Amid a fever pitch of Canadian nationalism, Sunday night’s Juno Awards in Vancouver kicked off with a patriotic speech by crooner and host Michael Bublé who pronounced that Canada was “not for sale.”
Flag-waving music fans in the crowd at the sold-out Rogers Arena cheered in agreement.
For the most part, however, the CBC two-hour national broadcast portion of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences annual weekend celebration of Canadian music wasn’t about threats of annexation – or, even really about giving out awards, since most of them had been given out earlier in the weekend.
The TV show was mainly, smartly, about a wide range of musical performances from artists in genres from country music to South Asian hip-hop. The Canadian audience tuning no doubt knew a few of the bands and singers on show – and was being introduced to most everybody else.
After an opening medley in which Bublé was joined by Roxane, Elisapie and Jonita on his song “Home,” the performance highlight included an energizing and political performance from Kitamaat Village, B.C. rap duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids alongside Saddle Lake Cree Nation rising R&B artist Tia Wood, featuring signs referencing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; a breakout performance by Juno Awards newcomer Nemahsis – Toronto’s Nemah Hasan, alternative album of the year winner; and what was billed as Ajax, Ont., pop-punk phenomenon Sum 41’s final performance ever.
For those who didn’t tune in, The Globe and Mail presents the best, worst and most quotable moments from the 2025 Juno Awards.
The Best
Bublé, a laid-back and amiable and occasional mealy-mouthed host overall, kicked things off with an ode to Canada that was so fever-pitched that no one tried to match him in love for country for the rest of the evening. For the record, in full:
“Bottom line: We love this country.
“We love it and when you love something, you show up for it. And we always will because we’re formidable, we’re fearless; because we don’t just acknowledge our differences, we embrace them; because they don’t just make us stronger, they make us a hell of a lot more interesting.
“We’re artists, we’re teachers, we’re health care workers, we’re farmers, we’re fishermen, we’re the North, the Pacific, we’re the Atlantic, we’re the Great Lakes, we’re the Rocky Mountains and we are the wide open spaces.
“Folks, we’re one of a kind: We are the greatest nation on earth. And we are not for sale.”
It seemed like an audition to be the next pitchman for a Molson Canadian rant commercial should the bottom of the market on Bubly sparking water ever fall out.
Michael Buble hosts the Juno Awards, in Vancouver, B.C., on March 30.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
More to the point was the Vancouver born and raised rap artist bbno$, who early on in the show performed his bass house single “It Boy” – in which he cheekily declares himself to be “the Gen Z Eminem” – with a parade of the country’s top drag queens including Canada’s Drag Race’s first winner Priyanka.
“Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” bbno$, whose stage name is pronounced Baby No Money said, concluding at his acceptance speech for the TikTok Juno fan choice award.
The Beaches, the Toronto rock foursome that had earlier won group of the year, were clearly tickled and so were the rest of the crowd at Rogers Arena.
“I didn’t hear that but people liked it, “says Bublé, when they cut to him.
Max Kerman from The Arkells was there with him – and replied: “I heard it and it was right.”
bbno$ reacts on stage at the 54th annual Juno Awards.Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters
Anne Murray, who holds the record for most Juno Awards but somehow had never received a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian music industry awards, was given one after an introduction by fellow Nova Scotia-born singer Sarah McLachlan (who had dubbed her a “kindred spirit”).
Murray came out in bedazzled Team Canada jersey with a big number one on the back – and gave a speech in which the 79-year-old Snowbird singer seemed as sharp as ever.
She made good-humoured jokes about autotune and the enunciation of singers these days – and thanked her children “who thankfully, miraculously, are still talking to me after all of my absence from heir lives.”
“If you’ll permit me, one more thing, because the majority of my work was in the U.S., I was pressured very early in my career to move to New York or Los Angeles – and I just couldn’t do it,” she said.
“I just knew instinctively that I needed a place to go to escape when my work was done – Canada was my safe haven, my safety blanket, my light at the end of the tunnel, and it still is.”
The Worst
While accepting the award for Country Album of the Years for Complicated, Ontario’s Josh Ross thanked Universal Music “both in Canada and south of the border” – and then went on to say something semipolitical.
“I am proud to be Canadian,” he said. “And I think it’s time that we get back to our Canadian roots and remember that friends are better than enemies.”
It was hard to tell what the “Truck Girl” and ”Matching Tattoos” singer meant by that exactly – but it came across as an admonition aimed at the wrong side of the border.
Josh Ross performs during the 54th annual Juno Awards.Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters
Okay, it wasn’t the absolute worst, but what was hyped all night as Sum 41’s “final performance ever” deserved better.
Front man Deryck Whibley’s vocals were in and out of a wobbly sound mix as he made his way through hit leading up to climactic rendition of “In Too Deep.”
When Whibley called out “guitar solo,” it took the show’s director most of that solo to find guitarist Dave Baksh – and then framed him in a odd manner.
Last but not least, Sum 41 was still rocking out when the broadcast cut to credits and was still noodling as they ended. CBC came The National a little late catching Ian Hanomansing halfway through a sentence: “And criticism about their campaign.”
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 performs during the Juno Awards.Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters
The quotable
“I’m proud to be Canadian, because when they go low, we get high – we go high.” – Michael Bublé in his opening remarks. It was unclear if this was quip about hosting in a city known for its stoners, or a genuine stumble.
“Can we give Anna a round of applause for her new movies: She’s going to be starring with Brad Pitt.” – St Pierre star Allan Hawco confirming the news that his fellow CBC star, North of North’s Anna Lambe, will co-star with Brad Pitt in an upcoming action-adventure movie called Heart of the Beast. Hawco stumbled over everything else he said while handing out an award with Lambe.
