Feist wins Artist of the Year at Junos, Michael Bublé wins Album of the Year

OTTAWA – Feist and The Sheepdogs were the night’s big winners at the Juno awards in Ottawa Sunday night.

Feist took home Artist of the Year award.

“I’m very proud and I’m straight-up grateful,” Feist said.

Our reporters’ coverage of the show is below.

While The Sheepdogs surprised most, winning song of the year for their single “I Don’t Know.”

Album of the Year went to Michael Bublé, who wasn’t in Ottawa but accepted his award in a video recording.

“I’m totally thrilled to have won this award. I love Christmas. Thanks again,” he said.

Other winners include Dallas Green for Songwriter of the Year, Hedly and Drake both picked up their first Juno wins. Headly for Pop Album of the Year for and Drake for Rap Recording.

Justin Bieber recieved the Fan Choice Award.

“What’s up everybody? This is Justin,” he said in a pre-recorded message, a tad redundantly given the shrill screaming inside Scotiabank Place. “Fan choice. As we all know I have the best fans in the world, so this award is basically for all my fans. This is just yours.”

Feist’s best artist win might have surprised some given that Feist’s contemplative fourth disc, “Metals,” wasn’t nominated for album of the year and she lost songwriter of the year earlier in the evening to City and Colour’s Dallas Green.

That was hardly the only surprise in the early going at Sunday’s splashy telecast.

Dance recording of the year went to Toronto’s Dragonette and French DJ Martin Solveig, not presumed favourite Deadmau5 — who had won the category four years in a row.

And Green’s win might also have raised eyebrows, given that he beat out Mangan and Jim Cuddy.

“If I can find a way to cut this up into five individual pieces I’d gladly share it with all the other nominees,” Green said as he claimed the trophy.

“Canada has some of the best songwriters in the world and I’m glad to be a part of it. But I’d also, I’d just like to accept this on behalf of … all the people who truly believe it’s all about the song and it’s not about all the other stuff.”

Still, Cuddy was set to get his due.

His band, Blue Rodeo, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame after a performance with Vancouver-based chanteuse Sarah McLachlan.

Mangan’s second Juno win seemed likewise likely given the fact that he entered with four nominations.

“I feel like there’s a certain amount of chatter around the best new artist award every year going to … artists on their second or maybe third albums,” said Mangan, whose “Oh Fortune” was, yes, his third album.

“I would like to look at like this … it takes time to do anything that’s worthwhile.”

Nickelback opened the show with a performance of “This Means War,” before 81-year-old host William Shatner descended for a monologue and song.

The “Star Trek” icon poked light-hearted fun at Deadmau5 — intentionally mispronouncing his moniker — as well as Hedley, Carly Rae Jepsen and Sarah McLachlan.

“I’ve been to three Lilith Fairs,” he barked at the Vancouver-based chanteuse. “I came for the music, I stayed for the wheatgrass smoothies.”

He also strapped on a sunburst Les Paul to sing a few bars of several well-worn Canuck classics, including Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69,” Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Takin’ Care of Business” and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.”

While the 81-year-old Montreal-born actor provided a stark contrast to last year’s 25-year-old host, Drake, the show opted for youth in other ways.

Critically acclaimed St. John’s, N.L., outfit Hey Rosetta put in a rousing performance in front of a crowd that might have been largely unaware of their existence, while a dance medley featuring Dragonette, Alyssa Reid and JRDN brought the crowd to its feet.