TORONTO — Justin Bieber picked up a country Grammy and Kaytranada pulled in double wins during a pre-broadcast ceremony on the music industry’s biggest night.
The Stratford, Ont.-raised Bieber shared his award with country pair Dan and Shay for their collaboration on the hit single “10,000 Hours,” which won them best country duo or group performance.
It’s the second career Grammy for Bieber, who is the leading Canadian nominee at this year’s awards. His other nods include best pop vocal album for “Changes” and best pop solo performance for his song “Yummy.”
Kaytranada, born Louis Celestin, didn’t waste any time picking up two awards at the outset of the live streamed event, which is where winners for most of the 84 categories were revealed.
The Montreal-raised DJ and producer won best dance recording for “10%,” featuring Kali Uchis, and best dance or electronic album for “Bubba.”
“This is crazy. This is insane,” Celestin said in a remote video feed as he accepted the second of his two awards.
“I’m taking this one back to Montreal.”
Kaytranada will vie for the best new artist on the main Grammys broadcast later tonight.
Other early Canadian winners included Shawn Everett, raised in Bragg Creek, Alta., who won a Grammy for best engineered album, non-classical for Beck’s “Hyperspace.” Everett shares the award with a team of fellow engineers who worked on the album.
Jim (Kimo) West, the Toronto-born guitarist for “Weird Al” Yankovic, grabbed the best new age album Grammy for his solo work “More Guitar Stories.”
A musical adaptation of Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” won best musical theatre album for the main vocalists and producers involved in the project.
Other major contenders on Sunday’s the Grammys broadcast include song of the year nominee JP Saxe who splits his honour with girlfriend Julia Michaels for their duet “If the World Was Ending.”
Drake’s “Laugh Now, Cry Later” will be contending for best rap song and best melodic rap performance.
Producer Frank Dukes, born Adam Feeney, will vie for two major awards. His work with Post Malone earned nods for both record and album of the year.