TORONTO — Sydney Blu wants the Juno Awards to recognize the artistry that it takes to draw people to Canada’s nightclub dancefloors.
The veteran Toronto DJ and producer is putting the finishing touches on a proposal urging Junos organizers to think beyond the borders of radio-friendly dance hits.
She’d like them to introduce a new award that recognizes the underground electronic dance music community.
The performer, whose real name is Joanne Hill, says it would offer more legitimacy to traditional house and techno music producers who often “feel left out and neglected” when they’re not nominated.
The Junos have two dance music categories — dance recording of year and electronic album of the year — but typically they are dominated by mainstream names.
Hill says she plans to submit more than 190 support letters from DJs, producers and others in the local dance music industry to the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in the coming weeks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2021.