Justin Bieber Booed Over Juno Fan Choice Award Win But Defended [Video]
Justin Bieber won the Juno Fan Choice award for the fourth year running at the 43rd music awards event in Canada, to beat out Drake, Arcade Fire, Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Serena Ryder, Hedley, Robin Thicke and Walk Off the Earth.
The 20-year-old star didn’t attend the event although he is in Canada. As Bieber’s fan-voted win was announced the crowd booed with what the National Post called “vindictive gusto” — an act that was later addressed by double winner and co-host Serena Ryder while receiving her Songwriter of the Year Juno.
“I really think Justin Bieber is an amazing musician and that he deserved every bit of that award because he’s been working his ass off his entire life,” Ryder told the MTS center audience in Winnipeg during her gutsy speech.
“We need to support how awesome he is. I think he’s great. I’m not just trying to kiss a**. I think he’s great. He’s amazing,” she added, BBC News reports.
Around 80 percent of the 2014 Juno Awards were given out at a pre-telecast Saturday Gala. However, Bieber’s award was one of those revealed during Sunday’s live broadcast on the CTV network.
The singer later took to Twitter to thank his fans in two messages.
We won #JUNOFanChoice for the 4th year in a row! Love to all my beliebers. Thank u. Love u
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) March 31, 2014
As long as u are with me I will never leave you
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) March 31, 2014
The news comes as Bieber continues his stay in his native land since returning earlier this month following a weekend in Texas with on-off girlfriend Selena Gomez.
According to his social media accounts, the on-the-move star is focusing on recording new music in Toronto, shooting new videos and topping up his tattoo count.
Over the last three weeks Bieber has previewed two new songs – a piano ballad called “Life Is Worth Living” and a club track produced by DJ Mustard. The “Confident” superstar also recorded a new music video with R&B singer Khalil Sharieff in Toronto last weekend.
Bieber’s Canada visit comes ahead of criminal charges and civil lawsuits still to be resolved, some of which now involve Gomez.
Meanwhile, Ryder – who co-hosted with Johnny Reid and Classified – also won Artist of the Year as well as Songwriter of the Year with her album Harmony.
Serena Ryder: “Bieber is an amazing musician and that he deserves every bit of that award..we need to support how awesome he is.” #JUNOS2014
— HuffPost.Ca Music (@HuffPostCaMusic) March 31, 2014
The winner of #JUNOFanChoice presented by @TD_Canada is @justinbieber! Congrats! #TDMusic #JUNOS2014
— The JUNO Awards (@TheJUNOAwards) March 31, 2014
Drake won rap recording of the year for Nothing Was the Same. Tegan and Sara won pop album of the year for Heartthrob, while best rock album went to Matt Mays for Coyote.
Arcade Fire’s dance-rock opus Reflektor, won alternative album of the year.
Robin Thicke was scheduled to perform but pulled out of the awards citing “mandatory vocal rest.”
Notably, Randy Bachman, Fred Turner, Robbie Bachman, and Blair Thornton of Bachman-Turner-Overdrive were all inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the event.
For the full list of winners at the 2014 Juno Awards, click the highlights.
(Photo: Serena Ryder emotional as she accepts her award for Songwriter of the Year at the 43rd Juno Awards 2014. She hit back at those booing Justin Bieber’s Fan Choice win during her worthy speech.)
