Simu Liu showed off his musical talent while singing parodies of hit songs by fellow Canadians Nickelback and Avril Lavigne at the 2023 Juno Awards.
On Monday night, Liu hosted the Juno Awards, which honors members of the Canadian music industry, for the second year in a row.
The actor, who recently revealed at the Juno Songwriters’ Circle that he is working on his music career, started off the ceremony with a bang by singing an ode to his viral stock photos to the tune of classic Nickelback song “Photograph.”
The global star, who made history as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first Asian lead in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” looked back on his pre-Marvel era and expressed regret modeling for a $100 stock photo gig in 2013. Liu’s stock photos have since resulted in the actor becoming the face for an assortment of businesses and products.
At the awards in Edmonton, Liu showed a photo of himself from the upcoming “Barbie” movie and said that it reminds him of his previous stock photos.
So nostalgic, kind of want to sing a song about it. I needed some cash really badly and this was before the age of OnlyFans and feet pics, so I had to do some stock photos. You know what I mean? I remember that photoshoot like it was yesterday.
The actor invited Nickelback’s guitarist, Ryan Peake, on stage before singing a “Photograph” parody.
Look at this photograph. Everytime I do, it makes me sad. Everybody makes fun of them. Why the hell did I say yes to that? My lawyers tried to take them down. That’s not how the internet works. I don’t think they’ll ever fade. Worst one hundred dollars I ever made. Everytime I see my face in the stock photos, it’s a reminder that they’ll never go. I hate myself.
The Marvel actor also sang a medley of Lavigne’s songs to welcome the artist on stage.
“This one’s for you Avril,” Liu said before singing a slowed-down parody of “Sk8er Boi.”
You sit at home, she’s at the Juno’s, could she make it anymore obvious? She writes her own songs. She invented pop punk. What more can I say? She’s just a skater girl, you did it, you made it girl! She’ll never come back down to Earth. She’s better than all the boys, she’s Canada’s pride and joy, we’ll always look up to her.
Liu then goes into a dance break of Lavigne’s 2009 hit song “Girlfriend,” showing off his dancing skills before ending with a back flip.
To end his tribute to the singer, Liu played guitar and sang the chorus of “I’m With You” before inviting Lavigne to introduce the next performance.
Lavigne, who introduced Indo-Canadian singer AP Dhillon to give the first ever Punjabi performance in the history of the Juno Awards, was interrupted by a topless stage protester.
The individual had the words “save the green belt” written on their back, appearing to protest the Ontario government’s proposal to build at least 50,000 new homes on the land of Greenbelt. Lavigne told the woman to “get the f*ck off” before she was escorted away.
Liu later thanked the singer for “handling that topless lady like a champion.”
