The singer was interrupted onstage at the awards ceremony (Picture: Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)
Avril Lavigne came face-to-face with a topless stage invader at the Juno Awards on Monday night.
The Canadian punk pop star was introducing musician AP Dhillon to the stage at Canada’s alternative to the Grammys at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, when she realised she wasn’t alone.
She was joined by a protestor dressed in pink cargo trousers and a matching headscarf, who had ‘save the green belt’ written on their back, seemingly in protest of the Ontario government’s proposal to build at least 50,000 new homes on 7,400 acres of the protective land of Greenbelt.
On her front, where she stickers covering her modesty and a countdown written across her chest, proclaiming: ‘Our clock is ticking. 0745 days left.’
The photos show the stage invader enjoying her moment, throwing her arms up as she faced the crowd and even posing cheekily with her tongue stuck out behind Avril, who was smiling.
However, the singer-songwriter was in a business-like mood and upon seeing the individual swiftly told them to ‘get the f**k off’.
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Avril was introducing musician AP Dhillon when she was unexpectedly joined onstage (Picture: Getty)
The protestor was keen to make an impression (Picture: Getty)
Avril, however, told her way to go (Picture: Getty)
They were then escorted from the stage.
Later, during her acceptance speech for the fan choice award, Avril, 38, quipped: ‘Now nobody try anything this time. I’ll f**k a b***h up.’
Marvel actor Simu Liu hosted the bash and thanked the Sk8r Boi hitmaker, who has been in the headlines recently for her new romance with rapper Tyga, for ‘handling that topless lady like a champion.’
Avril stunned her fans when she split with fiancé Mod Sun in February after getting together in 2020.
It’s believed the stage invader was protesting a planned building proposal (Picture: Getty)
They were quickly escorted off, but seemed to enjoy their few seconds on the stage (Picture: Getty)
Avril, who won the fan choice award, made a joke about it when she returned (Picture: George Pimentel/Shutterstock)
Just weeks later she was pictured out and about with Tyga during Paris Fashion Week, where they were also snapped kissing at a party.
The Weeknd was the big winner of the awards, winning a total of five Junos, bringing his total to 22.
It makes the Blinding Lights hitmaker, 33, the second most-awarded star in Junos history, with Anne Murray, 77, leading the way with 25 wins.
Four of his awards were announced at the Juno Opening Night Awards, which was live-streamed from the Edmonton Convention Centre at the weekend, and they were artist of the year, songwriter of the year, single of the year for Sacrifice, and pop album for Dawn FM.
The chart-topper is believed to be in a relationship with rapper Tyga (Picture: Getty)
At the main ceremony, the megastar was honoured with album of the year for Dawn FM, however, he was not there to accept the prize.
The evening also saw Nickelback inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, virtually by Ryan Reynolds and Michael Bublé.
Frontman Chad Kroeger, 48, said: ‘Returning home to Alberta, back to where everything started for us, is truly a full circle, milestone moment for the band.
‘We take so much pride in our Canadian roots and are extremely humbled by this honour.’
Juno Awards 2023 winners
Artist of the year
The Weeknd
Group of the year
Arkells
Single of the year
Sacrifice, The Weeknd
Music video of the year
Unholy, Floria Sigismondi director; Sam Smith and Kim Petras
International album of the year
Harry’s House, Harry Styles
Breakthrough group of the year
Banx & Ranx
Songwriter of the year
Abel Tesfaye
Jack Richardson producer of the year
Akeel Henry
Recording engineer of the year
Serban Ghenea
Pop album of the year
Dawn FM, The Weeknd
Adult contemporary album of the year
Higher, Michael Bublé
Rock album of the year
Otherness, Alexisonfire
Metal/hard music album of the year
Synchro Anarchy, Voivod, Century*Sony
Adult Alternative album of the year
Colder Streams, The Sadies, Dine Alone*The Orchard
Alternative album of the year
Blue Rev, Alvvays
Dance recording of the year
CTRL + ALT + DEL,” Rêve 31
Underground dance single of the year
I Knew Techno, Greg Gow
Electronic album of the year
Interior, Teen Daze
Traditional R&B/soul recording of the year
Last One, Savannah Ré feat. Dylan Sinclair
Rap single of the year
Twin Flame, Kaytranada and Anderson .Paak
Country album of the year
Masquerades, Tenille Townes
Reggae recording of the year
Reggae Party, Kirk Diamond, Kairo McLean and Finn
Contemporary roots album of the year
Come Morning, The Bros. Landreth, Birthday Cake*The Orchard
Traditional roots album of the year
Tell ‘Em You Were Gold, Pharis & Jason Romero
Blues album of the year
Long River, Angelique Francis
Contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year
Jordan St. Cyr, Jordan St. Cyr
Global music album of the year
Thieves of Dreams, Lenka Lichtenberg
Vocal jazz album of the year
Featuring, Caity Gyorgy
Jazz album of the year (solo)
Kinds of Love, Renee Rosnes
Jazz album of the year (group)
Desert Bloom, Florian Hoefner Trio
Instrumental album of the year
Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More, Esmerine
Francophone album of the year
Crash, Les Louanges
Children’s album of the year
Walk off the Earth & Romeo Eats, Vol. 2, Walk off the Earth and Romeo Eats
Classical album of the year (solo artist)
Fables, Philip Chiu
Classical album of the year (large ensemble)
Viola Borealis, Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis, featuring Marina Thibeault
Classical album of the year (small ensemble)
Early Italian Cello Concertos, Elinor Frey and Rosa Barocca, conducted by Claude Lapalme
Classical composition of the year
Bestiary I & II, Bekah Simms
Contemporary indigenous artist or group of the year
Zhawenim, Digging Roots
Traditional indigenous artist or group of the year
Unbreakable, The Bearhead Sisters
Comedy album of the year
A Person Who Is Gingerbread, Jon Dore
Album artwork of the year
Ian Ilavsky (Art Director & Designer), Maciek Szczerbowski (Illustrator); Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More
The Junos had previously caught heat for nominating Arcade Fire for group of the year, despite sexual assault allegations against frontman Win Butler.
Butler was accused of sexual misconduct by five people last year but insisted the encounters between them were consensual.
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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences had said that while it takes the allegations ‘very seriously’, they still wanted to ‘honour’ Butler’s bandmates.
Ultimately, the prize went to Arkells.
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She did not mince her words.