Canadian talent honoured on Grammy weekend

From pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen to veteran vocalist Loreena McKennitt to rap star Drake, Canadian talent spanning many musical genres is being celebrated at the Grammy Awards this weekend.

In the days leading up to Sunday's awards, a massive wave of musicians typically head down to Los Angeles for the annual celebration.

"It feels like really sheer joy," R&B singer Melanie Fiona told CBC News Thursday night. "It's a really nice time of the year for me, for every artist."

Fiona, nominated once again afterher double win in 2012, was among the guests at the annual Grammy party held by the Constulate General of Canada in Los Angeles. She will vie for a trophy in the category of best traditional R&B performance for her tune Wrong Side of a Love Song.

Her fellow Canadians vying for Grammy trophies this year include:

• Drake: best rap album (Take Care); best rap song (The Motto); best rap performance (HYFR)
• Carly Rae Jepsen: song of the year (Call Me Maybe); best pop solo performance (Call Me Maybe)
• Tamia: best R&B song (Beautiful Surprise); best R&B album (Beautiful Surprise)
• Arcade Fire: best song written for visual media (Abraham's Daughter from The Hunger Games)
• Michael Bubl: best traditional pop vocal album (Christmas)
• Deadmau5: best dance/electronic album (Album Title Goes Here)
• Loreena McKennitt: best new age album (Troubadours on the Rhine)
• Howard Shore: best score soundtrack for visual media (Hugo)
• Tegan and Sara: best long form music video (Get Along)

McKennitt is a contender for the second time, after an earlier nomination in 2007 for her album An Ancient Muse. The latest recognitionin the new age category comes for her album Troubadours On the Rhine.

"I've not regarded my music as new age, generally speaking...but what I came to realize, as we've toured in Europe particularly, [is] that the new age category spans a much broader swath of artists and genres than one would actually expect," McKennitt told CBC in Toronto on Thursday, before she left for Los Angeles.

"I don't want to get to hung up on the category. I'm just delighted I was nominated," she added. "Whether I win or not, it's icing on the cake."

The Grammy Awards will be handed out in Los Angeles on Sunday, with the bulk presented during a daytime ceremony broadcast online and winners in the top categories announced during a live TV telecast Sunday evening.

Artists set to perform include Sting, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Elton John, .fun and Frank Ocean.

Six acts head into the weekend with the most nominations(six each): Mumford & Sons, Ocean, The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, Kanye West, Jay-Z and fun.