The 2024 Grammys: Canadians Joni Mitchell, Allison Russell win during pre-ceremony
The 66th Grammy Awards arrive Sunday evening, with female soloists like SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Victoria Monet dominating the nominations — and over a dozen Canadian artists competing for the music industry’s most prestigious prize.
The ceremony, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, will air at 8 p.m. ET on Citytv and stream through Prime Video on the Citytv+ channel. With almost 100 categories up for grabs, however, many of the awards were announced before the main broadcast during the Grammys premiere ceremony.
Montreal singer-songwriter Allison Russell was the first Canadian to emerge victorious, winning best American roots performance for her song Eve Was Black. She had also been nominated for best Americana performance, best American roots song and best Americana album.
Canadian legend Joni Mitchell, who will perform at the Grammys on Sunday evening for the first time in her career, won the award for best folk album for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live], beating out fellow Canuck Rufus Wainwright in the category.
Drake, Alvvays lose out
Montreal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who was up for several awards in the classical and orchestral categories, won a Grammy for best opera recording as conductor of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra’s Blanchard: Champion also during the pre-ceremony.
Drake, who was nominated for four Grammys, including best rap song and best rap album, lost in those categories. Jazz instrumental band BADBADNOTGOOD, from Toronto, lost best remixed recording. Electronic duo Kx5 (which features Canadian DJ Joel Thomas Zimmerman, known as deadmau5) lost best dance/electronic music album.
Toronto alternative group Alvvays lost best alternative music performance. Victoria heavy metal band Spiritbox lost best metal performance, and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society lost best large jazz ensemble album.
Hilario Durán and His Latin Jazz Big Band, which is headed by the Cuban Canadian musician, lost the award for best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella. Canadian actor William Shatner’s audiobook Boldly Go: Reflections On A Life Of Awe And Wonder also lost in its category.
Looking ahead to main event
Canadian producer Serban Ghenea is nominated three times in the record of the year category (for Jon Batiste’s song Worship, Olivia Rodrigo’s song Vampire, and Taylor Swift’s song Anti-Hero), and twice for album of the year (for Rodrigo’s Guts and Swift’s Midnights). He was also nominated twice for best pop dance recording and lost in those categories.
This list will be updated with throughout the evening. See a full rundown of the Canadian nominees ahead of the official ceremony here.
