The Polaris Music Prize has announced this year’s 10 album short list for the best Canadian album award.
A large jury of critics, journalists and radio hosts voted on the list and a yet-to-be-determined 11-person grand jury will pick the winner, who will be awarded $50,000. Last year’s winner was Haviah Mighty’s 13th Floor.
This year’s gala event is not happening due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, a “special cinematic tribute” will take place virtually on CBC Gem, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on October 19.
It’s a diverse list this year with a variety of genres represented. Six artists (Junia-T, Pantayo, Lido Pimienta, Jessie Reyez, U.S. Girls and Witch Prophet) hail from Toronto. There are also three previous Polaris winners on the list: Caribou, Kaytranada and Pimienta.
There are some welcome surprise Polaris first-timers, too, including trans horrorcore rapper Backxwash, Filipinx kulintang-punk-R&B ensemble Pantayo and Indigenous shoegazers nêhiyawak.
Here’s the full 2020 Polaris Prize short list:
Backxwash – God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
Caribou – Suddenly
Junia-T – Studio Monk
Kaytranada – Bubba
nêhiyawak – nipiy
Pantayo – Pantayo
Lido Pimienta – Miss Colombia
Jessie Reyez – Before Love Came To Kill Us
U.S. Girls – Heavy Light
Witch Prophet – DNA Activation
