Ryder, Reid, Classified named as Juno Awards co-hosts
Serena Ryder, Johnny Reid, Classified will be the co-hosts of the Juno Awards in Winnipeg.
Classified, a platinum-selling hip hop artist, was a 2013 Juno Award winner. Reid is a platinum-selling three-time Juno-winning artist and Ryder is a multi-platinum-selling four-time Juno Award winner.
Collectively, the trio has amassed 35 career Juno nominations and eight wins.
It was also announced that Classified and Ryder would perform together to open the two-hour award show at the MTS Centre on March 30.
The collective approach to hosting is new for the Junos, a show that has usually opted for a single host. Recent performers to MC the event include rap superstar Drake, crooner Michael Buble and "Star Trek" alumnus William Shatner.
Reaching farther back, the Junos were memorably hosted by Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette and Nelly Furtado.
The last Junos broadcast to not have a single host was the 2010 bash held in St. John's, N.L., which went host-less and instead used a cast of various presenters.
In addition to hosting, Ryder is one of the evening's marquee nominees with five nods including artist, album and single of the year.
The nominees for the annual music awards were announced in early February.
Montreal's Arcade Fire, whose expansive fourth album Reflektor topped charts upon its October release, led the way with six nominations.
Bublé — an 11-time winner and last year's host — earned five nominations including album, single and artist of the year while Calgary-reared pop outfit Tegan and Sara scooped up four nominations for their slick pop reinvention Heartthrob.
Other four-time nominees include Celine Dion (a 20-time winner), Hedley (now 25-time nominees) and Drake, now a 20-time nominee.
Winnipeg-born Chantal Kreviazuk and husband Raine Maida will receive the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, while classic Winnipeg rock outfit Bachman-Turner Overdrive will be ushered into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.