After having new-wave top Punjabi music artists like AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla perform and Aujla take home a fan-voted award, a first for Punjabi singer-songwriter, Canada’s premiere music awards the Junos is bringing in a permanent South Asian music category to go for the all inclusive approach as it seeks to increase popularity across Canada. The Juno Awards announced recently that they are casting a spotlight on Canadian-made South Asian music as part of broader changes to the annual celebration.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

TORONTO – After having new-wave top Punjabi music artists like AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla perform and Aujla take home a fan-voted award, a first for Punjabi singer-songwriter, Canada’s premiere music awards the Junos is bringing in a permanent South Asian music category to go for the all inclusive approach as it seeks to increase popularity across Canada.

The Juno Awards announced recently that they are casting a spotlight on Canadian-made South Asian music as part of broader changes to the annual celebration.

Organizers at the country’s biggest music awards show said they intend to introduce two new categories next year, with the other giving more space to songwriters.

The new South Asian music recording of the year award will toast homegrown musicians who work in genres inspired by the region, including Punjabi and Bollywood music.

Its addition comes after British Columbia-based musician Karan Aujla became the first Punjabi artist to win the viewer-voted Juno fan choice award earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a new non-performing songwriter of the year category will award creators who pen lyrics for other musicians. It divides the existing songwriter category into two, with the other awarding artists who’ve written their own work.

The Junos made the announcement after pulling back on plans to put four categories on “hiatus” next year — children’s album, reggae recording and Christian/gospel album and international album.

An internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press earlier this month showed those categories were originally going to be shelved for the 2025 show. But a swift blowback from the music community led CEO Allan Reid to reinstate three of the awards.

The Junos say they only intend to sideline the international album prize, which was awarded to non-Canadian artists with a global impact.

“To inform future changes, we will continue to work closely with artists, industry professionals, and communities, ensuring that all decisions are made thoughtfully and inclusively reflecting trends, data and cultural significances within our communities,” the organization said in a statement.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences says various other changes will take effect for the 2025 award show.

The 54th Juno Awards ceremony will be held at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on March 30, 2025.

Courtesy The Canadian Press