Nelly Furtado鈥檚 pop music comeback is making its way to the Juno Awards.
Organizers named the 鈥淚鈥檓 Like a Bird鈥� hitmaker as host of next year鈥檚 celebration of Canadian music during a press conference Tuesday in Halifax, where the event will air live on CBC from the city鈥檚 Scotiabank Centre on March 24.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be spicy. It鈥檚 going to be sexy,鈥� Furtado promised in a recent phone interview ahead of the big reveal.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to bring my A-game of keeping the festivities rolling along and bringing the fun, fashion and energy.鈥�
It will be the second time Furtado oversees the televised bash, following her stint at the 2007 Junos in Saskatoon where she won five awards including album of the year and artist of the year.
That year, she enthusiastically embraced her wackier side in an evening of comedic hijinks that started with her floating from the rafters in a bird-like, black feathered costume.
The goofiness continued as she appeared in a series of taped skits as her elder 鈥渁unt鈥� Tia Maria who flirted with singer Michael Bubl茅 and appeared in a mock music video for her song 鈥淧romiscuous.鈥�
鈥淥h yeah, I really went there,鈥� Furtado laughed in reflection.
鈥淚t was really extra, but it was great.鈥�
The Victoria native is in the midst of a return to the spotlight after several years spent laying low 鈥� and with that comes a very calculated strategy.
Over the summer, the 44-year-old appeared as a vocalist on DJ/producer Dom Dolla鈥檚 pounding club track 鈥淓at Your Man,鈥� which saw her spitting subtle lyrical references to her past hits 鈥淪ay It Right鈥� and 鈥淢aneater.鈥�
She followed it up with the sunshiny pop single 鈥淜eep Going Up鈥� which reteamed her with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, the powerhouse producer of her 2006 smash album 鈥淟oose.鈥� The trio previously recorded the hit 鈥淕ive It to Me鈥� together.
Furtado is also putting the finishing touches on a new album which she鈥檚 certain to tease on the Junos where she鈥檚 also slated to perform.
The show lineup includes Toronto rock quartet the Beaches, who recently found popularity on social media with their ex-boyfriend anthem 鈥淏lame Brett鈥� and Montreal singer Charlotte Cardin, a breakout Junos star two years ago when she picked up four wins.
The 鈥渟pontaneity鈥� of a live broadcast is already fuelling Furtado, who said she loves the improvisation that comes from unexpected moments.
鈥淟iterally, if someone from the audience wanted to host, I鈥檇 probably let them have at least 10 seconds of spotlight,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 love a good jam 鈥� I鈥檓 a hippie at heart. I am from Vancouver Island. So come one, come all.鈥�
Furtado didn鈥檛 backtrack when reminded that the 2023 Junos broadcast was crashed by a topless environmental activist who interrupted presenter Avril Lavigne, who fired off some expletives as security escorted the woman away.
鈥淚 thought Avril was great,鈥� Furtado said.
鈥淪he did her thing. She kept it under control. But for me, I鈥檇 probably be like, 鈥榃hat do you want to say?鈥� Give them the microphone. Cause I鈥檓 just a little bit wild like that.鈥�
Aside from the unpredictable, Junos organizers are planning at least one historic moment.
Hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, becoming the first rapper to receive the honour.
The Toronto-raised performer, born Wes Williams, landed on the scene with his 1989 single 鈥淟et Your Backbone Slide鈥� and went on to win the first rap recording of the year Juno in 1991 for his debut album 鈥淪ymphony in Effect.鈥�
He scored further Canadian chart hits in the late 1990s, including the Guess Who-sampled track 鈥淪tick To Your Vision.鈥�
鈥淭he bottom line is this is big for Canada, this is big for Canadian hip-hop, this is big for Black music in Canada,鈥� Williams said at the Halifax event where he was also confirmed Tuesday as one of the show鈥檚 performers.
鈥淚 had a slogan: Don鈥檛 make records, make history. And we are making history, definitely.鈥�
Calgary sisters Tegan and Sara will be given the humanitarian award from actor Elliot Page for their work as advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. The twin sisters created the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which supports grassroots organizations and social causes.
Juno organizers have other serious questions to consider ahead of next year鈥檚 broadcast.
A recent CBC News report that raised doubts about Buffy Sainte-Marie鈥檚 Indigenous ancestry has pressured the organization to address whether the five-time winner qualified for her trophies, mostly won in categories reserved for Indigenous musicians.
鈥淲e really want to take the time to process the information we鈥檙e receiving,鈥� Juno president Allan Reid said at the Halifax press conference.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a complex thing to understand about her Indigneiety and her Canadian citizenship.鈥�
He said the Junos is consulting with its Indigenous Music Advisory Committee, other stakeholders in the Indigenous community and the Junos board.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have some more information on that in the days to come,鈥� said Reid.
Tickets for the Juno Awards go on sale to the public Friday.
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