Pop star Carly Rae Jepsen eclipsed her mentor Justin Bieber as she picked up her first Juno Award in her native Canada on Saturday night.
The Call Me Maybe hit maker took the Pop Album of the Year prize for Kiss, seeing off competition from fellow nominee Bieber – who helped put Jepsen on the map last year by scoring her a record deal.
Accepting her trophy at the event in Regina, she said, “I can remember back in 2010 when I was nominated with Ryan Stewart for songwriter of the year and I thought to myself that that was the most amazing moment of my life. But I was wrong. It’s right now. I just want to say this has been an incredible journey… It really has been a journey that began when I was seven years old and it’s my dad I’d like to honor with this tonight, so thank you, dad.”
Veteran singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen landed his fourth ever Juno when he was named Artist of the Year at the dinner gala, which came ahead of the main Juno Awards prize-giving on Sunday.
Bieber will have another chance to triumph over his pop protege Jepsen – both stars are competing in the Album of the Year and the Juno Fan Choice categories at the main Juno telecast, to be hosted by crooner Michael Buble.
