2026 CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR I Avenoir | | The JUNO Awards

Hailing from Canada and born to Nigerian and Zambian parents, Avenoir is an emerging R&B artist making waves in the underground scene. His fresh take on a classic R&B sound has earned him two sold-out nights at the Drake Hotel in Toronto, placements on multiple billboards, appearances on Spotify playlist covers including DND, Butter, R&B Right Now, and Mood Ring, features on Apple playlists Day One, New in Pop, Breaking R&B, New Music Daily and Mood, and appearances on OVO Radio, Sirius XM Canada and iHeartRadio. He’s been working with artists such as PARTYNEXTDOOR, Tyla, Bryant Barnes, Maz B, RealestK, and Chase Shakur — the latter of which he opened up for on the Canadian dates of the ‘It’s Still Love’ tour. With over 445 million streams across his discography, Avenoir’s nostalgic sound, sensuous tone, and neo-soul melodies create an immersive listening experience that continues to captivate audiences. This year, Avenoir released his debut album “Mirage”, performed at the Juno Awards, Canadian Music Week, and Calgary Stampede, and he will soon embark on a headlining tour across Canada.