Mackenzie Porter nominated for best country album at Junos

By COLLIN GALLANT on March 12, 2021.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Hat native Mackenzie Porter is up of a Juno award for best country album when the Canadian music awards are presented this spring.

The Nashville-based singer songwriter is competing in the category with “Drinkin’ Songs The Collection” which debuted last June as a surprise release.

Also nominated are artists Dallas Smith, Jade Eagleson, Lindsay Ell, and Tenille Townes, it was announced March 9.

The ceremony will broadcast from Toronto with a 50th anniversary awards show on May 16.

Leading nominations count in 2021 is The Weeknd.

The Toronto-raised singer, born Abel Tesfaye, picked up six nods in some of the top Junos categories, including single, album and artist of the year.

Other major contenders include Toronto pop songwriter JP Saxe, whose breakout duet “If the World Was Ending” with Julia Michaels became a pandemic hit. He picked up five nominations.

Fellow five-time nominees this year are Jessie Reyez, once the Juno winner for breakthrough artist, and international pop superstar Justin Bieber.

Single of the year nominees include the Weeknd and JP Saxe’s tracks, as well as “Drink About Me” from Flat Lake, Alta. country singer Brett Kissel, and “Intentions” by Justin Bieber and Quavo. Rounding out the category is “Kissing Other People” by Oshawa, Ont.-raised singer and former “Nashville” TV star Lennon Stella.

— with files from The Canadian Press