluke, Past the Past​​
• Tim Hicks, Shake These Walls

Adult alternative album of the year

• Winner: Gord Downie, Introduce Yerself
• Leif Vollebekk, Twin Solitude
• Terra Lightfoot, New Mistakes
• Timber Timbre, Sincerely, Future Pollution​​
• Whitehorse, Panther in the Dollhouse

Alternative album of the year

• Winner: Alvvays, Antisocialites
• Arcade Fire, Everything Now
• Land of Talk, Life After Youth
• Tanya Tagaq, Retribution​​
• Weaves, Wide Open

Pop album of the year

• Winner: Lights, Skin & Earth
• Ria Mae, My Love
• Ruth B, Safe Haven
• ​Scott Helman, Hȏtel de Ville

Rock album of the year

• Big Wreck, Grace Street
• Death From Above, Outrage! Is Now
• Nickelback, Feed the Machine
• Winner: The Glorious Sons, Young Beauties and Fools
• ​Theory, Wake up Call

Vocal jazz album of the year

• Bria Skonberg, With a Twist
• Winner: Diana Krall, Turn up the Quiet
• Kellylee Evans, Come On
• Matt Dusk, Old School Yule!
• Michael Kaeshammer, No Filter

Jazz album of the year: solo

• Brad Cheeseman, The Tide Turns
• Chet Doxas, Rich in Symbols
• Hilario Durán, Contumbao
• Winner: Mike Downes, Root Structure​​
• Ralph Bowen, Ralph Bowen

Jazz album of the year: group

• Andrew Downing’s Otterville, Otterville​
• Carn Davidson 9, Murphy
• Christine Jensen & Ingrid Jensen, Infinitude
• Winner: David Braid, Mike Murley, Anders Mogensen & Johnny Aman, The North​​
• Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop, Rev​

Instrumental album of the year

• Winner: Do Make Say Think, Stubborn Persistent Illusions
• Five Alarm Funk, Sweat
• Kristofer Maddigan, Cuphead​
• Oktopus, Hapax
• ​Peregrine Falls, Peregrine Falls​​​

Francophone album of the year

• Alex Nevsky, Nos Eldorados
• Winner: Daniel Bélanger, Paloma​
• Klȏ Pelgag, L’étoile thoracique
• Patrice Michaud, Almanach​​​​​
• Pierre Lapointe, La science du coeur​​

Children’s album of the year

• Big Block Singsong, Greatest Hits, Vol. 3
• Bobs & Lolo, Blue Skies
• Winner: Fred Penner, Hear the Music
• Splash ‘N Boots, Love, Kisses and Hugs
• The Moblees,The Moblees (Songs from the Hit TV Show)

Classical album of the year: solo or chamber

• ARC Ensemble, Chamber Works by Szymon Laks
• David Jalbert, Stravinsky & Prokofiev: Transcriptions pour piano
• James Ehnes with Andrew Armstrong, Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 6 & 9 “Kreutzer”
• Winner: Janina Fialkowska, Chopin Recital 3
• ​Louis Lortie, Louis Lortie Plays Chopin, Vol. 5​

Classical album of the year: large ensemble

• Arion Orchestre Baroque, Rebelles Baroques
• James Ehnes with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Beethoven & Schubert: Violin Concerto
• Winner: Jan Lisiecki with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Chopin: Works for Piano & Orchestra
• Johannes Moser with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Elgar & Tchaikovsky
• Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra & Nunavut Sivuniksavut, The Shaman & Arctic Symphony​

Classical album of the year: vocal or choral

• Winner: Barbara Hannigan with Ludwig Orchestra, Crazy Girl Crazy
• Daniel Taylor with the Trinity Choir, The Tree of Life
• Gerald Finley with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, In the Stream of Life: Songs by Sibelius
• Isabel Bayrakdarian with Coro Vox Aeterna, Mother of Light: Armenian Hymns & Chants in Praise of Mary
• ​Philippe Sly & John Charles Britton, Schubert Sessions: Lieder with Guitar​

Classical composition of the year

• Alice Ping Yee Ho, Cœur à Cœur
• Andrew Staniland, Phi, Caelestis
• James Rolfe, Breathe
• Winner: Jocelyn Morlock, My Name is Amanda Todd
• ​Vincent Ho, The Shaman​​

Dance recording of the year

• DVBBS feat. Gia Koka & CMC$, Not Going Home
• Felix Cartal, Get What You Give
• KAPRI, Deeper
• Winner: Nick Fioricci feat. Laurell, Closer
• ​Sultan + Shepard feat. Nadia Ali & Iro, Almost Home

Reggae recording of the year

• Ammoye, The Light
• Blessed, Hold up Slow Down
• Eyesus, Neva Judge
• Winner: Kirk Diamond, Greater
• ​Kreesha Turner & K’Coneil, Love How You Whine

Indigenous music album of the year

• Winner: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Medicine Songs
• DJ Shub, PowWowStep
• Indian City, Here & Now
• Iskwé, The Fight Within
• ​Kelly Fraser, Sedna​

Contemporary roots album of the year

• Amelia Curran, Watershed
• Winner: Bruce Cockburn, Bone on Bone
• Buffy Sainte-Marie, Medicine Songs
• The Jerry Cans, Inuusiq
• The Weather Station, The Weather Station​

Traditional roots album of the year

• Cassie and Maggie, The Willow Collection
• Còig, Rove
• Jayme Stone, Jayme Stone’s Folklife
• Winner: The Dead South, Illusion & Doubt
• The East Pointers, What We Leave Behind​

Blues album of the year

• Big Dave McLean, Better the Devil You Know
• Downchild, Something I’ve Done
• Winner: MonkeyJunk, Time to Roll
• Steve Strongman, No Time Like Now
• ​Williams, Wayne and Isaak, Big City, Back Country Blues

Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year

• Jon Neufeld, We are Free
• Love & the Outcome, These Are the Days
• Manafest, Stones
• Matt Maher, Echoes
• ​Winner: The Color, First Day of my Life

World music album of the year

• Autorickshaw, Meter
• Battle of Santiago, La Migra​
• Beny Esguerra and New Tradition, A New Tradition Vol. 2: Return of the KUISi​
• Briga, Femme
• ​Winner: Kobo Town, Where the Galleon Sank​​​​

Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award

• Brian Howes & Jason Van Poederooyen: “The Drugs” (co-producer Ryan Guldemond) (Mother Mother, No Culture)
• Winner: Diana Krall: “L-O-V-E,” “Night and Day” (co-producer Tommy Lipuma) (Diana Krall, Turn Up the Quiet)
• Felix Cartal: “Get What You Give” (Felix Cartal, Get What You Give), “Drifting Away” (Felix Cartal, Drifting Away)
• Jordan Evans & Matthew Burnett: “Get You” feat. Kali Uchis, “We Find Love” (Daniel Caesar, Freudian)
• ​Thomas “Tawgs” Salter: “PDA” (Scott Helman, Hȏtel de Ville)

Recording engineer of the year

• Ben Kaplan: “Widowmaker” (Five Alarm Funk, Sweat), “Speak” (Ninjaspy, Spüken)
• Eric Ratz: “Knocking at the Door” (Arkells, Morning Report), “My Little RnR” (Danko Jones, Wild Cat)
• Gus van Go: “Paradise” (Terra Lightfoot, New Mistakes), “Boys Like You” (Whitehorse, Panther in the Dollhouse)
• Winner: Riley Bell: “Get You” feat. Kali Uchis, “We Find Love” (Daniel Caesar, Freudian)
• ​Shawn Everett: “Slip Away” (Perfume Genius, No Shape), “Pain” (The War on Drugs, A Deeper Understanding)

Album artwork of the year

• Catherine Lepage & Simon Rivest (art directors) (Arcade Fire, Everything Now)
• Geneviève Lapointe (art director), Martin Tremblay (photographer) (The Lost Fingers, Coconut Christmas)
• Jean-Sébastien Denis (art director, illustrator), Ian Ilavsky (designer), Guy L’Heureux (photographer) (Esmerine, Mechanics of Dominion)
• Keavan Yazdani (art direction, photographer), Sean Brown (designer), Eric Lachance (illustrator) (Daniel Caesar, Freudian)
• ​Winner: Marianne Collins (art director, illustrator), Ian Ilavsky (designer), Steve Farmer (photographer) (Do Make Say Think, Stubborn Persistent Illusions)

Video of the year

• Christopher Mills, “Leaving the Table” (Leonard Cohen)
• Emma Higgins, “The Drugs” (Mother Mother)
• Winner: Claire Boucher, “Venus Fly” (Grimes)
• Peter Huang, “Gatekeeper” (Jessie Reyez)
• ​Shane Cunningham and Mark Myers, “Knocking at the Door” (Arkells)

Electronic album of the year

• Blue Hawaii, Tenderness
• CRi, Someone Else
• Dabin, Two Hearts
• Kid Koala feat. Emilíana Torrini, Music to Draw to: Satellite
• ​Winner: Rezz, Mass Manipulation

Metal/hard music album of the year

• Winner: Anciients, Voice of the Void
• Archspire, Relentless Mutation
• Longhouse, II: Vanishing
• Metz, Strange Peace
• ​Striker, Striker

Adult contemporary album of the year

• Alysha Brilla, Rooted
• Johnny Reid, Revival
• Winner: Michael Bublé, Nobody But Me
• Nuela Charles, The Grand Hustle
• The Tenors, Christmas Together

Comedy album of the year

Humanitarian Award

• Gary Slaight

International Achievement Award

• Arcade Fire

Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award

• Denise Donlon

— With files from Corey Atad & ET Canada