Chart-topping albums from Drake and Justin Bieber are in the running for several of the major Grammy categories this year, including album of the year.
Toronto-based rapper Drake came away with the most nominations of all Canadian artists, getting eight in total, including one for best rap album for “Views.”
Only Beyonce has more nominations, with nine, while Rihanna and Kanye West also have eight.
Among Bieber’s four nominations are nods for best song and best pop solo performance for “Love Yourself” from his album “Purpose.” The Stratford, Ont.-raised singer is also nominated for best pop vocal album.
Two Canadians acts have songs in the running for best dance recording. Vancouver electronic project Bob Moses, consisting of duo Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance, is nominated for their lumbering single “Tearing Me Up,” while Australian producer Flume’s song “Never Be Like You” includes a vocal performance from Toronto songstress Kai.
Within the best R&B song category Toronto-area rappers Tory Lanez and PartyNextDoor both have nominations. Lanez is up for “Luv” while PartyNextDoor received a nod for “Come See Me,” which features his record label boss Drake on the track.
Northern Cree has a nomination in the best regional roots for the album “It’s a Cree Thing.” It marks the seventh Grammy nomination for the group, which hails from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in northern Alberta.
Vancouver-born director Miles Jay is up for best music video for his powerful take on “River” by Leon Bridges. The sombre visual captures the mood of racial tension in the United States, and features Bridges playing his guitar in a hotel room while watching news footage from last year’s Baltimore protests over the death of Freddie Gray.
Among the nominees for best chamber music/small ensemble performance is ARC Ensemble — a group of senior members from Toronto’s the Royal Conservatory of Music — for their release “Fitelberg: Chamber Works.”
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