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Last night was the Canadian music industry’s biggest night of the year, the 2024 Juno Awards. This year, the show was hosted by nine-time Juno winner Nelly Furtado. “Day in the night, say either got it or you don’t, you either stand,” that’s just some of Furtado’s opening medley that kicked off the show last night in Halifax. And for more on this, we’re joined by Eli Glasner, who is in Halifax this morning, who was also at the Junos last night. Eli, you’re looking well-rested, you’ve been partying it up. First, you were at the Oscars, now you’re at the Junos, and what a party it was. “I can’t help but dance as I listen to Nelly Furtado. So great to see her on the stage. So what more can you tell us about the highlights of last night?”
“Thank you for the compliments. It’s all illusion; makeup is a wonderful thing. But it was a party, it was Nelly’s party. That’s exactly what she said it was going to be, and it materialized in front of us. I was there; I wanted to witness this with my own eyes and ears. So I was there in the pit of the Scotia Bank Center, and the way the show works, they count it down, 10, 9, etc., and then Nelly appears. Just to hear the roar of the crowd, all of that affection and appreciation, then to see her doing her thing, singing ‘Maneater,’ heads bopping, singing like a bird, the flashlights of the phone come out, looks like the audience is a sea of stars. So an amazing way to kick off the show.”
“Now, we were there on the red carpet, and the thing about Nelly Furtado, you know she took some time to step away, to take a break from the music industry, to be a mom, to kind of work on herself. It was her fans and people like Drake that actually said, you know what, we miss you, come back. So I was asking her about how that feels. Nelly didn’t want to talk about herself; she wants to talk about Juno. She wants to talk about just this atmosphere in Halifax. It’s really, really surreal and fun. Like, I’m so happy I was chosen to lead the evening, and there’s just a lot of fun with our, you know, peers, everybody’s like friends. I’m excited to see the beaches. I’ve been hanging with the Maestro; he’s going to get a big award. It’s an Murray, oh, too many surprises. And An Murray did show up. I mean, amazing to see this legend and then introducing the beaches.”
“But I want to talk about another remarkable performance because I stuck around to see Karen Angela. This is a Canadian Punjabi performer. He lost his parents when he was in India at a young age, but his music has been rocketing up the global charts. He started as a songwriter. Now, as you can very much see, he’s a performer. I love what he was doing with his dancers last night, really kind of spectacular presentation. I think really winning over the crowd. And then at the end of the night, he wins The Fan Choice Award, perhaps a bit of a surprise for this young man, but take a listen to what he had to say.”
“You know, sometimes I just can’t believe I’m that same kid that lost his parents when he was in India. You know, made my way out to Canada, this beautiful country, and today I’m here, man. Let’s go. I just want to end by saying this: if you’re dreaming, make sure you dream big.”
“Now, talking about dreaming big, I mean, there’s so many other performances I could talk about, including Talk himself, who was remarkable to watch. There was Maestro and the wonderful tribute to Maestro Fresh West being inducted into the Hall of Fame. But I want to play you this amazing moment. You’re playing a little bit of that before where it was a tribute to Robbie Robertson, and it was almost like a Canadian folk and Indigenous supergroup. All this talent on one stage, including songwriter of the year Juno, William Prince, this amazing Indigenous artist from Winnipeg. I’m going to play you this as they’re singing ‘The Weight.’ Listen to the reaction from the crowd when this one-of-a-kind voice that William has starts singing. ‘Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line, my bag is sinking low, and I do believe it’s time.’ Amazing stuff. It’s not, oh, I got chills, and I, you know, the amazing thing about the Junos is not only highlighting, of course, Canadian talent, but so many new fans jumping on board after watching these amazing performances.”
“And just as entertaining as the actual show itself, also the red carpet, and of course, you were there on the red carpet talking to all these celebrities. So what was the highlight for you there?”
“So my new best friends are the beaches. Uh, they have been having an amazing time in Halifax. I was there on Saturday night when they won Rock Album of the Year. And so they come onto the red carpet, and I’m trying to ask kind of a semi-serious question about, you know, what they’re hearing from fans from this album, ‘Blame the X,’ and about women who’ve been through relationships and kind of trying to find themselves again. But then, Talk, this musician from Ottawa shows up next to them, and these two bands and these two artists, these two groups of artists, talk and the beaches have had this love fest with each other. They played together at the block party in at the Junos on Friday. And you could just see that connection on the carpet. So just, why don’t you see it for yourself? You tell me why you love them, and then they’re going to return the tell.”
“‘Because women rock. Sorry, I can’t say on the CBC, lesbians rock, and Canada rocks, that’s why.’ And talk to me about the entity that is Talk. He’s the most stylish Canadian that’s going on; he’s repping it, he looks, and he’s also got the best voice in the country too. He’s the best performer. He’s got the best style, and he’s got the best voice. And have you asked me, that’s all you need needed in performance. So everybody should just watch Talk. Amazing, hilarious, uh, they sang together on Friday, and on Sunday, they went on. Both of them to win, talk winning breakthrough artist of the year, the beaches winning again, this time for Group of the Year, beating out Juno’s veterans like the ark and Nickelback. So both of those groups are certainly going places, just amazing to see.
