Meet the 2025 Juno Breakthrough Nominees: ekkstacy, Tony Ann, Alexander Stewart, and More

The 2025 Juno Awards are fast approaching, with Josh Ross and Tate McRae leading the nominations at five each — both up for Artist of the Year. But what about the rising stars? This year’s Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year category is stacked, expanding from six to ten nominees. Let’s take a look at who’s in the running.

Tony Ann is a Canadian pianist and songwriter who makes emotional, wordless music using just a piano. He started playing at 12 and studied music in the U.S. before going viral online with his original songs and cool piano videos. He’s even worked with The Chainsmokers and released his own EPs about different feelings.

AP Dhillon is a singer and rapper who mixes Punjabi music with hip-hop and pop. Born in India and now based in Canada, he blew up with songs like Brown Munde and Summer High. He’s toured around the world, performed at the Junos, and even has a documentary about his life on Amazon Prime.

Chris Grey is a singer, songwriter, and producer from Toronto who started making music when he was just 11. His songs mix R&B, pop, and rock, and he’s known for his super smooth vocals and emotional vibe. His track Seamless helped get him noticed, and he’s been gaining fans online ever since.

ekkstacy is a singer from Vancouver who mixes indie rock and punk to create dark, emotional music. He started making songs in high school and got noticed with I Walk This Earth All by Myself. Since then, he’s dropped a few albums and even worked with big names like The Kid LAROI and Trippie Redd.

Nemahsis is a singer from Ontario who uses her music to talk about real-life struggles and identity. She first grabbed attention with her powerful song what if i took it off for you? and has kept making music that’s honest and emotional. In 2024, she dropped her first album Verbathim after going independent.

AR Paisley is a rapper from Mississauga who started out doing rap battles in high school. He’s dropped a bunch of albums like Screwface and Timeless, and his style is inspired by legends like 50 Cent and Tupac. He’s worked with big names like AP Dhillon and also has his own cool fashion line.

Owen Riegling is a country singer from a small town in Ontario who grew up on a farm and started playing guitar at 11. He got noticed after winning the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase in 2022. Since then, he’s signed a record deal, toured across Canada, and dropped songs like Old Dirt Roads and Love (The Sweater Song).

Alexander Stewart is a pop singer from Toronto who first got noticed by posting covers on YouTube, like his popular take on Havana. He later started making his own music, with songs like Blame’s on Me and I Wish You Cheated gaining big attention. In 2024, he dropped his first album Bleeding Heart and even performed on Jimmy Fallon.

Sukha is a young rapper from Toronto who’s been making waves in the Punjabi music scene. He blew up with his song 8 Asle, which racked up millions of views on YouTube. Since dropping his first songs in 2022, he’s released two EPs—Undisputed and 2003—and now he’s up for two big Juno Awards in 2025.

Zeina is a singer from Montreal with Lebanese and Egyptian roots who mixes R&B, pop, and Arabic sounds in her music. She started out in 2016 and dropped her first album Eastend Confessions in 2024. Her song Hooked got a lot of love, even landing on the charts, and now she’s up for two Juno Awards in 2025.