HAMILTON — The Juno Awards are soon to get underway, with a star-studded guest list that includes Prime Minister Mark Carney, Joni Mitchell and Nelly Furtado.
All three posed for photos — separately — on the orange carpet ahead of this evening’s televised ceremony.
Mitchell will receive a lifetime achievement award at the ceremony, where she’ll be celebrated with a tribute performance by Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell.
Asked if Mitchell might join them for a song, the pair said “she just might.”
Meanwhile, Furtado is due to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and be feted by the likes of Alessia Cara, Jully Black, Shawn Desman and Tanya Tagaq.
Kardinal Offishall, who was also on hand to celebrate Furtado, said he was proud to see how far she’d come, noting he was in the studio with Timbaland the day the American rapper purchased her album.
“He was like, ‘I think I wanna work with her,'” he recalled. “To see what’s happened since then, it’s just awesome.”
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush also teased they would take the stage.
Comedian Mae Martin is hosting the broadcast, which airs on CBC.
Most of the awards were handed out at a livestreamed gala last night, where no-show Tate McRae emerged as the big winner.
The Calgary-born pop star took home four of the night’s biggest prizes, including artist of the year, single of the year for “Sports Car” and album of the year for “So Close To What,” along with pop album of the year for the same project.
The only awards left to be handed out tonight are fan choice, breakthrough artist or group, group of the year and contemporary R&B recording.
What the ceremony lacks in hardware it makes up for in performances.
Also on deck to perform is Cameron Whitcomb, the newcomer who took home country album of the year at last night’s ceremony. He’s up for breakthrough artist tonight.
Ahead of the ceremony, he said even being included in it left him speechless.
“From working on a pipeline to being here, it’s just — I can’t even, I don’t even know what to say,” he said on the carpet.
He noted that he flew his parents out to the ceremony in business class — a first for his family.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2026.
Alex Nino Gheciu and Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
