Calgary pop star Tate McRae pockets 4 wins at Junos pre-telecast ceremony

Singer Tate McRae performs during an intermission at the NHL All-Star Game, in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Calgary pop star Tate McRae was feeling the wealth at the Juno Awards industry gala on Saturday.

The “Greedy” singer emerged as the night’s top winner at the invite-only event, picking up four Junos in several of the most coveted categories.

McRae won artist of the year while “Exes” was named single of the year. Her 2023 record “Think Later” won both album and pop album of the year.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t there to bask in her rewards. McRae, now a five-time Juno winner, was thousands of miles away playing a festival in Brazil, which left her texting messages of gratitude instead.

“Hey everyone, it’s Tate here. I’m in São Paulo,” co-host and actress Supinder Wraich read from the stage at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

McRae continued the text, thanking her Canadian fans “who’ve been with me since the start of this wild ride.”

At least one of those adoring fans was showing his support in the room. Country singer Josh Ross, a self-professed McRae fan who also happened to tie her this year with a leading five nominations, rose to his feet a few times when her name was called.

Other big winners at the pre-telecast included Mustafa, who didn’t show up to accept his two Junos. His self-directed “Name of God” was named music video of the year, and he also won songwriter of the year.

Punjabi music star AP Dhillon also wasn’t around to take home the first-ever South Asian music recording Juno award. His album “The Brownprint” won the category.

But emotions were high for some winners who were present.

Darren Metz of Haisla hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids said he was caught in the moment of his first Juno win. The pair’s sixth album “Red Future” landed rap album of the year.

“I had a good cry walking here,” Metz said in the press room while standing beside his collaborator Quinton Nyce, known as Yung Trybez.

“When you work so hard towards something for so long, and then finally get it, all the emotions you endured throughout that journey just come out.”

Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie extended the celebration for “Inuktitut,” a pop covers collection where she recorded hits by Blondie and Metallica translated into her native tongue.

Last year, “Inuktitut” helped her win contemporary Indigenous artist of the year. And due to qualification dates, it was eligible again this year, where it won adult alternative album.

She said making it taught her “how to go to that truthful place.”

“I think it pretty much changed my life,” she said. “And I feel like I’m going to write songs in a different way.”

Elizabeth Lowell Boland won the first songwriter of the year award created for non-performers. She picked up the prize for her work behind the scenes on Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album and the Beaches’ “Takes One To Know One.”

The Calgary-raised Boland advocated for splitting the songwriting category into two awards — performer and non-performer — after noticing that it almost always was given to well-known stage performers instead of career songwriters.

“I’ve been fighting for this award,” Boland said.

“I chased down people at parties. I was really annoying. I joked that people would run away from me when they saw me at parties, because I wasn’t really interested in mingling. I just wanted to change this one little thing.”

Palestinian-Canadian artist Nemahsis won alternative album for her debut “Verbathim,” which was co-produced by Noah (40) Shebib. Known as Drake’s long-time collaborator, Shebib swooped in to help her finish the project after she was dropped from her label.

“Oh my god, I forgot to thank him,” exclaimed the singer, born Nemah Hasan, as she realized her unintentional slight backstage.

“This album wouldn’t be out without him, not just because he’s the best ears in the industry, but also because I had no money, so I got bang for my buck.”

TikTok star Jake Vaadeland’s bluegrass release “Retro Man … More and More” took home traditional roots album. The dapper, 1950s-style musician accepted his Juno dressed in a retro suit accented by music notes on the collar.

“I am well aware that I’m living in the year 2025 — or whatever it is, " the 21-year-old said with a prominent twang in his voice.

“And I may dress a certain way, or play a certain style of music, but I still grew up in the generation that I grew up in … This type of performance, this type of entertainment is really missing in the music industry today. We need to bring it back. And I’m trying so hard to do that.”

The Junos industry ceremony precedes Sunday’s CBC broadcast, hosted by Michael Buble, where Sum 41 will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

--David Friend

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2025.