Mae Martin to host Junos and celebrate Canada’s ‘bastion of sanity’ amid U.S. tensions

TORONTO — Mae Martin will host this year’s Juno Awards at a moment when they say they’re feeling especially grateful to be Canadian.

The Toronto-born actor and comedian says living in Los Angeles has deepened their appreciation for Canada’s “democratic common sense.”

Martin says that sense of gratitude and love for their home country will inform their approach to the ceremony.

The non-binary entertainer describes hosting the Junos as a lifelong ambition and a chance to celebrate Canadian music, which they call the best in the world.

Martin says they try to shoehorn Canadian tunes into every project they do, including their thriller series “Wayward,” which debuted at No. 1 on Netflix’s English TV list in September.

The Juno Awards broadcast will take place March 29 in Hamilton, where R&B singer Daniel Caesar will receive the International Achievement Award and is also slated to perform.

Martin says they feel immediate relief whenever they fly back to Canada from the United States.

“I land at Pearson Airport in Toronto and one of the first things you see is a big Pride flag. It’s like, whew! It’s a scary time in America right now,” they say.

Martin earned a name for themselves touring the U.K.’s comedy circuit in the 2010s before recently relocating to the U.S.

But they say that time away from Canada has only made them more conscious of the country’s relative social and cultural stability.

“The crazier things get in America, the more grateful we are here for our little bastion of sanity,” says Martin.

“I feel like we’re understanding how fragile that is and how easily you can lose that democratic common sense.”

At last year’s Junos, host Michael Bublé struck a patriotic tone during his opening monologue, pushing back against U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariff war and annexation threats by declaring that Canada was “not for sale.”

Martin says they aim to convey their affection for their homeland while keeping the show light and celebratory.

“Hopefully my immense gratitude and love will come through without also bringing us down by reminding everyone of the hellscape that the world is right now,” they say.

“It will just be a nice night of hugging each other with our words.”

Other performers announced Wednesday include roots/folk singer William Prince, while emo-punk rockers Billy Talent will be recognized with the Humanitarian Award at a gala celebration the night before the broadcast.

Juno Week starts March 26, with live music and industry programming planned throughout the host city.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press