McLachlan star of Juno Awards

The Globe and Mail, March 23, 1998

Sarah McLachlan, whose haunting songs of love's ups and downs have made her a North American superstar, doesn't have to worry about lack of affection from the Canadian music scene. She won four Juno Awards last night, capping an extraordinary year for the 30-year-old alternative singer.

The Canadian music awards, given in her adopted home town of Vancouver before an audience of 10,000 and televised across the country, follow close on the heels of U.S. music honours. Last month, McLachlan won two Grammy Awards, for best female pop vocal performance for the song Building a Mystery and best pop instrumental for Last Dance.

Sunday night, the Halifax native added to her collection of prestigious hardware with a quartet of 1998 Junos for best album for Surfacing, best female vocalist, and single of the year for Building a Mystery. That song also earned her a Juno for songwriter of the year with her producer, Pierre Marchand.

Ontario's Shania Twain walked away with a Juno for best country female vocalist of the year. Toronto's Our Lady Peace took home two Junos, for group of the year and the fan-voted best rock album for their hit disc Clumsy.

Two Junos also went to country newcomer Paul Brandt of Calgary: male vocalist of the year and country male vocalist of the year.