Four Manitoba artists are contending for top honours at this year’s Juno Awards, while another Manitoban is nominated in a technical category and a Winnipeg teacher is up for a special award.
The nominees for the Canadian music industry’s 51st annual celebration were announced Tuesday.
Singer-songwriter Faouzia, from Carman, adds to her impressive list of accolades with a nomination as Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
The Jazz Album of the Year (Solo) category includes nominations for local pianist Will Bonness, as well as saxophonist and composer Jon Gordon — a transplant from New York’s Staten Island who teaches at the University of Manitoba.
Manitoba group The Color are up for their second nomination in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category, after previously being nominated in 2018.
In addition to the musical contributions, designer Roberta Landreth has been nominated for Album Artwork of the Year.
Winnipeg teacher Jewel Casselman of Lakewood School is one of five nominees for a special prize — to be announced at the Juno broadcast in May — via the MusicCounts music education charity.
Casselman is in the running for the Prestigious Teacher of the Year Award, which comes with a $10,000 cash prize, as well as a contribution to the winner’s school’s music department.
The 2022 Juno winners will be announced at an award ceremony May 15 in Toronto.