‘Tonight we’ll let it go’: Drake pays tribute to Nelly Furtado at Junos, making first appearance since 2011

Music Commentator Eric Alper recaps the JUNO Awards in Hamilton, Ontario that featured Nelly Furtado, Joni Mitchell and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

HAMILTON — It was an all-Canadian love-in at Sunday’s Juno Awards as Joni Mitchell took the stage for a stirring sing-along after accepting a lifetime achievement award from Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The Canadian folk icon was welcomed by Carney in a lionizing speech.

“Joni’s music didn’t just provide the soundtrack to our lives. She shifted culture, inspired generations and redefined what songwriting could be,” Carney said.

Taking the stage to a thunderous standing ovation, Mitchell told the audience she was “so happy to be in Canada” with “our wonderful prime minister.”

“I’m living in the States, and you know what’s happening there,” the 82-year-old said.

“This man is a blessing. You guys are so fortunate,” Mitchell added as the crowd cheered.

She added that her life has improved since her brain aneurysm in 2015: “I went into a coma, which helped me to quit smoking. And my house filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was on the road with men for years and years. Now I live with a house full of women ... so my life has changed for the better, out of a catastrophe, like a phoenix.”

Mitchell then joined a musical tribute to her oeuvre with several Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, Allison Russell, Jully Black, The Beaches and Alessia Cara.

She took the mic and joined a sing-along of her 1970 hit “Big Yellow Taxi,” swaying along with the music and beaming, though slightly off rhythm.

Earlier in the night, Carney and Mitchell sat side-by-side at the ceremony. Host Mae Martin quipped that their “parents” were at the show, before the camera cut to the duo.

“I’m just kidding, those are not my parents,” the comedian said. “I’m not a nepo baby.”

The wholehearted vibes were in the air throughout the evening, as Drake suspended his years-long feud with the Junos to pay tribute to Nelly Furtado, who was being inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame.

The Toronto rapper moved Furtado to tears with his video speech toasting her.

Reading from a piece of paper while sitting in a studio, Drake said Furtado “showed us what was possible and what a Canadian artist could be.”

Drake has not shown up at the Junos since hosting 15 years ago, when he was infamously snubbed despite being up for several awards.

“To the Junos, because you are honouring one of my dearest friends tonight, I will spare you, even though I know you’re still thinking about those six awards that you gave to Shad in 2011 when you snubbed ‘Take Care’ as I hosted the 40th anniversary of your award show,” he said.

“But listen, that’s neither here nor there. Tonight we’ll let it go.”

Speaking with reporters backstage, singer-songwriter Shawn Desman said he heard Drake was initially planning on attending in person.

“I’m not sure what happened. But Drake is a good dude,” Desman said.

Furtado was feted by singers such as Cara, Black, Desman and Tanya Tagaq in a live medley of her greatest hits.

Kardinal Offishall, who also was on hand to celebrate Furtado, said he was proud to see how far she’d come, noting he was in the studio with Timbaland the day the American rapper and producer purchased a copy of her album.

“He was like, ‘I think I wanna work with her,”’ he told The Canadian Press on the orange carpet earlier in the night. “To see what’s happened since then, it’s just awesome.”

Meanwhile, Rush opened the ceremony with their first performance at an awards show since 1978.

They performed “Finding My Way” with new drummer Anika Nilles, filling in for Neil Peart, who died in 2020.

“Music lives beyond tragedy, beyond anything that can happen in your life,” frontman Geddy Lee later told reporters.

Toronto’s The Beaches took home best group -- marking the third year in a row they’ve claimed the prize.

“I also want to thank my ex who said, ‘If you’re going to write a song about me, at least make it good.’ Well, I guess it was good enough,” quipped guitarist Leandra Earl, referencing the track “Lesbian of the Year.”

Daniel Caesar took home best R&B recording for his fourth studio album, “Son of Spergy,” and was honoured with the international achievement award. The artist from Oshawa, Ont., performed a hushed set from the album after a moving speech from Mustafa praising him.

“He’s always trying to interrogate what it means to navigate a working life, a life with purpose, a life with dignity,” Mustafa said. “And that, I think, is what separates an artist and an entertainer; a writer and someone that I think operates like a heart surgeon when they’re writing songs.”

Caesar accepted the R&B award while standing next to his dad.

“Thank you to my dad, this is Spergy, right here … and to my mom, and to Mustafa, thanks for the kind words.”

B.C. rapper bbno$ took home the fan choice award -- voted on by the audience -- for the second year in a row. He was not in attendance to receive the trophy, which was accepted on his behalf by R&B duo Majid Jordan.

Most of the awards were handed out at a livestreamed gala last night, where no-show Tate McRae emerged as the big winner.

The Calgary-born pop star took home four of the night’s biggest prizes, including best artist, single for “Sports Car,” and album of the year for “So Close To What,” along with pop album of the year for the same project.

Cameron Whitcomb, the newcomer who took home country album of the year at last night’s ceremony, won breakthrough artist Sunday.

Ahead of the ceremony, he said the opportunity to perform at the show left him speechless.

“From working on a pipeline to being here, it’s just -- I can’t even, I don’t even know what to say,” he said on the carpet.

He noted that he flew his parents out to the ceremony in business class -- a first for his family.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2026.

By Alex Nino Gheciu and Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press