From Arkells to Zoon — Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara area musicians earn Juno nominations

If Arkells win another Juno for Group of the Year, they might need to rent space to store all those awards.

The Hamilton rockers are up for their record-breaking seventh Juno for Group of the Year. They're one of many Hamilton, Burlington, Six Nations and Niagara-area artists nominated for Juno awards this year.

Some, like Arkells and Burlington's Walk Off The Earth, have won multiple times, while others like 2021 Polaris Prize nominees Zoon — up for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year — look for their first win.

Here are some nominees from Hamilton, Burlington, Six Nations and Niagara:

Arkells

The rock band from Hamilton, Arkells, has been nominated for Group of the Year, an award the group received for the third time in a row last year. Arkells broke the Junos record in 2023 for winning the title a sixth time.

Arkells have had 18 nominations since 2010, with nine wins.

Brooke Nicholls

Brooke Nicholls, a gospel singer who grew up in Chatham, Ont. but now lives in Hamilton, has been nominated in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category for her album Glory to God. This is her second nomination. 

Nicholls is the daughter of former Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls.

Josh Ross

Hamilton country singer Josh Ross has a nomination for the TikTok Juno Fan Choice award. It's Ross's first nomination and he will be performing at the awards ceremony. Ross was born in Hamilton's Waterdown area and previously told CBC News he gave up a job in construction to pursue music. 

Logan Staats

Mohawk musician and activist from the Six Nations of the Grand River, Logan Staats is up for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, for his album A Light in the Attic. This is Staats's first Juno nomination. 

Staats has told CBC News his music is in part inspired by his activism, including protesting the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Wet'suwet'en territory, over which a judge sentenced him to community service in November. 

Shawnee Kish 

Shawnee Kish, who grew up in Welland, Ont., is nominated for Adult Alternative Album of the Year and Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year for her album Revolution. Kish is one of 16 artists nominated twice this year. The Edmonton-based two-spirit Mohawk singer won CBC Music's Searchlight contest in 2020 and received a nomination in 2022. 

Kish performed as a Shania Twain impersonator as a child and played in a cover band as a teen, CBC Music has reported. 

Walk Off the Earth

Burlington indie pop band Walk Off the Earth is also nominated twice: for the Tik Tok Juno Fan Choice and Group of the Year awards. 

The band is well known for their pop covers and when member Mike Taylor died, Burlington mayor Marianne Meed Ward posthumously presented him with a Key to the City commendation. 

Zoon

Also up for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year is Hamilton musician Zoon with their album Bekka Ma'iingan. 

Zoon's music is described as shoegaze, a sub-genre of rock music which they told CBC Radio's q they call "moccasin gaze."

The annual music awards will take place in Halifax on March 24. CBC is the official media partner, and the awards ceremony will be broadcast and streamed across CBC platforms including CBC Music's website and YouTube channel.