#SPOTTED: TESSA VIRTUE, SCOTT MOIR, SETH ROGEN, EVAN GOLDBERG, CHRIS HADFIELD, ANDREA MARTIN, JESSIE REYEZ + MORE HONOURED AT 2018 CANADA’S WALK OF FAME GALA

Now in its 20th year, Canada’s Walk of Fame honours excellence in multiple disciplines including Arts, Business and Science. Honourees are commemorated like in Hollywood with a star on the sidewalk in Toronto’s Entertainment District, immortalizing their contributions to their native Canada and abroad. Among those celebrated at this year’s Gala, held at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, were:

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (Sports & Athletics)

Andrea Martin (Arts & Entertainment)

Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Arts & Entertainment)

Andy Kim (Arts & Entertainment)

Col. Chris Hadfield (Science & Technology)

Jimmy Pattison (Business & Entrepreneurship)

Leonard Cohen (Legend Inductee)

 

Jessie Reyez was named the 2018 Allan Slaight Honour Recipient, an award given to an up-and-coming force in the music industry. Past winners include the likes of The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes, who have gone on to achieve great success internationally.

Fans and Media filled the outdoor tented Red Carpet affair, followed by a taped ceremony, which is to be broadcast on CTV at a later date in December. Several familiar Canadian faces graced the event including the likes of Jully Black, Rush, The Tenors, Marilyn Denis, Brian Mulroney, Russell Peters, The Arkells’ Max Kerman, Stella Bowles, Kurt Browning and several more.

 

See some Snaps:

Tessa Virtue x Scott Moir

 

 

 

Seth Rogen x Evan Goldberg

 

Chris Hadfield

 

Stella Bowles

 

Andy Kim

 

Jimmy Pattison

 

Andrea Martin x Marilyn Denis

 

The Arkells’ Max Kerman

 

Jully Black

 

Wendy Crewson

 

Jeffrey Latimer (Canada’s Walk of Fame CEO) x Rush’s Geddy Lee

 

We had the pleasure of chatting with the likes of honourees Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen (starring in Disney‘s eagerly-awaited The Lion King), Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue on the carpet. We asked them about the importance of being recognized in their own homeland.

Goldberg x Rogen: “It’s much more valuable than rest of the world combined!”.

Virtue x Moir: “We love being back in Canada. It was important for us to train on Canadian soil in the leading-up to the  2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games games. It’s thrilling to be back here, it’s home. It means so much more to us to be given the magnitude of what it means to be Canadian and the support we’ve received over the years. We should be giving Canadians something in return. We keep getting these honours and I wish we could give Canadians a slight glimmer of what they’ve given us.”.

We ask what they’re most excited about at the 2018 Canada’s Walk of Fame Gala.

Goldberg x Rogen: “Seeing the little ‘maple leaf’  on the ground! We don’t often get awards because of some of the things we’ve made. We get to see a version of it (gesturing to the unveiling of the star). We get to touch it, lick it and all that!  We’re just the story of every Canadian boy. It’s great!”.

Virtue x Moir: “The inductees are what I’m (Moir) most excited about. I can’t believe I’m up for the same type of award as Chris Hadfield. To be in the same room. I think that’s going to be a highlight.”.

 

See some highlights from the Gala:

 

More on Canada’s Walk of Fame here.

 

Photography taken on the NIKON D3400

Video recorded on the Samsung S7 Plus

 

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Julie Wright)

#GRAMMYS: BRUNO MARS WINS TOP HONOURS AT 2018 GRAMMYS

BRUNO MARS took home top honours at the 60th annual GRAMMY Awards. The Hawaiian-born Singer/Songwriter for his Tracks 24K Magic, That’s What I Like and Album 24K Magic, won Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album.

Mars says, pleading not to be cut-off during his speech in which he recalls performing at the age of 15, “Babyface, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Teddy Riley wrote many of the songs I’d be singing. I remember people who’d never met each from two sides of the globe all would be dancing and all I wanted to do with this Album was to see everybody dancing and everybody moving. I’d like to dedicate this award to my heroes, these teachers who laid down the foundation.”.

 

See his performance with Cardi B on the Remix to Finesse:

 

Taking place in New York City this year, the GRAMMYs took place at Madison Square Garden after having been in Los Angeles for the past 14 years. Funnyman James Corden filled hosting duties and his parents Malcolm and Margaret even came out again to support him, joking they snuck-out to see Hamilton while the show was going on! New York native and 14-time Grammy Winner Alicia Keys stated upon presenting Record of the Year to Bruno Mars, “I love it better when the GRAMMYS are in New York”, drawing applause from the crowd.

Other big winners from the evening included Bruno Mars‘ labelmate Ed Sheeran who won Best Pop Solo Performance for smash hit Shape of You and also Best Pop Vocal Album for ÷.

GRAMMY Darling Kendrick Lamar won Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Video for HUMBLE. and his Rihanna Collaboration LOYALTY. won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. His Disc DAMN. won Best Rap Album.

Canada saw The Weeknd win for Best Contemporary R&B Album with his top-selling Starboy Disc, while national icon Leonard Cohen post-humously won for Best Rock Performance with You Want it Darker.  Our Alessia Cara won coveted Best New Artist and while her version of How Far I’ll Go didn’t win for Best Song for Visual Media, the Moana Theme sung by Auli’i Cravalho would go on to win.

 

Lady Gaga was on early with a fantastic acoustic Medley of A Million Reasons and Joanne:

 

Kesha would make a return to the GRAMMYs after a few years away delivering her nominated Praying with the help of Cyndi Lauper, Bebe Rexha, Camila Cabello, Andra Day and more:

 

While it was announced recently that Elton John soon will retire following his upcoming Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, Miley Cyrus would join him on-stage for a rendition of Tiny Dancer:

 

After feuding for many years after a fallout in the ’90s, Broadway legend Patti Lupone would take the stage to perform Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from EVITA for Composer Andrew Lloyd Weber, who was being honoured this evening for his achievements. Lupone performed the same song at the 1981 GRAMMYs. See the performance:

 

Click here for a complete list of Winners.

 

(Photo/video credit: CBS/Getty Images)

#NEWMUSIC: 2015 JUNO AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

Nominees for the 2015 JUNO Awards were announced earlier today at Danforth Music Hall.  After already what has been a smashing year internationally for Toronto Band MAGIC!, it all comes back full circle as the Quartet lead the way at the 2015 JUNO Awards with five nominations including Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Breakthrough Group of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Pop Album of the Year.

Not far behind with four nominations apiece were Canadian Dance-Pop Queen Kiesza getting nods for Single of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Dance Recording of the Year and Video of the Year thanks to the success of her hit Single, Hideaway. Canadian Icon Leonard Cohen also received four nominations: JUNO Fan Choice, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year.

Up for International Album of the Year is a star-studded list including One Direction, Sam Smith, Katy Perry, Lorde and Taylor Swift.

The Breakthrough Artist of the Year Category also boasts an eclectic mix of new Talent including massively-popular Shawn Mendes, Glenn Morrison, Jess Moskaluke, Kiesza and Mac DeMarco.

Confirmed to perform thus far at the Ceremony include Hedley, Shawn Mendes, Kiesza and The Arkells. Rush will be receiving the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award.

The 2015 JUNO Awards take place Sunday, March 15, 2015 at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario.

See the complete list of Nominees here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)