view

Buffy Sainte-Marie Wins 2015 Polaris Music Prize

Posted September 22, 2015 by Bram Gonshor

The 2015 Polaris Music Prize was handed out Monday night at The Carlu in Toronto, ON to influential Native Canadian singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie for her album Power In The Blood. Sainte-Marie, 74, was in attendance to accept the award and perform the songs “Power In The Blood” and “Carry It On” earlier in the evening.

Congratulations to Buffy Sainte-Marie, winner of the 2015 @PolarisPrize for 'Power In The Blood'! #Polaris2015 pic.twitter.com/lhgIzdKlmh

— Music Canada (@Music_Canada) September 22, 2015

Determined by a Grand Jury of 11 music media professionals, the Polaris Prize is awarded to the best Canadian album of the year based on “artistic merit without regard to genre, sales history or label affiliation.” Hosted by beloved Canadian family entertainer Fred Penner, the gala also featured performances by short-list nominees Alvvays, Braids, Jennifer Castle and Viet Cong.

While last year’s winner Tanya Tagaq was not in attendance to present the award, the singer praised Sainte-Marie and Polaris’ decision via her Twitter account.

So amazing. So beautiful. So great! Wonderful choice @PolarisPrize @BuffySteMarie

— tanya tagaq (@tagaq) September 22, 2015

The 2015 Polaris Music Prize Short List was:

Alvvays – Alvvays
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul
Braids – Deep In The Iris
Caribou – Our Love
Jennifer Castle – Pink City
Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon
The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Power In The Blood
Viet Cong – Viet Cong

Categories: News Release
Tags: Buffy Saint-Maire, Polaris 2015, Polaris Music Prize, Polaris Prize

view

Polaris Prize Reveals Short List For Slaight Family Heritage Prize

Posted September 18, 2015 by Bram Gonshor

The 2015 Polaris Music Prize Gala is just around the corner and today Polaris has revealed the short lists for its first Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, which honours Canadian albums of the past from four distinct time periods: the ’60s & ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s, and the ’00s (2000-05).

Like the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees for the Heritage Prize are albums of the highest artistic quality, without regards to sales or affiliations. The jury for the Heritage Prize consisted of 25 people from current and past Polaris juries as well as former members of the Canadian music media and Canadian music historians.

Below you will find the 2015 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize Short Lists. Voting is open now until October 5 and the winners will be revealed on October 9.

60s & 70s
The Band – Music From Big Pink
Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier – Lindberg
Leonard Cohen – Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Joni Mitchell – Blue
Jackie Shane – Live

80s
Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session
Glenn Gould – Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Daniel Lanois – Acadie
Maestro Fresh-Wes – Symphony In Effect
Mary Margaret O’Hara – Miss America
Rush – Moving Pictures

90s
Blue Rodeo – Five Days In July
Bran Van 3000 – Glee
Dream Warriors – And Now The Legacy Begins
Lhasa de Sela – La Llorona
Sloan – Twice Removed

00s (2000 – 2005)
Arcade Fire – Funeral
Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People
Constantines – Shine A Light
Feist – Let It Die
Peaches – The Teaches Of Peaches

The programming team at Roy Thomson/Massey Hall will produce a tribute concert to the four winning albums of the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize winners some time in early 2016. Winners will receive a special trophy at the tribute show and commemorative prints of each winning album will also be made available for purchase to the public.

Categories: News Release
Tags: Heritage Prize, Polaris 2015, Polaris Prize, Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize

view

Polaris Prize Announces 2015 Short List

Posted July 16, 2015 by Bram Gonshor

The Polaris Music Prize, an annual award which honours the year’s best Canadian album, has revealed the short list of nominees for the 2015 award at The Carlu in Toronto. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the prize gala, which will be hosted by beloved children’s entertainer Fred Penner on September 21, 2015 at The Carlu.

In June, Polaris revealed their long list of nominees in Halifax, NS. Both the long and short lists are determined by the Polaris Jury, which consists of 196 members from local and national media who have displayed a passion in their work for discovering and embracing new Canadian music. This year, the winner will be awarded $50,000 with the nine other shortlisted artists receiving a $3,000 prize courtesy of Slaight Music.

The 2015 Polaris short list includes:

Alvvays – Alvvays