Tate McRae Wins Four Major Categories at 2026 Juno Gala

Hamilton, Ontario – The 2026 Juno Awards kicked off with a livestreamed industry gala Saturday night at the Hamilton Convention Centre, where Calgary pop star Tate McRae dominated the honors by winning four major categories, including artist of the year, single of the year for "Sports Car," album of the year for "So Close To What," and pop album of the year. McRae, who did not attend the event, beat out fellow nominees Justin Bieber and The Weeknd, both of whom are also absent from the proceedings.

The gala distributed most of the 50-plus awards ahead of Sunday evening's televised broadcast at the nearby TD Coliseum, hosted by comedian Mae Martin and airing on CBC. McRae's victories highlighted her rising prominence in Canadian music, though her no-show continued a trend of high-profile absences, including Bieber and The Weeknd, who remain eligible for the fan choice award to be presented during the main ceremony.

Other notable wins from the gala included country newcomer Cameron Whitcomb's triumph in country album of the year for "The Hard Way." The British Columbia artist, who previously worked on oil pipelines, expressed awe at his inclusion in the event. "From working on a...