June 27, 2016
Just a little more than a week ago, scores of celebrities and hordes of music fans descended upon the Bell Media building on Queen Street in downtown Toronto for the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards. This was the first year Much teamed up with iHeartRadio, as Bell recently reached a licensing deal with the company to operate a Canadian version of its online radio service. Hometown boy Drake took up most of the spotlight, taking home five awards of the seven he was nominated for. Toronto’s biggest rising star, Alessia Cara, was tied with Drizzy for the most nominations (she won Best New Canadian artist).
Some other notable winners included Nick Jonas (International Artist of the Year); alt-folk group The Strumbellas, who snatched Best Rock/Alternative Video for “Spirits”; Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello, who locked down the Fan Fave Video for “I Know What You Did Last Summer”; Justin Bieber, who grabbed Fan Fave Artist or Group; iHeartRadio Canadian Single of the Year victor The Weeknd, for “Can’t Feel My Face”; and Rajiv Dhall, who won Fan Fave Vine Musician, which is something I didn’t know existed until this very moment.
On a more serious note, the awards contained more than a few political moments, with the news of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando still vividly in the minds of those in attendance. Nick Jonas, accepting his award for International Artist of the Year, said, “To all the families and victims of the shootings recently, we love you, and we have not forgotten you.” On the red carpet, Sara Quin (of Calgary pop duo Tegan and Sara), whose girlfriend is from Orlando, spoke about the effects the shooting has had on the LGBT community, and Halifax pop star Ria Mae talked about her reaction to the tragedy.
See a full list of winners at the MMVAs official site.
In Other News:
- Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre opens on Canada Day
- The SOCAN Awards were also handed out last weekend.
- The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is worried about an upcoming Kamloops-area EDM festival.
- Joel Plaskett releases epic Gord Downie tribute track.
- Jimmy Fallon does his Neil Young impersonation along with the actual Neil Young.
- Carly Rae Jepsen is in a new Japanese shampoo commercial.
- Red Bull Music Academy is heading to Montreal.
- Festival Lineups: Shield to Shore, Not Dead Yet, Harvest Picnic
