The Weeknd gained some measure of redemption over the weekend at his native country’s analogue awards ceremony, the Juno Awards, after chastising the Grammys for keeping him out this year. After taking home honors for Contemporary R&B Recording Of The Year for After Hours, Single Of The Year for “Blinding Lights,” and Songwriter Of The Year on Sunday night, he was granted two wins: Album and Artist Of The Year. He won five of the six awards he was nominated for, with the exception of the Juno Fan Choice Award, which Shawn Mendes won.
The Weeknd lashed out at the Grammys committee after the nominees were announced last year, revealing that he wasn’t nominated for any awards, astonishing fans who assumed he’d be a shoo-in with one of the biggest records of both the year and his career. The Weeknd himself accused the committee of corruption, a claim which the Recording Academy denied. However, that didn’t stop him from boycotting the show, proclaiming he’d no longer submit for consideration — even after the Academy worked to address some of the issues that caused him to be snubbed.
Meanwhile, he topped the 2021 Billboard Music Awards nominations with 10, and he’s been previewing a new era, putting the controversy – for the most part – behind him.
