Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan has been tapped to host the 2019 Juno Awards when the show comes to London this March.
Juno officials revealed the 48th annual awards show host during a news conference on Tuesday.
“I’m honoured to have been asked to host the 48th Annual Juno Awards,” said McLachlan in a statement. “I know intimately what it feels like to be on the Juno stage and I feel truly blessed to play a new role for an organization that has supported me throughout my career.”
McLachlan, a 12-time Juno Award winner, has sold over 40 million albums and was a Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee in 2017. She rose to fame in the 1990s with hits including "Into the Fire", "Building a Mystery" and "Angel." McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, a showcase of female artists that raised over $7 million for charity in the late 90s. She went on to create her own non-profit organization, the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, which provides free music instruction for at-risk children.
“Sarah is perfect to host our show,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS, The JUNO Awards, MusiCounts. “She’s an inspiring artist with exceptional achievements and successes, who embodies our core beliefs of nurturing talent and celebrating the voices of our great nation. It has been a privilege to watch Sarah’s career soar over the last 3 decades. She is a powerful force within the music industry and beyond, and we’re thrilled to have her onboard."
It was also announced Tuesday that German-Canadian singer/songwriter bülow will perform at the ceremony at Budweiser Gardens on March 17. She is best known for her multi-platinum hit “Not a Love Song." Other previously announced artists slated to perform include London dance music duo Loud Luxury and 2019 Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Corey Hart. More performers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Shawn Mendes landed the most nominations this year with six in total, including album of the year and artist of the year. Not far behind the Pickering native is the Weeknd with five nominations including R&B/soul recording of the year and album of the year.
Western University grads Joe De Pace and Andrew Fedyk of Loud Luxury picked up four nominations including single of the year and dance recording of the year for their single Body, which has been certified seven times platinum in Canada.
The Arkells, a band that includes London native Nick Dika, got a nomination for Group of the year, while Windsor's Dave Merheje landed a nomination for comedy album of the year.
Tickets for the 2019 Juno Awards are nearly sold out. Prices start at $79.95 (plus fees) and are available at the Budweiser Gardens box office, online at budweisergardens.com, or by calling 1-866-455-2849.
Juno Week festivities will be held at various venues in London from March 11-17. Among the events will be a celebrity hockey game dubbed Juno Cup, Juno Fan Fare where artists gather to sign autographs and pose for pictures, and a gala dinner. The week-long celebration wraps up with the award show honouring the Canadian recording industry's best and brightest.
