Any trace of Hedley’s presence at next month’s Juno Awards has officially been erased.
The Vancouver pop rock band announced Feb. 19 that it had withdrawn from consideration in the three categories they’d been nominated in: Juno Fan Choice, Group of the Year and Pop Album of the Year.
“We do not wish to be a distraction at Canadian music’s biggest night or to, in any way, take away the focus from the tremendous honour that is the Juno Awards,” the band’s statement read.
Monday’s announcement is the latest in a week-long, career nose dive: radio stations, management, fellow artists and fans have distanced themselves from the band after online accusations of sexual misconduct began circulating last week.
The band was dropped by its management team — Watchdog Management and the Feldman Agency — on Feb. 16, the same day CBC suspended airplay of the Hedley catalogue. Former opening acts on Hedley’s current cross-Canada trek, Neon Dreams and Shawn Hook, dropped off the tour Friday as well.
“In light of the allegations surfacing against Hedley, we can no longer in good conscience continue on the Cageless tour,” Neon Dreams said in a statement. “We understand this choice could negatively impact our band professionally but in the end we have to do what we feel is morally right.”
Last week also saw Corus Radio suspend airplay of the Hedley catalogue across its 39 stations, Airmiles cancelled contests involving the band and the children’s charity WE severed ties with the group.
The band was slated to perform in Vancouver at the Junos on March 25. A statement released last week by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) said that performance would no longer happen.
“After careful consideration of the situation and in discussions with the band, CARAS and Hedley have decided that the band will not be performing at the 2018 JUNO Awards,” the statement said.
Last week’s allegations sparked a polarizing debate among fans defending the band and those speaking out against them. Several accusers are using the hashtag #OutHedley2K18 to collect stories related to the alleged incidents, some of which are alleged to have happened to minors.
The band is currently in the midst of an expansive cross-Canada tour, with tonight’s show slated for Ottawa. The tour is scheduled to wrap up March 23 in Kelowna and the band intends to honour all of those dates.
“The easy thing to do would be to cancel the tour and hide. We don’t intend to do that,” the band’s statement said. “We intend to start making positive changes, starting right now.”
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