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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the addition of a new category: South Asian Music Recording of the Year for the Juno Awards, Canada’s longstanding music award show.
The CARAS also added the Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) category and placed the International Album of the Year category on hiatus, an honour that has been part of the Junos since 1975 They also put the categories of Reggae and Gospel on hiatus but quickly reversed that decision due to backlash from the industry.
“I personally found it a little surprising,” said Dr. Faiza Hirji, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Media Arts at McMaster University. “I can’t think of another artistic area where you see South Asians singled out as a separate category. But it might reflect the demographics of Canada.”
Hirji points out that South Asian culture has a longstanding influence in Canada, particularly in metropolitan areas like Toronto and Vancouver. “Bollywood has had a very strong influence throughout the diaspora,” Hirji explained, citing examples such as actor Simu Liu’s viral “Jalebi Baby” dance at the Junos in 2022. “There’s been a fair amount of success with South Asian artists, so maybe this new category reflects that as well.”
While the new category may nurture emerging South Asian artists, there is concern about whether these artists will also be considered for broader, more prestigious categories. “It’d be interesting to see if a breakout star from a South Asian background could win in more than one category,” Hirji said, noting that the reaction to the change will become clearer after the 2025 ceremony.
This sentiment was echoed by Canadian film and television composer, Tom Third, who noted that “it’s not just the Junos. It’s the Oscars, the Emmys—there’s been a global realisation that these institutions weren’t as representative as they could be.” In Canada, with its multicultural makeup, the push for more inclusive recognition is especially relevant. “If you live in Toronto, you see how big the South Asian community is. The idea of diversity in these awards is both a response to being socially aware and a reflection of what the community actually looks like.
Third also raised concerns about whether introducing more specific categories could prevent deserving artists from being recognised in the top categories. “Rather than judging all music on its own merits, we’re creating these smaller and smaller categories,” he said. “An artist may win in their category, but deep down, they might still want to win Record of the Year.”
Despite these concerns, the move has been largely welcomed by South Asian musicians like Poojan Kohli, who has worked extensively in the Indian film industry, sees the new category as a positive development. “I don’t think it puts anything in a box,” Kohli said. “If a song is that good, it’s going to win regardless. This new category creates more opportunities for musicians to take up music as a full-time profession. It’s high time something like this was added. It’s going to motivate so many South Asian artists to produce their own music.”
As the 2025 Juno Awards approach, the introduction of the South Asian category will likely spark both celebration and debate. While the move marks an important acknowledgment of Canada’s multicultural landscape, questions remain about how the Junos can continue to promote inclusivity without creating barriers to broader recognition.
The 2025 Juno Awards are scheduled for March 20 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
Reporter, On the Record, Fall 2024
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