Canada’s top Grammy winner on Sunday was Tobias Jesso Jr., a Vancouver native who made history as the first recipient of the Songwriter of the Year award.
"I feel very humbled and grateful to have won this award," Jesso told reporters in the press room, "but I kind of feel like this is more for all the other songwriters out there in all the other years that this category could have been a thing."
The 37-year-old was honoured for his contribution to crafting Adele’s “To Be Loved” and “Can I Get It,” Harry Styles’ “Boyfriend,” Omar Apollo’s “No Good Reason,” King Princess’ “Dotted Lines,” FKA Twigs’ “Careless” and “Thank You Song” and fellow Canadian Orville Peck’s “C’mon Baby Cry.”
Jesso Jr. picked up the award during the Grammys premiere ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
As a co-writer on Harry’s House, which won Album of the Year, Jesso Jr. also earns a Grammy in that category.
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It was the first time Jesso Jr. has been up for Grammys (he was also nominated for Album of the Year thanks to his contribution to Adele’s 30) but he was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the JUNO Awards in 2016 (he lost to The Weeknd).
Jesso Jr. released his debut album Goon in 2015 and co-wrote “When We Were Young” and “Lay Me Down” for Adele’s album 25.
“As a Grammy winner hopefully I will get a lot more friends,” Jesso Jr. joked, adding that he is anxious to work next with “anyone super famous and successful."
Montreal’s Yannick Nézet-Séguin also won two Grammys: Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Vocal Performance.
Other Canadian winners on Sunday were Drake and Michael Bublé. Matthew Stevens, who was born in Toronto, shared the Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Album (for New Standards Vol. 1) with Vancouver-born, Calgary-raised Kris Davis.