April 14, 2016 – MONTREAL (Canada) – Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) is delighted to announce it is awarding the prestigious 2016 National Arts Centre Award to Michael Bublé. An internationally acclaimed, Grammy and Juno Award-winning singer, Bublé will be honoured during the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala at the National Arts Centre on June 11, 2016.

The National Arts Centre Award is presented annually as part of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards in recognition of recent exceptional work by a performing artist.

Bublé’s rich baritone voice, engaging humour and ability to command a stage have made him one of the most sought-after performers in the world. The charismatic singer, talented songwriter and brilliant entertainer from Burnaby, B.C. dazzled audiences worldwide with highly successful international tour won a Grammy Award in 2014 for his album To Be Loved (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album), netted his third Juno Fan Choice Award, and was last year inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

“Michael Bublé is an exceptional singer and songwriter whose voice and stage presence have captured the hearts of audiences across Canada and around the world,” said NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf. “We are very happy to honour him with the National Arts Centre Award.”

Michael Bublé has sold 50 million records worldwide, and has toured to more than 50 countries, and has placed four consecutive albums at #1 on Billboard 200.

With the release of his 2003 self-titled debut CD, Michael Bublé established himself not only as an interpreter of the American songbook, but also as an unparalleled showman. The album went to the Top 10 in Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa, and reached the #1 slot in Australia. In the U.S. the album attained Gold status, and in Canada it would bring Bublé his first Juno Award for Best New Artist.

Bublé’s second album This Time (2005) contained his first breakthrough single, “Home.” The CD reached #1 in Canada, the US, Italy and Japan, and made the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Austria and Sweden. The album spent 104 weeks on Billboard’s Top Jazz chart, including a record 78 weeks in the #1 spot. In 2006 Bublé won 4 Juno awards and received two Grammy nominations.

For the next two years, Bublé circled the globe eight times, visiting and performing in 40 countries. His success continued in 2007 with the release of Call Me Irresponsible, which reached #1 in seven countries, brought Bublé his first Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, and sold over five million copies worldwide.

In 2009, Bublé released his fourth CD, Crazy Love. It would become his fastest-selling album until October 2011, when his studio album Christmas rose to the top of the charts in over 20 countries, selling over seven million copies and earning him a Juno for Album of the Year. In 2010 he performed at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin before 100,000 fans – his biggest audience to date. His sixth album To Be Loved (2013) received a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and achieved #1 status in 11 countries. His world tour began that summer with 10 sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena.

Michael Bublé was won four Grammys, 11 Junos, a Gemini for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series, a Canadian Screen Award and seven Smooth Jazz Awards. He is a strong supporter of the BC’s Children’s Hospital and the co-owner of the Vancouver Giants, a minor league hockey team.

ABOUT THE NAC

The National Arts Centre collaborates with artists and arts organizations across Canada to help create a national stage for the performing arts, and acts as a catalyst for performance, creation and learning across the country. A home for Canada’s most creative artists, the NAC strives to be artistically adventurous in each of its programming streams: the NAC Orchestra, English Theatre, French Theatre and Dance, as well as the Scene festivals and NAC Presents, which showcase established and emerging Canadian artists. The organization is at the forefront of youth and educational activities, offering artist training, programs for children and youth, and resources for teachers in communities across Canada. The NAC is also a pioneer in new media, using technology to teach students and young artists around the globe by creating top-rated podcasts and providing a wide range of NAC Orchestra concerts on demand. The NAC is the only bilingual, multidisciplinary performing arts centre in Canada, and one of the largest in the world.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Rosemary Thompson
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
National Arts Centre
Cell: 613-762-4118
rosemary.thompson@nac-cna.ca