K'Naan Canada's favourite artist

QMI Agency
By DARRYL STERDANSunday, April 18, 2010

Somali-born, Toronto-based rapper K'naan. (Mark O'Neill/QMI Agency)

ST. JOHN'S — K'Naan's victory flag was waving on Saturday night.

The Somali-born hip-hopper was named artist of the year at the Juno Gala Dinner and Awards, beating out Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Jann Arden and Johnny Reid.

"Geez man, I'm really honoured by this," said the 31-year-old performer, born Keinan Abdi Warsame. "It's really so much easier not to win these things. You can just sit there and your friends say, 'Ah, you should have won. But when you win you have to say something.

"I came to Canada when I was about 14, 15 years old ... and I didn't really know what I was going to do to deal with my emotions and my past and my life. Writing songs was just what I did to survive."

It was the Toronto singer-songwriter's second Juno — and first of three awards he could take home this weekend. His massive hit Wavin' Flag — which has become the theme song for both Canada's Haitian relief efforts and the FIFA World Cup — has also earned him nominations in the rap recording and songwriting categories.

Those awards — along with prizes for album, single, group and new artist of the year, along with the fan choice award — will be handed out at Sunday's glitzy televised ceremony from St. John's Mile One Centre. The other 32 Junos were given out at Saturday's non-televised banquet, a more informal affair where the booze flows freely and the musicians mix, mingle and let down their hair.

Speaking of hair, teen heart-throb Justin Bieber — who was not in the house — had the pop album prize snatched from his grasp by pop crooner Michael Buble's Crazy Love (which also earned producer Bob Rock a production award).

"Seven years ago, I came to this event as a plucky young man full of dreams," said Buble, accepting his award in worn jeans, a black T-shirt and a suitjacket. "And now, I'm a middle-aged, balding man whose dream is to have hair like the Bieb.

"Seriously, I wish he was here, because I'd be like, 'Just do it for me motherf---er,' " he said, shaking his head in an imitation of Bieber's trademark hair-sweep as the crowd howled with laughter.

The 34-year-old crooner, who rushed across the street from the Convention Centre right after his win to rehearse for the broadcast, is up for four more trophies on Sunday. And don't worry, girls; Bieber is still in the running for album and new artist awards.

The B-roll continued when rockers Billy Talent took home rock album honours for their third self-titled album. They beat out heavyweights like Alexisonfire's Old Crows/Young Cardinals, Nickelback's Dark Horse, The Tragically Hip's We Are The Same and Three Days Grace's Life Starts Now.

"I think Alexisonfire should have won, but that's just my opinion," cracked singer Ben Kowalewicz backstage. "And hasn't Nickelback been nominated for this record for the last four years or something?"

It's their sixth Juno, prompting Kowalewicz to quip, "I'm going to make a Voltron out of them all — Super Juno!" Don't laugh — they're still up for group, single and album honours, so he could have more than enough hardware to get the job done.

Also getting the job done: Johnny Reid, who took home his first Juno in the country recording category for his third major-label album Dance With Me. The Scottish-born singer, who moved to Canada in 1988, called his victory "a humbling experience."

"To be welcomed by such a deep musical community is a wonderful feeling," he added backstage in his brogue. "I got into music because I love to sing." Reid's weekend could get even more humbling. While he also lost artist honours to K'Naan, he's still up for album of the year and the fan choice award.

One of the evening's few bittersweet moments came when late singer Haydain Neale and Jacksoul were given the R&B / soul recording trophy for Lonesome Highway, a track from his posthumous album SOULmate.

"Haydain didn't only sing soul music; he had a beautiful soul," said musician Ron Lopato, accepting the award with Neale's widow Michaela. Her husband passed way in November, two years after sustaining head injuries when his scooter was hit by a car, and seven months after he was diagnosed with the lung cancer that eventually took his life.

When Neale became ill, Lopato said, "he had the gumption to say, 'I'm going to to in the studio and make a soul record to leave behind for all those people' — and if that doesn't deserve best soul recording, I don't know what does."

Sunday's broadcast airs at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. Central) on CTV. Justin Bieber, Billy Talent, Blue Rodeo, Michael Buble, Classified, Drake, Great Lake Swimmers, K'naan, Metric and Johnny Reid are slated to perform.

Source: QMI Agency