Country singer Tenille Townes, Punjabi rapper AP Dhillon added to Juno performers

TORONTO – A dazzle of country and a sparkle of pop are being added to this year’s Juno Awards in the latest round of performers joining the broadcast.

Organizers say they’ve booked Nashville-based Alberta singer Tenille Townes as well as Punjabi-Canadian viral sensation AP Dhillon for the show being held this March in Edmonton.

They join a trifecta of dance-pop names in rising Montreal singer Rêve who will perform alongside Preston Pablo of Timmins, Ont., and Montreal producers Banx & Ranx.

Former “Kim’s Convenience” star Simu Liu will return as host for the second consecutive year, ahead of his appearance in the summer movie “Barbie.”

Previously announced performers include Tate McRae and rock act Nickelback, who is also this year’s inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The Juno Awards unfold March 13 at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, and air live on CBC-TV and CBC Gem.

This year marks the first time the Junos have toured since the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled 2020 plans to hold the event in Saskatoon. The show was held in Toronto for two consecutive years.

Among the newly announced performers, Townes is making her Junos debut, but she’s a familiar face to Canadian country music fans.

She’s won 14 trophies at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards over the past four years, helped by her breakout album “The Lemonade Stand.”

AP Dhillon is a streaming force whose 2019 single “Fake” established him as a master of fusing Western R&B and hip-hop with his Indian roots.

And songwriter-producer duo Banx & Ranx come to the table with two stars they’ve helped establish as Canadian pop artists. Preston Pablo is in the midst of a chart hit with his single “Flowers Need Rain” while Rêve’s 2021 single “CTRL + ALT + DEL” led to her current hit “Whitney” and recent single “Hypersexual.”

Nominees for this year’s Junos will be announced at a press conference in Toronto on Jan. 31.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2023.

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