Oshawa music artists nab nominations at Junos
By Courtney Bachar/The Oshawa Express/LJI Reporter
Oshawa came in strong at the 2021 Juno Awards with three artists among the nominees this year.
Oshawa duo Crown Lands has been nominated for two awards – Breakthrough Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year for their self-titled album, Crown Lands.
Known for their highly energetic live show and full sound, Kevin Comeau, who plays guitar and plays keyboards with his feet, and Cody Bowles, who drums and sings, bring classic psych-rock into the modern musical landscape with a sound rooted in the blues.
Artist Lennon Stella, with family roots in Oshawa, started writing songs at the age of seven and was recording by age 15. She has been nominated for Juno Fan Choice Award, Single of the Year for her song, Kissing Other People, and Pop Album of the Year for her debut album, Three. Two. One, released in the spring of 2020.
Stella was also recently named among Refinery29’s Young Celebrities to Watch, Teen Vogue’s 16 Musicians You Need to Be Listening To and, most recently, Amazon Music’s Artists to Watch for 2020.
Up for Alternative Album of the Year for The Sun and her Scorch is Oshawa’s Dizzy.
The group, consisting of Katie Munshaw, Charlie Spencer, Mackenzie Spencer, and Alex Spencer, started out with gigs in local bars, later landing a record deal and releasing their album Baby Teeth in August 2018.
Oshawa Councillor Derek Giberson gave a nod to the musical artists at Monday’s council meeting, noting even though this past year has been quite a challenging time, especially for the cultural sectors and music industry, they’ve still been working in different ways, creating and getting involved in the creative economy.
“It’s great to be able to stand up, virtually, of course, and note how proud these musicians are not only making our city, but also giving testament to the fact that we have a vibrant and vital arts and culture scene here in Oshawa.”
Originally scheduled for March, the awards will now be held on Sunday, May 16 due to the pandemic. Rather than one large venue, the event will take place from a variety of musical venues across the country.
This year’s event marks the 50th anniversary for the Junos. This year’s host will be singer/songwriter Alessia Cara and can be viewed on CBC.