Simu Liu will host the Junos for 2nd year in a row | 24CA News
Shang-Chi star, Kim’s Convenience alum and stock-photo legend Simu Liu has been chosen to host the Junos — for the second yr in a row.
Organizers for the ceremony celebrating Canadian music launched the news Wednesday by means of a shock announcement throughout a CBC occasion at Toronto’s Massey Hall.
“There are no words to describe the incredible energy that took over Toronto last spring and I can’t wait to help bring that to Edmonton,” Liu stated in a press release. “If you thought my rendition of Complicated was good, just wait until you hear my Nickelback cover.”
Liu first hosted the awards final yr at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, the Junos’ first outside present, deliberate as such to fight potential pandemic-related restrictions.
In each 2020 and 2021, the awards skilled COVID-related interruptions that compelled them to first cancel, then later shift to a digital occasion.
Simu Liu performs Complicated Parody on the Juno Awards 2022
With Liu as host, the beleaguered musical showcase appeared to return to type. Dancing alongside Regina’s Tesher for a efficiency of his tune Jalebi Baby, crooning a spoof model of Avril Lavigne’s Complicated whereas accompanying himself on guitar, and opening the present with an up to date studying of the enduring “I Am Canadian” Molson beer industrial, Liu’s charisma managed to make the present a professional success, regardless of the prior pandemic hiccups.
That’s no small feat after the Junos’ COVID struggles — and a run of a few of the most troublesome years for awards reveals typically — left many questioning whether or not the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the awards’ father or mother group) may stage a present in any respect.
Juno Awards’ acquainted faces
Liu is way from the primary host to return for a second yr in a row. Six others have hosted the Junos twice in a row over the ceremony’s greater than five-decade historical past — 5 of them inside the awards’ first 20 years of existence (not together with radio broadcaster George Wilson, who hosted the untelevised, unique model of the ceremonies from 1970-1974).
After singer Paul Anka hosted the primary public exhibiting in 1975, comic David Steinberg adopted him as host in 1977 and 1978. The Guess Who’s Burton Cummings took over for the following two years — then, after a single yr’s relaxation, he hosted once more in 1982 and 1983 (the ultimate time alongside actor Alan Thicke).
After internet hosting with quite a few different celebrities in 1981, Andrea Martin co-hosted together with her SCTV co-stars Joe Flaherty in 1984, then Martin Short in 1985. Comedian Howie Mandel took over as host for the following two years, after which — after a spot of greater than 20 years — comic Russell Peters turned the following persona to host again to again, in 2008 and 2009.
Liu’s return as host additionally marks a returning pattern of non-musicians propping up the awards on their very own private fame. While comedians and actors typically took centre stage in the course of the early years of the Junos, the awards have been nearly totally hosted by musicians within the twenty first century.
The solely entertainers well-known outdoors the worlds of comedy or music to make a exhibiting as host throughout that point, Pamela Anderson in 2006 and William Shatner in 2012, had performances that had been largely panned.
This yr’s ceremony will happen in Edmonton, broadcasting from Rogers Place on Monday, March 13. It is just the second time Edmonton has been the positioning of the awards, the primary time being in 2004 when Alanis Morissette hosted.
The Junos will stream dwell at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBC-TV, CBC and Gem, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.
