Preston Pablo of Timmins receives three Juno Award nominations
Preston Pablo, 21, of Timmins is a singer, songwriter and musician who's been nominated for three Juno Awards.
The announcement was made Tuesday. Pablo will also be performing at the 52nd Juno Awards show on March 13 in Edmonton.
He has been nominated in three categories, including Single of the Year for 'Flowers Need Rain,' which also features fellow Juno Award nominees Banx and Ranx from Montreal.
Some of the other contenders in this category include Avril Lavigne, The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes.
Pablo only signed with Universal Music Canada about a year ago and his debut single, 'Flowers Need Rain,' was one of the top 30 most listened to songs of 2022. It has amassed more than 51 million streams globally.
In an interview with CTV News, Pablo said he was still living in Timmins when he wrote the song.
"I just remember sitting on the bed,” he said.
“Picked up my guitar and I was just kind of messing around with the guitar and the melody for the chorus of ‘Flowers Need Rain’ just came out and I was just like mumbling the melody and as soon as I heard the melody come out, I knew that ... it sounded great.”
Pablo also has nominations in the 'Breakthrough Artist' and 'TikTok Juno Fan Choice' categories.
“It hasn’t actually been more than like a few years that I actually started making music,” he told CTV News.
“For me moving away from Timmins less than a year ago to now playing at the Junos … just saying that out loud is crazy to me. So it definitely, it feels like a long time because of how much work I put into it. But I think we’ve got a long road ahead so this is just the beginning.”
The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist now lives in Toronto with his brother Dawson, who’s also a musician.
Carla Comand-Desmarais, their former music teacher in Timmins, said the brothers stopped by for a visit before Christmas to talk to her students.
“I was Preston Pablo’s music teacher in Grade 7 and Grade 8 so when he came to R. Ross Beattie Public School, he was already quite an accomplished drummer,” Comand-Desmarais said.
“He had been taking some drumming lessons so when he got to Grade 7, we bumped him right away to Grade 8 band.”
Cheryl and Reg Pablo, Preston's parents, are glad to see him succeed.
'PRESTON'S HAVING FUN'
“Preston’s having fun,” said Cheryl.
“We’ll just see where his music takes him. We’re here to support him. He’s got a good team behind him and we’ll see what happens.”
“Fingers crossed,” added Reg.
A new song from Pablo, 'Ay Ay Ay,' was released in early January.
Another northerner, Crystal Shawanda from Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, is also a Juno nominee for 2022 for Blues Album of the Year for her album, 'Midnight Blues.’
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Upgrading Safe Third Country Agreement about reassuring Canadians: PM Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he feels it is his role to see the Safe Third Country Agreement upgraded, in order to make sure Canadians can continue to have confidence in Canada's immigration system.

Largest recorded Alberta earthquake not natural, from oilsands wastewater: study
The largest recorded earthquake in Alberta's history was not a natural event, but most likely caused by disposal of oilsands wastewater, new research has concluded.
Han Dong resigns from Liberal caucus amid foreign interference allegations
Han Dong has announced he will be sitting as an independent MP after being the subject of foreign interference allegations.
Foreign mothers of Canadian children seek escape from ISIS detention camp
A group of lawyers is racing against the clock to get Canadian children and their foreign-born mothers onto a plane that will soon be dispatched to repatriate detainees from prison camps in northeast Syria.
Budget 2023 to detail crackdown on 'junk fees' for consumers: federal source
A federal source says the coming budget will detail how the Liberals plan to go after hidden or unexpected consumer fees, following the United States announcing its own crackdown on these charges.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance'
Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance,' former prime minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday, but he cautioned that Pierre Poilievre should wait until an election before telling Canadians how he might run the country.
All the details we know so far about the coronation of King Charles III
The coronation of King Charles III will take place in May, in a ceremony that is expected to be less extravagant, while underscoring a new era for the Royal Family.
Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial set for family testimony
Two daughters of a retired optometrist suing Gwyneth Paltrow are expected to testify on Thursday about the lasting effects of their father and Paltrow's 2016 ski collision as the trial takes on an increasingly personal note on the third day of proceedings.
Parks Canada says new reservation system working well as bookings open in busy Banff
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations.