Last night’s 2023 Juno Awards broadcast boasted appearances from many Canadian music luminaries, including Avril Lavigne, Kardinal Offishall, Maestro Fresh Wes and Nickelback. The show, hosted by Simu Liu for the second year in a row, also featured rousing performances from artists like Jessie Reyez, Preston Pablo, and Rêve, along with a show-stopping celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
Unsurprisingly, the red carpet looks from the evening didn’t disappoint either. Many performers and nominees opted for bright colours, co-ordinating sets and custom-made designs that allowed their artistry and personalities to shine. Here are 10 of the most interesting looks from the 2023 Junos Awards.
TOBi
Rapper Oluwatobi Feyisara Ajibolade, known as TOBi, wore a sharp blazer and dress shirt to the Juno Opening Night Awards, but opted for a more casual look for the broadcast event. The artist, who performed at the show and took home the award for Rap album/EP of the year, went with a graphic black-and-white ensemble, including all-white footwear that perfectly matched his pants.
Preston Pablo
Preston Pablo — a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Timmins, Ont. and the 2023 Breakthrough artist of the year — attended this year’s ceremony in a cropped, double-breasted white blazer and black pleated pants. Designed by fashion label HUGO, the combo strikes an ideal balance of stylish yet comfortable. I also liked how Pablo paired it with less-expected accessories: a set of black gloves and sleek white shoes.
The Sheepdogs
Hailing from Saskatoon, Sask., rock group The Sheepdogs went for a retro, Western-inspired look for the Junos red carpet. With bolo ties, cowboy boots, and plenty of fringe and denim in the mix, the four band members were able to complement each other, while still leaning into their individual takes on the trend.
Haviah Mighty
Last night, rapper Haviah Mighty paired her winning khaki-green ensemble with a cropped mesh top and a number of bold accessories, including flatform green boots, gold chains and mismatched earrings. Her metallic makeup look featuring asymmetrical face embellishments also caught my attention.
Jessie Reyez
Toronto-born Jessie Reyez — who won the Contemporary R&B recording of the year award last night — walked the red carpet in a matching peach-coloured corset top and flowy skirt with a thigh-high slit. The ultra-romantic look, which was styled by Steph Major, also included a gold septum ring and layered necklaces.
Andrew Phung
The Run The Burbs star, who also co-hosted the Juno Opening Night Awards, opted for a bright yellow double-breasted suit with white sneakers and no shirt last night. It was a statement-making choice, and certainly interesting to see the no-shirt trend pop up on more and more red carpets.
Pierre Kwenders
Musician Pierre Kwenders stood out on last night’s carpet in a three-piece, abstract print look from Montreal fashion designer Helmer Joseph. The choice to go without a shirt, keep the jacket unbuttoned, and add sunglasses and layered gold necklaces made what could be a fairly formal outfit feel perfectly Junos-appropriate.
Avril Lavigne
For her red carpet appearance, the TikTok Juno fan choice award winner — who recently worked with stylist Dominic West over Paris Fashion Week — wore an army-green jacket with padded shoulders over a sheer corset top and wide-leg cargo pants. The blazer’s cutouts added major interest to the look — plus, she was able to pose for photos with her hands in her pockets!
Rêve
Rêve, who took home the Juno for Dance recording of the year, stunned in a custom grey gown by Toronto-based Starkers Corsetry. Styled by fashion stylist Amber Watkins, the sculptural look was paired with long, sleek locks for a truly dramatic effect.
Aysanabee
Aysanabee, an Oji-Cree singer and songwriter, performed and walked the red carpet in a grey, raw-edged coat by Ojibway artist Travis Shilling and designers Catharine Robinson, Lori Marcuz and Annie McDayter from Toronto’s Call and Response. According to CBC Music, the hand-stitched numbers on the 122 feathers are a reference to the number of unmarked graves found at residential schools in Canada so far.
Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.