It will be a homecoming of sorts for Loud Luxury.
The London dance music duo is the first performers to be announced for the 2019 Juno Awards coming to Budweiser Gardens on March 17.
"When we found out we would be playing the show we were blown away," said Loud Luxury's Joe De Pace.
De Pace, a London native, met bandmate Andrew Fedyk while the pair were studying at Western University. Their hit Body featuring vocalist Brando has been certified seven times platinum in Canada and is this year's third best selling single in the country behind only Drake and Ed Sheeran.
The duo considers the chance to take the stage at the Junos a game changer.
"You have to under the majority of our performances because we are in the electronic world are very late - like 2 a.m. in a nightclub. So to have the opportunity to do a prime-time performance, at a show like this, it will be an opportunity to showcase our artistry. We are very excited," said Fedyk.
The Canadian Academy of Recordings Arts and Sciences (CARAS) made the performance announcement in London on Thursday. CARAS President Allan Reid told reporters after finding out from Loud Luxury's promoter that the duo was not only Canadian but from London, he knew they needed to book them for the 48th annual music awards.
CARAS President Allan Reid
"Immediately, I was like 'we have to get these guys for the show. This needs to be the first announcement," said Reid. "I am just so excited to have these guys on the stage and hopefully have them get discovered by even more people."
Additional performers are slated to be announced in the coming months.
Juno Week festivities will be held at various venues from March 11-17, 2019. Among the events will be a celebrity hockey game dubbed Juno Cup, Juno Fan Fare where artists gather to sign autographs and pose for pictures, and a gala dinner.
It was also announced Thursday, that key music venues in the city, including London Music Hall, Budweiser Gardens, and Centennial Hall, have raised over $100,000 for MusiCounts, a charity that ensures children across Canada have access to musical instruments.
"Literally, that is 20 schools fully outfitted [with instruments] and those instruments when they go into a school will last 15 years, if well cared for. That is a lot of kids it will impact," said Reid, who is also the head of MusiCounts.
Since January, the venues have been donating $1 from every ticket sold to the charity. They will continue to collect money for MusiCounts leading up to the Junos.
Tickets for the 2019 Juno Awards and the Juno Cup go on sale at 10 a.m. on November 30. Ticket prices for the Juno Awards start at $79.95 (plus fees), while the Juno Cup tickets range from $15 to $20 (plus fees) and will be available at the Budweiser Gardens box office, online at budweisergardens.com, or by calling 1-866-455-2849.