It may not always get the attention it deserves nationally, but there is a thriving music scene in Saskatchewan.
For the third time in 12 years the province will get a chance to be the focus of the Canadian music industry for a week when Saskatoon hosts the 2020 Juno Awards.
“It’s exciting news. I’m so excited that the Junos are coming back to Saskatoon,” said local singer Megan Nash. “It’s good for the entire province to have that spotlight put on us like that.”
Nash is one of four Saskatchewan artists or groups that secured a nomination for the 2019 Junos in London, Ont. She was in Saskatoon to perform at the official announcement.
Nash is nominated this year in the Contemporary Roots Album of the Year category for her album Seeker.
“Whenever the spotlight is put on the province — whether it’s from another artist’s success or another artist getting a Juno (nomination) or winning a Juno, anything high-profile like that — I really feel that, because of the collaborative nature of the Saskatchewan music scene, many artists benefit from other people’s success,” Nash said. “So the fact that the Junos are going to be coming to Saskatchewan means nothing but good things for the entire scene.
“Of course, there’s other spin-offs too that benefit the province from having the Junos come, but for the music scene, it’s really, really great.”
The 49th annual Juno Awards will be held at SaskTel Centre on March 15, 2020 and are presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Juno Week will kick off on March 9 and features the Juno Cup celebrity hockey game and Juno Fest, which features live performances from many of the nominated acts and other artists from the area.
The Junos last came to Saskatoon in 2007 and were last in the province in 2013 when Regina hosted while some Juno Fest events took place in Moose Jaw. There, Nash had the opportunity to open for Serena Ryder in Moose Jaw.
“It was definitely exciting. I was young. In my career, I was like a little baby,” Nash said. “In the grand scheme of things I was still very much emerging and it was really exciting to get to witness how the industry works on a larger scale and be around professionals and see how they conduct themselves.
“It’s really great for emerging artists too. Even if you aren’t playing Juno Fest, just to attend as much of it as you can is really beneficial.”
Nash will be attending the 2019 Junos in London and will be performing at Juno Fest on the Friday before the awards ceremony. Nash will be part of a bill with Kaia Kater, The Marrieds and Victor Quinlan at The Rosewood Room.
