Avril, Shania Lead Juno Noms
On the strength of her debut Let Go, Avril Lavigne leads
the nominees for the 2003 Juno Awards, Canada’s version of the
Grammys, with nods in six categories, including album, single, new
artist and songwriter of the year, as well as one for the inaugural
Juno fan’s choice award. Lavigne’s half-dozen nominations are one
more than Shania Twain earned for Up. Twain will also host
the ceremony, to take place April 6th at Ottawa’s Corel Center.
Pop diva Celine Dion, rock combo Our Lady Peace and soul crooner
Remy Shand received four Juno nominations apiece, while Alanis
Morissette is up for three. Pianist and singer Diana Krall earned
two nods, and Nickelback and buzz-bin punks Hot Hot Heat are
nominated for one each. This year’s inductees into the Canadian
Music Hall of Fame are singer-songwriter Tom Cochrane, of “Life Is
a Highway” fame, and Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride.
Lavigne and Twain, both Ontario natives, also lead the list of
performers for the awards show. Right now, they’re not scheduled to
duet at the Corel Center, but if they did, it wouldn’t be a first.
In 1999, at the same venue, the then-unsigned Lavigne sang onstage
with Twain after winning a radio contest.
Our Lady Peace, Shand, hip-hop crew Swollen Members, and
singer-songwriter Sam Roberts are also confirmed to play.