Tegan and Sara perform ‘Closer’ during a soundcheck at MTS Centre on Friday, March 28, 2014. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)
Juno Award co-hosts and musicians Johnny Reid and Serena Ryder speak with local and national media on Friday. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)
WINNIPEG — Musicians were warming up and testing their equipment Friday during a soundcheck at MTS Centre ahead of Sunday’s Juno Awards.
Pop sibling duo Tegan and Sara belted out multiple run-throughs of their hit “Closer” for dozens of media during a 15-minute photo-op. Besides performing with a full locally-plucked choir, the sisters are also nominated for four awards.
Co-hosts Johnny Reid and Serena Ryder spoke to reporters about their duties. Reid, who is nominated for adult contemporary album of the year for A Christmas Gift To You, joked that his Scottish accent could be difficult to interpret and subtitles might need to be added. Ryder is facing five nominations and picked as the fan-favourite to win multiple statues this weekend.
Serena Ryder (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)
Music fans have been taking in Juno Week festivities at locations across the city as of Monday. Parties, pop-up performances and mingling with some of Canada’s music industry movers and shakers has become a pastime for Winnipeggers.
Among those musicians are talented homegrown acts, who are up for their own big award this weekend.
The Juno Awards stage inside MTS Centre ahead of Sunday’s telecast. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)
Johnny Reid and Serena Ryder (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)
Manitoba nominees include:
Royal Canoe for alternative album of the year;
Marie-Claude McDonald for children’s album of the year;
Desiree Dorion for aboriginal album of the year;
Erin Propp and Larry Roy for vocal jazz album of the year;
KEN mode for metal/hard music album of the year;
Little Miss Higgins and the Winnipeg Five for roots and traditional album of the year;
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (with Isabel Bayrakdarian) for classical album of the year: vocal or choral performance;
Mahogany Frog for instrumental album of the year; and
Matt Epp, co-nomination with Serena Ryder for songwriter of the year.
The Juno Awards air Sunday at 8 p.m. CT on CTV.
