Nothing was complicated when it came to showing appreciation for Avril Lavigne at this year鈥檚 Juno Awards.
After Canada鈥檚 biggest night in music pivoted to a virtual ceremony for the past two years, the celebration welcomed back its live audience with open arms and plenty of love for Canada鈥檚 pop-punk princess from Napanee, Ont., who has been enjoying a renaissance of sorts with the release of her 2022 album 鈥淟ove Sux.鈥�
Lavigne performed a medley of her biggest hits, including 鈥淐omplicated,鈥� 鈥淕irlfriend,鈥� 鈥淪k8er Boi鈥� and 鈥淚鈥檓 With You,鈥� before returning to hand Shawn Mendes the TikTok fan choice award.
Even Junos host Simu Liu paid tribute to Lavigne by singing an off-key acoustic rendition of 鈥淐omplicated鈥� to a very supportive reception from the audience.
鈥淚 should鈥檝e started on a lower key,鈥� Liu wailed as the performance intentionally went off the rails.
It was one of many moments of showmanship from the 鈥淪hang-Chi鈥� star who opened the Junos with a nod to his Marvel persona before he launched into his own version of Molson鈥檚 famous 鈥淚 Am Canadian鈥� pledge.
鈥淚 grew up on ketchup chips, roti and Jamaican beef patties,鈥� he told the crowd at Toronto鈥檚 Budweiser Stage.
鈥淏y the way, it鈥檚 pronounced 鈥榖ubble tea,鈥� not 鈥榖oba鈥�,鈥� he jested.
Liu also used the bit as an opportunity to get a little more political, reciting: 鈥淐anada is a place where the government is also our drug dealer; and we鈥檙e into snowboarding not waterboarding; and where a woman always has the right to choose.鈥�
A few moments later, he joined TikTok star Tesher to perform the viral dance of 鈥淛alebi Baby.鈥�
Other Canadian stars got their moments too, including Montreal singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin, who emerged the biggest winner of the year with a total of four trophies.
She picked up album of year for 鈥淧hoenix鈥� on the broadcast after the project won pop album of the year at an industry event on Saturday. She was also named artist of the year and earned single of the year for 鈥淢eaningless鈥� at the pre-telecast event.
鈥淎 year ago I would鈥檝e not believed you for one second if you told me I鈥檇 won four Junos,鈥� Cardin said after the show.
Mendes also pocketed a special international achievement award for his global impact on music, which he accepted with a reflection on his stratospheric rise to success.
鈥淲hen I was younger I used to think 鈥� if I could write just one big hit song people would like me and that I would be enough,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taught to believe that what we achieve is the same thing as what we are worth. But something that I know to be true now is that I was enough before anybody knew my name.鈥�
Other winners included Hamilton rock act Arkells for group of the year, and Haviah Mighty who became the first woman to receive the rap album or EP of the year for 鈥淪tock Exchange.鈥�
鈥淭his one is for women in hip hop,鈥� she said while accepting the award.
Vancouver pop singer Jessia won breakthrough artist on the breakout success of her single 鈥淚鈥檓 Not Pretty鈥� on TikTok.
鈥淭hank you so much,鈥� she said as tearfully waved her Juno in the air. 鈥淭his is such a dream come true.鈥�
Deborah Cox was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by former Toronto Raptors player Chris Bosh, who told the crowd how her hit 鈥淣obody鈥檚 Supposed to Be Here鈥� left a lasting impression on him.
Then, he introduced a video of congratulations from Cox鈥檚 contemporaries, including John Legend, Melanie Fiona, and record executive Clive Davis who first signed her.
Cox took the stage in a sleek, golden gown with a thigh-high slit to reflect on three decades in the music industry and how her career gained momentum after she ignored Canadian record labels who shut her down before she moved to the United States.
鈥淕rowing up as a Black girl in Toronto, Canada, this vision seemed intangible,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy to leave my home but it was necessary. Otherwise, I鈥檓 not sure that I鈥檇 be standing here this evening. Those rejections became my redirection and only added fuel to my fire.鈥�
Even before the Junos got underway, many of this year鈥檚 nominees were talking about the Avril Lavigne of it all.
Toronto rock act the Beaches, who have repeatedly professed their obsession with Lavigne, finally got a chance to meet their idol when they crossed paths on the red carpet.
鈥淲e were all six and eight years old (when) her first album came out. It was monumentally important for us to see a cool woman playing incredible rock music,鈥� said lead singer and bassist Jordan Miller, whose band won rock album of the year on Saturday.
鈥淔or her to be a local Canadian girl, it (meant) we can do what she does, and she鈥檚 one of the reasons why we鈥檙e here tonight.鈥�
鈥擠avid Friend, The Canadian Press
