Elimination of reggae, gospel awards raises concern Junos backtracking on inclusivity

By David Friend, The Canadian Press on September 10, 2024.

K-Anthony poses with the Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year during the Juno Awards in Halifax on Saturday, March 23, 2024. K-Anthony, winner of last year's Juno Award for Christian/gospel album of the year, said he was surprised the award show's organizers would put his category on hiatus for the 2025 edition. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

TORONTO – Changes to several categories at the 2025 Juno Awards are raising concerns among musicians that Canada’s top music celebration is backtracking on inclusivity.

Jason Wilson, a two-time Juno nominee and adjunct professor in music at the University of Guelph, says a move to eliminate the reggae category from next year’s Junos can only “ring alarms of racism.”

Wilson, who’s published a book on the history of Canadian reggae music, says the genre is intrinsically tied to the country and has had “a tremendous effect on the way all music was played in Canada.”

He says Juno organizers seemed to ignore those facts when they decided to sideline the category at next year’s ceremony.

In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press this week, the Junos told committee members of plans to put on “hiatus” reggae recording, children’s album, Christian/gospel album and international album of the year.

Juno organizers declined requests to comment on or discuss the changes saying they will have “additional information to share in the next couple of weeks.”

That lack of acknowledgment has frustrated musicians and industry players who say Junos organizers at the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences have opted to stay silent on major changes a mere weeks before submissions open for the 2025 awards.

Some of those artists had planned to submit their latest albums to categories they now understand won’t exist in the work’s qualifying year.

K-Anthony, last year’s winner for Christian/gospel album, is one of those artists. His newest album is scheduled for release in October, which would qualify it for next year’s Junos.

He said removing any specific Junos category reduces the diversity of genres the awards celebrate.

“I’m saddened,” the musician added.

“I’ve seen how (my win) has raised my profile. I didn’t take that for granted…. When you remove this category, it will impact the hope people would have gotten to strive and work for greatness.”

“Diversity is crucial in celebrating the wide range of music created within the Canadian space,” he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.