It's a rare occurrence that a brand new disc should already have been nominated for a major award - usually it's more common to see years-old releases somehow finding their ways into consideration. It's even more unusual that cutting edge, hard-to-categorize urban music would be nominated for any kind of established mainstream prize.
But Exclaim!'s April cover boy, Poirier, is surprised and delighted with the unexpected Juno nom for "Wha-La-La-Leng" (with Face T) in the Best Reggae Recording category. The song was originally released last year on the first of three EPs compiled for Poirier's new full length, Running High.
In an interview on Toronto's CIUT radio, Poirier recently spoke of the nomination, and here's what he had to say:
I must say it's kind of showing more openness from the Junos than L'Adisq, which is the equivalent in Quebec for the music industry. They don't have a reggae category, and they would never put something like that in the category [if they did].
We thought that the reggae category for "Wha-La-La-Leng" was the closest one - obviously Face T is Jamaican and Quebecois and he's rhyming in patois. But the rhythm, it's pretty clear, is different than the other nominess. I don't think I'll win but just to be nominated shows "Okay, there's something else you can do." Reggae is such a large style of music; it's almost like rock. [This song] was more of a tough dancehall and soca-ish sound, so it's cool to have that represented in the category.
In the interview, Poirier also bigs up 2007 reggae Juno winner and fellow Montrealer Mikey Dangerous on Running High. "For me, it was quite important to have him on the record not because he won the Juno but because he's one of the most talented dancehall vocalists in Montreal. So I've got Mikey Dangerous, Face T and Boogat speaking Spanish- for me they all represent a different side to what Montreal has to give in terms of vocalists. I'm very happy about it. I represent Montreal, but not in a super-obvious way. It's a Montreal record but it's open to the rest of the world."
The Juno Awards take place in St. John's, NL on Sunday (April 18).
But Exclaim!'s April cover boy, Poirier, is surprised and delighted with the unexpected Juno nom for "Wha-La-La-Leng" (with Face T) in the Best Reggae Recording category. The song was originally released last year on the first of three EPs compiled for Poirier's new full length, Running High.
In an interview on Toronto's CIUT radio, Poirier recently spoke of the nomination, and here's what he had to say:
I must say it's kind of showing more openness from the Junos than L'Adisq, which is the equivalent in Quebec for the music industry. They don't have a reggae category, and they would never put something like that in the category [if they did].
We thought that the reggae category for "Wha-La-La-Leng" was the closest one - obviously Face T is Jamaican and Quebecois and he's rhyming in patois. But the rhythm, it's pretty clear, is different than the other nominess. I don't think I'll win but just to be nominated shows "Okay, there's something else you can do." Reggae is such a large style of music; it's almost like rock. [This song] was more of a tough dancehall and soca-ish sound, so it's cool to have that represented in the category.
In the interview, Poirier also bigs up 2007 reggae Juno winner and fellow Montrealer Mikey Dangerous on Running High. "For me, it was quite important to have him on the record not because he won the Juno but because he's one of the most talented dancehall vocalists in Montreal. So I've got Mikey Dangerous, Face T and Boogat speaking Spanish- for me they all represent a different side to what Montreal has to give in terms of vocalists. I'm very happy about it. I represent Montreal, but not in a super-obvious way. It's a Montreal record but it's open to the rest of the world."
The Juno Awards take place in St. John's, NL on Sunday (April 18).