JESSIA鈥檚 jaw dropped dramatically as her name was read aloud at the Juno Awards on May 15 at Budweiser Stage in Toronto.
Her debut single, 鈥業鈥檓 not Pretty鈥� played as she made her way to the stage in a dazzling bubble gum pink Birger Christensen dress with matching jacket.
鈥淭his is a lot heavier than I thought,鈥� she says as she clutches her trophy for 鈥楤reakthrough Artist of the Year鈥�. She thanked her team, her producer Elijah Woods, and her family for their support.
鈥淭hank you so much to my label, to Republic Records, to Ryan Tedder, but mostly thank you so much to you guys. This is such a dream come true,鈥� JESSIA bellowed to her fans.
This is the homegrown Ucluelet singer-songwriter鈥檚 first Juno win. JESSIA (born Jessika Harling) was also a first-time nominee for 鈥楽ingle of the Year鈥�, 鈥楶op Album of the Year鈥� and the 鈥楾ikTok Juno Fan Choice Award鈥�. 鈥業鈥檓 not Pretty鈥� has achieved 271 million global streams to date and 13 million-plus video views. JESSIA was Billboard鈥檚 鈥淐hartbreaker鈥� for the month of June, spent 13 consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard Canada鈥檚 Emerging Artists chart in 2021, and was the eighth most viewed Canadian artist on TikTok.
JESSIA鈥檚 mom Beth Harling was her date for Canada鈥檚 biggest night in music. Harling, a music teacher at the Ucluelet Elementary School, said she was welcomed back to class with a giant 鈥楥ongratulations!鈥� banner and a group of kindergarten kids serenaded her with 鈥業鈥檓 Not Pretty鈥� from the playground.
鈥淚 always knew she had it in her. From a very young age she showed her talent. The next one will be to get a Grammy,鈥� said Harling five days after the Juno Awards from her music classroom.
鈥淣ow I can use this with the kids, you know? If you work really hard, that can be you. It鈥檚 an awesome lesson,鈥� she went on to say. 鈥淎ll of her music comes from the heart. 鈥楴ext Time鈥� will bring you to tears. It鈥檚 so intense.鈥�
| JESSIA鈥檚 mom Beth Harling, a Ucluelet Elementary School music teacher, beams beside the banner she received after returning from the Juno Awards. (Nora O鈥橫alley photo) |
A post-Juno win interview with JESSIA is a little tricky to line-up, according to her publicist, since she is currently on tour in Europe with One Republic, performing to 20,000 plus crowds. Harling told Black Press Media that JESSIA didn鈥檛 even have a chance to attend the after party because she had to leave to catch a flight to Sweden.
鈥淚 danced until three in the morning though. I鈥檓 exhausted. I met Shawn Mendes,鈥� said Harling, noting that she wore a black pant suit and a shawl with silver feathers. 鈥淚 kind of wanted to bring a feel of the West Coast without being too intense.鈥�
Harling was unsure when her daughter would make it home to Ucluelet to celebrate her win with the community.
鈥淗er life is week by week,鈥� said Harling.
JESSIA wasn鈥檛 the only Vancouver Island star to grace the 2022 Juno stage; was a presenter and also sang her platinum single 鈥楩ingers Crossed鈥�.
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