Joni Mitchell, the Weeknd and Alex Cuba were amoxjmtzywng the Canadian artists to collect early Grammy Awards at a pre-telecast ceremony Sunday hosted by LeVar Burton and livestreamed from Las Vegas.
Mitchell took the stage draped in white and walking slowly with a cane but she bopped along to the live band as she made her way to claim her ninth career Grammy — best historical album for "Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967)," a remastered boxed set of her early work.
"I didn’t expect this," Mitchell said to the audience, many of whom stood up when her name was called.
Mitchell thanked those involved with the project, including filmmaker Cameron Crowe who wrote the liner notes.
She shares the honour with fellow compilation producer Patrick Milligan and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.
She was the only Canadian winner in the early ceremony to accept a trophy at the bash, which immediately preceded the splashier televised celebration.
Other wins included the Weeknd, named in the best melodic rap performance category for his featured vocals on Kanye West’s "Hurricane."
The Toronto singer, born Abel Tesfaye, was nominated along with West and Lil Baby, despite his boycott of the Grammys for his own work.
Cuba won the best Latin pop album category for "Mendo," marking the first Grammy for the Smithers, B.C.-based musician born Alexis Puentes.
And Yannick Nezet-Seguin won the best orchestral performance Grammy as conductor of "Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3." The Montrealer, had been nominated in three classical categories.
Justin Bieber had led the Canadian contenders overall with eight nominations, including both record and song of the year for his chart-topping single "Peaches," which he recorded with Toronto’s Daniel Caesar.
His newest full-length release "Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)," was in the running for album of the year, another top category. The Grammys announced Friday that Bieber would also perform.
Mitchell was celebrated by the Recording Academy on Friday as this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year, a benefit gala held to raise funds for musicians in need.
She was also scheduled as a presenter on the Grammys broadcast.
The 64th Grammy Awards main show was set to be hosted by Trevor Noah on CBS.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducts the Metropolitan Orchestra during a commemorative ceremony for businessman Paul Desmarais Tuesday, December 3, 2013 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Joni Mitchell accepts the Person of the Year award at the 31st annual MusiCares benefit gala on Friday, April 1, 2022, at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Justin Bieber attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala on Sept. 13, 2021 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
