02 | 2016 | SINGLE OF THE YEAR | Alessia Cara | | The JUNO Awards

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario

There’s a new breed of pop star seizing hold of the world’s airwaves and online – more accurately, a conscious-pop star who’s set to subversively top charts and sway hearts and minds. This enigma embodied is 18-year-old, Alessia Cara, who’s riding the refrains of her ironic anthem, “Here.” Premiered by The FADER, “Here” garnered over 500,000 total streams in its first week and received resounding praise for its freshness and insight.

“Here” is unapologetically autobiographical: “‘Here’ is a true story,” Alessia confesses. “It’s a party song, but really it’s the complete opposite of a party song. It’s absolutely me; it shouts out to the person in the corner of the party, looking around uncomfortably. I feel like this song narrates what the wallflower is thinking.”