Immerse yourself in local talent with Halifax’s Road to the Junos series

The 53rd Juno Awards are taking place in Halifax this year, and to celebrate CBC Music presented a weeklong concert series in the host city featuring local talent, leading up to the big night of awards on March 24.

Called Road to the Junos, the five-night series kicked off on Feb. 5, 2024, at the Marquee Ballroom, and artists including Jenn Grant, Aquakultre and Gary Beals dazzled audiences for five nights straight.

Fortunately, everything was recorded, and you can watch all 11 performances below. They will also be broadcast on radio via CBC Music, and on CBC Listen, at 6 p.m. local time every evening starting Monday, March 18, through Friday, March 22. The videos will all be available on CBC Gem as of March 22.

Jenn Grant gives dazzling performance to a rapt, sold-out crowd

The Halifax singer-songwriter and her full band perform new songs and old favourites, as well as Grant’s latest single, “Hello Everyone, (Ceasefire Now),” live for the first time, with a special chorus of voices. Band members include: Daniel Ledwell, Kyle Cunjak, Joshua Van Tassel, Kim Harris, Margot Durling and Michael Belyea.

Rose Cousins’ songs bloom in gorgeous Halifax performance

The Halifax singer-songwriter teamed up with the East Pointers’ Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron, as well as musicians Kyle Cunjak and Joshua Van Tassel, to bring her songs to life. Cousins had the crowd in the palm of her hand with her performances (and her banter), which included songs “The Fraud,” “The Expert” and “The Swimmer.”  

Adam Baldwin’s East Coast folk songs captivate hometown crowd

The Halifax singer-songwriter performs his heartfelt story songs for a sold-out audience. He spends the night seated at the piano, and is joined onstage by band members Tori Cameron, Jordan Murphy, Zach MacLean and Ryan Stanley. They end the show with a rousing cover of Michel Pagliaro’s “What the Hell I Got Song.”

Reeny’s charming Halifax performance is a family affair

The R&B singer from North Preston, N.S., teams up with sister Haliey Smith and cousin Micah Smith for her Road to the Junos set. Former Canadian Idol contestant Gary Beals hops onstage to perform a heartfelt version of “I Get You Now” with Reeny, and she’s joined onstage by band members Javert Haynes, Keith Rogers, Luke Arsenault and J.R. Smith. Make sure you stay to the end — you won’t want to miss Reeny’s closing keytar solo.

DeeDee Austin performs an irresistibly danceable set

The 18-year-old pop singer from Fall River, N.S., is joined by bandmates Chris Ritchie, Rachael Henderson, Serkan Suer, Marcus Tracey and James Shaw for a set bursting with energy, as Austin bounces from one side of the stage to the other. She brings it to a more serious note with the penultimate and moving song “Buried Truth,” which the singer from Abegweit First Nation wrote about processing generational trauma from the residential school system.

Morgan Toney blows audience away with his Mi’kmaltic music

The fiddler from We’koqma’q and Wagmatcook First Nations fuses traditional Mi’kmaq and Celtic music into his self-described genre. Toney set the dance floor on fire with bandmates Keith Mullins and Ryan Roberts, inspiring a dance circle with family members and fans alike when the band played Toney’s version of the traditional Mi’kmaq song “Ko’jua.” His set is also celebratory: it takes place only one day after the artist learned he’d won his first ever Juno nomination, for traditional roots album of the year.

Wolf Castle commands the dance floor during his fiery, banter-filled set

The rapper from Pabineau First Nation performs with DJ Uncle Fester for his Road to the Junos set. “You can groove to this, don’t be afraid,” Wolf Castle coaxes the crowd before he launches into the jam “I Won’t Stop,” setting the tone for an hour-long concert that has everyone learning new dance moves — and coveting his floral jacket. 

Jah’Mila performs a joyful set after getting her 1st Juno Award nomination

The reggae artist, who moved to Halifax from Jamaica years ago, delivers an uplifting set. “I have a joy in my heart,” the singer says at the beginning of her set, elated after her first ever Juno nomination, for reggae recording of the year. Jah’mila’s band is nine people strong, complete with a horn section, including musicians Andru Branch, Sean Weber, Charles Benoit, Eric Landry, Damien Moynihan, Lukas Pearse and Neshane Brown, and backup singers Laura Gallant and Kristine Kovacevic. Aquakultre also joined the singer for a powerful performance of “East Coast Family.”

Aquakultre throws an electrifying party with his Africvillean funk

The Halifax singer and rapper performs a seductive, lively set for a full, Friday night crowd. “You guys mind if I get sexy right quick?” he asks halfway through the show, but the crowd is onboard from the very beginning. Joined onstage by a nine-piece band, Aquakultre performs hits including “Africvillean Funk” and “You Got Feets,” which normally features Toronto rapper Pheonix Pagliacci but this time featured a stunning verse by local singer Lakita Marisha Wiggins. Aquakultre also premieres the chilling “Gallows Song,” from an upcoming collaboration. Aquakultre’s band includes: Jackson Fairfax-Perry, Rupert Pelle, Shuvanjan Karmaker, Daniel Ledwell, Damardi Dixon, Lakita Marisha Wiggins, Rachael Delano, DJ Uncle Fester and Rosanna Burrill.

Zamani Folade heats up a storm-stayed crowd with her smooth R&B

The local singer-songwriter and producer, backed by her father, Harvey Millar, on guitar, performs after a historic snowstorm in Halifax. Winner of the SOCAN Young Canadian Songwriters Award, Zamani captivates the crowd with her genre-busting R&B, including a duet with her cousin Amariah for the unreleased song “In the City.” 

Gary Beals takes Halifax to church with joyous set

The Cherry Brook, Nova Scotia-born singer, and former Canadian Idol contestant, performs on the Marquee stage for the first time in 20 years — the last time being his debut album release — and it’s as if he never left. Backed by powerhouse vocalists Krishaunda Cartwright and Esther Medley-Smith, and band members Shawn Downey, Silvio Pupo Montero, Marlowe Smith, Luke Arsenault, Ken MacKay, Richard Waychesko and Daniel Martin, Beals gives an incredible performance — and the hometown crowd is ready for it.

Host Nelly Furtado is bringing the party to the 2024 Juno Awards on Sunday, March 24, at 8 p.m ET. Tune in on CBC-TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music and CBC Listen, and stream globally on cbcmusic.ca/junos.