Music

Jessie Reyez

JUNO Nominations: Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Contemporary R&B Album of the Year, Music Video of the Year (x2)

Jesse Reyez has racked up a stack of JUNO noms since her 2016 single Figures made her a Canadian household name—for good reason. She’s stayed on top of the charts thanks to a steady stream of heartfelt, soulful tracks. And, like her recent heart-stopping performance of O Canada from the top of the CN Tower for the NBA playoffs, the sky’s the limit for this rising star.

Curtis Waters

JUNO Nomination: JUNO Fan Choice, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Alternative Album of the Year

Nepali-Canadian Curtis Waters taught himself to make his infectious pop bops via tutorials on the internet. With his first hit single Stunnin’ catapulting him to fame last May after it blew up on TikTok, and his debut album Pity Party dropping last fall, Waters is racking up the nominations as the new kid on the block.

Justin Bieber

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year

Justin Bieber once won the JUNO Fan Choice Award four years in a row— and except for 2015 and 2019, he’s been nominated every year since 2010, including this one. JB continues to create exciting new music, and his latest album, Changes, is nominated this year for Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. Will he start another Fan Choice winning streak this year?

Tobi

JUNO Nominations: Rap Recording of the Year, Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year

Nigerian-Canadian rapper TOBi has picked up two JUNO nominations in categories previously won by national superstars Drake, The Weeknd, Daniel Caesar and Tory Lanez—heady company for this determined singer, who started writing lyrics when he was six years old. His nominated release, Elements Vol. 1, features winning mixes of hip-hop, afrobeats, jazz, R&B and soul.

Celine Dion

JUNO Nominations: Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Adult Contemporary Album of the Year

The queen of Canada does it again. Winning her first JUNO in 1991, Dion has earned a handful of nominations this year for her 12th English-language studio album, Courage. The second most-decorated JUNO nominee of all time, counting 20 previous wins, Dion is a heavyweight contender. Win or not, she can never be knocked off her throne.

The Weeknd

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice Award, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year

First, The Weeknd’s track Blinding Lights took over TikTok in 2020. Then The Weeknd took over the Super Bowl halftime show, in a year where the Canadian superstar reaffirmed his place at the top of global charts with the multi-Juno nominated album After Hours. Winner of the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award in 2013, and with nine more JUNOs since, will The Weeknd add to his collection in 2022?

William Prince

JUNO Nomination: Contemporary Roots Album of the Year

Rich vocals and raw storytelling propel the compelling work of Anishinaabe singer-songwriter William Prince of Peguis First Nation in Manitoba. A trip to Nashville helped Prince record his breakthrough debut album Earthly Days, which won the JUNO for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year in 2017. This year, he goes for his second win in the same category, for Reliever.

Lennon Stella

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Pop Album of the Year

Lennon Stella began her career as an actor in the hit TV series Nashville and continued to gain traction on Instagram, singing covers with her hauntingly beautiful voice. Winning the JUNO for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2020, she finally answered fans’ prayers with her stunning debut release, Three. Two. One.

Tate McRae

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice Award, Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Calgary’s Tate McRae is an international sensation at only 17 with her smash hit single You Broke Me First. But McRae’s been making waves in the industry since she was 13, when she became the first Canadian finalist on So You Think You Can Dance. The wunderkind’s two JUNO noms come on the heels of her recent appearance on the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Ali Gatie

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year

The world fell in love with smooth-singing, Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie’s heartfelt global hit It’s You in 2019. The Mississauga, Ont. hometown hero followed that dazzling debut with You, one of this year’s nominees for Album of the Year. With that success, it’s no surprise to find him in the running for JUNO Fan Choice too.

Savannah Ré

JUNO Nominations: Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year, Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year

It’s no surprise that Savannah Ré has garnered two nominations for songs off her debut EP Opia—the Toronto R&B soulstress has been fine-tuning her sound on her way to the top, collaborating with fellow homegrown talent like Daniel Caesar and OVO Sound’s in-house producer, Boi-1da. Pouring her smooth-like-honey vocals over R&B-chill-pop beats, Ré is a strong contender.

JP Saxe

JUNO Nominations: JUNO Fan Choice Award, Single of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Pop Album of the Year

JP Saxe conquered the world with his heartfelt ballad If the World Was Ending, nominated for Single of the Year, from his album Hold It Together, which is also JUNO- nominated. Saxe worked with Finneas O’Connell to re-record World as a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders, featuring Saxe with guest artists H.E.R., Sam Smith, Keith Urban, Alessia Cara and Niall Horan.