#NEWMUSIC: PRESTON PABLO NEW EP “ALMOST ALWAYS”

Multi-platinum pop artist Preston Pablo ushers in a new era with the release of Almost Always, new EP out now via 31 East and Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. On Almost Always, Preston carves out his own sound and builds a world that feels true to him as an artist.

Speaking on the new EP, Preston notes: “The songs are rooted in love, but explore all the different, messy, and confusing emotions that come with it. After taking some time away from music, coming back into these sessions felt really refreshing.” Preston continues, “I knew I wanted to make pop, but I didn’t overthink what that meant. I just created space to experiment, let my instincts lead, and relearn how to trust that process again. This project feels like an evolution of me as a pop artist. It’s polished and intentional, inspired by early to mid 2000s pop, with a sense of nostalgia in the melodies and production, but still fresh and current.”

Almost Always features the brand-new standout single, “Tidal Wave” which tackles the emotionally raw feelings that arise in the aftermath of a traumatic loss. The new single reveals the most vulnerable side to Preston yet, with a complexity in its tone and deliverance that you can feel from the opening words.

“Lyrically, the word ‘tidal wave’ felt right. It was the anchor point for the whole song, because that’s what loss feels like. It feels massive, scary, and dangerous, and it hurts like hell, just like a tidal wave would. I wanted everything to be built around the feeling that word evokes.” Preston explains, “I wanted to write a song you’d want to scream out loud, from the top of a mountain, or in your car late at night. It’s the kind of song that hits you right in the heart, and one you can carry with you wherever you go.”

Described by Preston as a collection of his ‘favourite songs made to date,’ Almost Always is comprised of 5 tracks including the hopeful tune, “Dive”, the confidence boosting track, “Selfish”, and his comeback single, “Cause I Do.” Additionally, fans are given the new songs “Tidal Wave” and “You Got Me”. 2026 marks Preston’s first offering of new music since his 2024 debut EP Anywhere But Here, home to the viral hit “Dance Alone.”

Preston Pablo is best known for his chart-topping single “Flowers Need Rain,” which earned him the 2023 JUNO Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and was the #1 most Shazamed song of Summer 2022 in Canada. His follow-up smash “Dance Alone” cracked the Top 10 at Canadian radio across all formats and has since inspired over 450,000 user-generated TikTok videos, further cementing his reputation as one of Canada’s most compelling pop voices.

Almost Always continues to propel Preston into a confident new era, offering a taste of the new sound and creative direction he’ll continue to unveil throughout 2026. Preston also recently announced a number of live dates in Ontario including London, Markham and Thunder Bay (see dates below).

Stay tuned for more from Preston Pablo coming soon.

ALMOST ALWAYS – Tracklist:

1. Cause I do
2. Selfish
3. Dive
4. Tidal Wave
5. You Got Me

UPCOMING LIVE DATES:

• Jun 13, 2026 – Pond Fest (London, ON)
• Jun 19, 2026 – Markham Village Music Fest (Markham, ON)
• July 29 2026 – Live on the Waterfront (Thunder Bay, ON)

FOLLOW PRESTON PABLO:
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ABOUT PRESTON PABLO:

Preston Pablo is one of Canada’s most streamed pop artists of his generation, amassing over 799 million global streams to date. The 2023 JUNO Award winner for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, he has since earned 2025 JUNO nominations for Pop Album of the Year and the fan-voted TikTok JUNO Award. His quadruple platinum breakout single “Flowers Need Rain” reached #1 at Adult/Pop radio and became the most Shazamed song of Summer 2022 in Canada, while follow-up single “Dance Alone” hit Top 10 across all three Canadian radio formats, reached #1 at radio in Uganda, and sparked over 450,000 user-generated TikTok creations. He also featured on Karan Aujla’s global hit “Admirin’ You,” a track that has surpassed 500 million streams worldwide.

Born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, Pablo was discovered by Banx & Ranx and signed to 31 East in partnership with Universal Music Canada. In 2026, he entered a bold new chapter, rolling out two sister EPs that showcase his evolution as a songwriter, producer, and live musician.

Stay up to date with Preston Pablo by signing up to his mailing list HERE

#JUNOS: THE WEEKND LEADS 2023 JUNO AWARDS WITH FIVE WINS

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC celebrated Canada’s biggest night in music this evening at The 52nd Annual JUNO Awards Broadcast. Hosted for the second time by Hollywood superstar Simu Liu, the awards were broadcast from Rogers Place in Edmonton, nationwide on CBC TV, CBC Gem CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen and globally on CBCMusic.ca/junos. The first traveling JUNOS since 2019, the highly anticipated show opened with Calgary native and five-time JUNO Nominee, Tate McRae, making Albertans proud with her energetic performance of her pop-punk hit “she’s all i wanna be.”

Following his four major wins Saturday night at the 2023 JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada, The Weeknd becomes the second most awarded JUNO winner in history after adding Album of the Year* to his collection this evening. He has now amassed 22 wins in just a decade, breaking his tie with Bryan Adams while Anne Murray holds the top spot as the JUNOS’ most decorated artist with 25 awards.

“I am so honored to be recognized like this from my home country that I love so much. I’m so humbled by all this and could never thank fans enough,” said The Weeknd in a statement. 

Global phenomenon, singer, songwriter and producer, AP Dhillon, made JUNOS history tonight as the first artist to sing entirely in Punjabi on the JUNO Awards stage, performing his chart-topping hit “Summer High” to a cheering crowd. 

Canada’s hottest rising stars also performed and took home some of JUNO Week’s biggest awards. All first-time winners and musical collaborators, Banx & Ranx (Breakthrough Group of the Year* winners) together with Preston Pablo (Breakthrough Artist of the Year* winner) and Rêve (Dance Recording of the Year winner), had audiences out of their seats and dancing to the beat with a special mashup performance of their hit singles “Headphones,” “CTRL + ALT + DEL” and “Flowers Need Rain.” Preston Pablo’s award was given out during tonight’s Broadcast while  the others received theirs earlier in the weekend at the JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada.

Canadians were given the option to vote for the TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, which was awarded to Avril Lavigne. This marks the fourth time Avril has won the award bringing her total JUNO count to an impressive 10 awards.

From industry veterans to organizations and music legends, Canada’s flourishing hip hop community came together for a collaborative performance shining a spotlight on the 50th anniversary of the genre. With involvement from ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective, and the JUNO Rap Music Advisory Committee, the four-song medley was written and produced by award-winning artist and four-time JUNO Award Winner Kardinal Offishall, who hosted the segment alongside 2022 JUNO Award winner Haviah Mighty. Renowned recording artist Rich Kidd mixed the track, while veteran entertainer DJ Mel Boogie added her own unique spin to the music live on stage. The festivities began with Kardinal Offishall and hip hop pioneer Michie Mee performing her hit  “Jamaican Funk,” before launching into Dream Warriors’ timeless “My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style.” Four-time JUNO Award winner Choclair followed with his fast moving beat “Let’s Ride” and the showcase ended with TOBi serenading audiences with his lyrical rap single “Flowers.” The performance led into the presentation of Rap Album of the Year, which was awarded to TOBi, who wins in this category for the second time.

This evening’s broadcast included Nickelback’s highly anticipated induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Presented by TD Group. Ryan Reynolds made a special virtual appearance to induct the group and celebrate the band for their incredible contributions to Canadian music,  which included a greeting from Michael Bublé who congratulated the band. Edmonton Oilers’ Captain, Connor McDavid, was also part of the festivities joining the stage to honour the band in-person. To cap the evening, Nickelback performed a medley of their chart-topping and most iconic rock tracks including “Rockstar,” “How You Remind Me,” and “Animals.” Both their Induction and Performance were presented by TD Bank Group. 

Four more longstanding Canadians artists will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2023, when the annual induction ceremony returns to Studio Bell, home to the National Music Centre on May 18. Renowned French Canadian singer Diane Dufresne, veteran jazz pianist Dr. Oliver Jones, country music superstar Terri Clark and rock legends Trooper will all be honoured for their astounding contributions to Canada’s music history, live. Tickets go on-sale April 7, 2023 at the National Music Centre box office. More information on the event can be found HERE.
 
MusiCounts recognized Canadian music educator, Jewel Casselman (Lakewood School,  Winnipeg, MB), not only for her impact on students, but also their community and the music education field, through the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by the CST Foundation. She is the first elementary school teacher to win this award and after an astonishing 34 year career, and will retire at the end of this school year.

The 2023 JUNO Awards featured four more spectacular performances including the long awaited return of fan favorites Alexisonfire, who shared their heartfelt ballad “Sans Soleil” after winning Rock Album of the Year* Saturday night. Aysanabee in collaboration with Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year nominees Northern Cree performed a moving and choral rendition of “We Were Here,” while multi-platinum R&B powerhouse and tonight’s winner of Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year* Jessie Reyez spoke to fans with an electric and soulful performance of “Mutual Friend,” the first track off her latest album. Two-time JUNO Award winner for Country Album of the Year* Tenille Townes took audiences on an emotional journey with two of her most powerful tracks, “Where are You” and “The Sound of Alone.”
 
The evening’s impressive roster of notable presenters included actor and comedian Andrew Phung (Run the Burbs, Kim’s Convenience); nine-time JUNO Award winner Avril Lavigne; star of CBC’s Push Bean Gill; multi-platinum R&B powerhouse Jessie Reyez; TikTok’s KallMeKris; three-time JUNO Award nominee Lauren Spencer Smith; two-time JUNO Award winner Maestro Fresh Wes; 2023 JUNO nominated Digging Roots’ ShoShona Kish; Minister of Canadian Heritage The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez; Global Music Album of the Year nominee Pierre Kwenders; and multi-Platinum-selling artist, music producer, and actor Tyler Shaw.
 
Fans can see the complete list of winners and rewatch every performance and memorable moment from the 52nd Annual JUNO Awards broadcast on CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Gem.