By TRT Staff with notes from the Canadian Press
TORONTO — Since little more than a handful of Canada-grown artists were nominated, it was never in the cards to be a banner year at the Grammy Awards.
But as Northern Cree made another appearance, the ninth time wasn’t the charm.
Drake, Shawn Mendes, Jessie Reyez and Alberta’s Indigenous singing group were among the performers left empty-handed on music’s biggest night on Sunday in Los Angeles.
All of the Canadian contenders, who also included Michael Buble and Daniel Caesar, were competing in categories that were presented during a ceremony before the main television broadcast event hosted by Alicia Keys.
Steve Wood, co-founder of Northern Cree, didn’t win best regional roots music album, which means the group is now zero for nine on the Grammys count. His group was nominated for “When It’s Cold _ Cree Round Dance Songs.’’
But Wood isn’t sweating another loss, he said, since the Grammys offer an opportunity to shine in other ways. He was looking forward to showcasing First Nations cultures and fashion on a global scale.
“It’s always a win for us when we represent our people in circles where we’re getting our voice out,” Wood said by phone shortly before stepping onto the Grammys red carpet.
“Our music is alive as well, and some day maybe we’ll get to that point of having it recognized on that stage,” he added.
