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
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.