2025 Polaris Long List Including Local Artists

On June 10, the Polaris Prize Long List was unveiled, including a few local artists. The Short List will be revealed on July 10. The Grand Prize winner (who gets $30,000) will be awarded on September 16 at a wonderful gala at Massey Hall in Toronto.

Below is a video of the Long List announcement.

Links: Polaris Music Prize, More Polaris Stories, Video above courtesy of Polaris Music Prize

Below is the Long List. Local artists are bolded.

• Caribou (Dundas) - Honey
  
  
  
  Links: Caribou, More Caribou Stories, Video above courtesy of Caribou
  
  
• Nemahsis (Milton) - Verbathim
  
  
  
  Links: Nemahsis, More Nemahsis Stories, Video above courtesy of Nemahsis
  
  
• Richard Laviolette (Guelph) - All Wild Things Are Shy
  
  
  
  Links: Rich Laviolette, Video above courtesy of  Richard Laviolette and the Oil Spills - Topic
  
  
• Art d'Ecco-  Serene Demon
• Backxwash - Only Dust Remains
• Quinton Barnes - CODE NOIR
• Bibi Club - Feu de garde
• Basia Bulat - Basia's Palace
• Lou-Adriane Cassidy - Journal d'un Loup Garou
• Choses Sauvages - Choses Sauvages III
• Cold Specks - Light For The Midnight
• Antoine Corriveau - Oiseau de Nuit
• Marie Davidson - City Of Clowns
• Destroyer - Dan's Boogie
• Myriam Gendron - Mayday
• Gloin - All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry)
• Saya Gray - SAYA Hildegard - Jour 1596
• Yves Jarvis - All Cylinders
• Kaia Kater - Strange Medicine
• Bells Larsen - Blurring Time
• Wyatt C. Louis - Chandler
• Kelly McMichael - After The Sting Of It
• Men I Trust - Equus Asinus
• Mustafa - Dunya
• N NAO - Nouveau langage
• Eliza Niemi - Progress Bakery
• The OBGMs - SORRY, IT'S OVER
• Dorothea Paas - Think Of Mist
• Klô Pelgag - Abracadabra
• Population II - Maintenant Jamais
• Ribbon Skirt - Bite Down
• Ariane Roy - Dogue
• Mike Shabb - Sewaside III
• Sister Ray - Believer
• Snotty Nose Rez Kids - RED FUTURE
• The Weather Station - Humanhood
• Rick White and The Sadies - Rick White and The Sadies
• Donovan Woods - Things Were Never Good If They're Not Good Now
• Yoo Doo Right - From the Heights of Our Pastureland

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2025 Juno Winners, Including Local Artists

The 2025 Juno Awards were handed out on March 29 & 30 in Vancouver.

Here's a video of the televised ceremony.

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Below is the Gala from Saturday

Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Below is the complete list of winners. Local artists are bolded.

• ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Verbathim - Nemahsis (Milton)
  Click here for the acceptance speech
  
  
  
  Links: Nemahsis, More Nemahsis Stories, Video above courtesy of nemahsis
  
  
• BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR: This Old Life - Big Dave McLean (ft Jesse O'Brien on keys)
  
  
  
  Links: Big Dave McLean, More Big Dave McLean Stories, Jesse O'Brien, More Jesse O'Brien Stories, Video above courtesy of Big Dave McLean - Topic
  
  
• BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Nemahsis (Milton)
  Click here for acceptance speech
  
  
• HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Sarah Harmer (Burlington)
  
  
  
  Links: Sarah Harmer, More Sarah Harmer Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music
  
  
• COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Complicated - Josh Ross (Waterdown/Burlington)
  Click here for acceptance speech
  
  
  
  Links: Josh Ross, More Josh Ross Stories, Video above courtesy of JOSS ROSS
  
  
• ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Inuktitut - Elisapie  
• ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Lovers’ Gothic - Maïa Davies 
• ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR: Keenan Gregory (Art Director): Altruistic – Royal Tusk 
• ALBUM OF THE YEAR: THINK LATER - Tate McRae 
• ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Tate McRae
• CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME: Sum 41
• CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Penny Penguin - Raffi & Good Lovelies 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST): Freezing - Emily D’Angelo
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) : Rituæls - collectif9 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE): Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie - Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno featuring Marc-André Hamelin and Nathalie Forget 
• CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR: Angmalukisaa - Deantha Edmunds 
• COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Honourable Intentions - Debra DiGiovanni 
• CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Restore - Ryan Ofei 
• CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Brown Man - Sebastian Gaskin 
• CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Bloom - Aqyila 
• CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Strange Medicine - Kaia Kater 
• DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: No Time - Interplanetary Criminal & SadBoi 
• ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: This But More - Priori 
• FAN'S CHOICE: bbno$ 
• FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Abracadabra - Klô Pelgag 
• GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Dankoroba - Djely Tapa 
• GROUP OF THE YEAR: The Beaches
• INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Memory Palace - Intervals 
• INTERNATIOANL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Boi1da
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO): Montreal Jazz Series 1 (Échanges Synaptiques) - André Leroux  
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP): Gravity - Jeremy Ledbetter Trio 
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Anne Murray
• METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Beyond the Reach of the Sun - Anciients 
• MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Name of God - Mustafa 
• POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Think Later - Tate McRae 
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Jack Rochon
• RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR/ALBUM: Red Future - Snotty Nose Rez Kids 
• RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Shut Up - Jessie Reyez 
• RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Serban Ghenea
• REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Born to Be Free - Exco Levi 
• ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Set Your Pussy Free - NOBRO 
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR: exes - Tate McRae 
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Mustafa
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Non-Performer): Lowell
• SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR: The Brownprint - AP Dhillon 
• TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Jeannie Hunter
• TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: New Comings - Black Bear Singers 
• TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Retro Man … More and More (Expanded Edition) - Jake Vaadeland 
• TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Velvet Soul- THEHONESTGUY 
• UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Bamboo - Ciel 
• VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Hello! How Are You? - Caity Gyorgy 

Local Artist Performances at Ceremonies

• Nemahsis: Stick of Gum
• Josh Ross: Leave Me Too

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories

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2024 Prism Prize Shortlist including Milton's Nemahsis

From the Billboard Canada site

This morning (May 15), the Canadian Academy announced the Top 10 Canadian music videos of the year.

These videos, selected from a pool of 300, have been shortlisted for the Prism Prize’s Grand Prize, which awards the artist and director with a $20,000 CAD cash prize, the most lucrative award in the realm of music videos worldwide.

The 2024 Prism Prize Shortlist:

• I Wanna Be Your Right Hand by Nemahsis (Milton) | Directors: Norman Wong & Amy Gardner
  
  
  
  Links: Nemahsis, More Nemahsis Stories, Video above courtesy of Nemahsis
  
  
• Blame Brett by The Beaches | Director: Ievy Stamatov
• Borrow Trouble by Feist | Directors: Mary Rozzi, Colby Richardson, Heather Goodchild & Leslie Feist
• Demons by Allison Russell | Director: Ethan Tobman
• feral canadian scaredy cat by young friend | Director: Sterling Larose & Zachary Vague
• I’m Good  by Snotty Nose Rez Kids | Director: Sterling Larose
• My Mind At East by Dominique Fils-Aimé | Director: Adrian Villagomez
• Name of God by Mustafa (Artist & Director)
• Of Woods And Seas by Alaskan Tapes | Director: Andrew De Zen
• Revenge of the Orchestra (feat. Magugu) by Apashe | Director: Adrian Villagomez

You can vote for the audience award by clicking here. Deadline is June 6, 2024. Winners will be announced on June 25, 2024.

Click here to see the winners.

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Debby Friday Wins Polaris Prize + Shortlist

The winner for the prestigious Polaris Prize was announced on September 9, 2023 and Toronto artist Debby Friday took the top honour (which includes $50,000) for her album Good Luck. 

Here is her acceptance speech from the Gala

Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Links: Debby Friday, Video above courtesy of Debby Friday - Topic

We didn't report of the Short List, which was revealed on July 13 so here's is a complete list below. Links with an asterisk (*) will take you to the band's performance at the Gala.

• Alvvays – Blue Rev
• Aysanabee – Watin *
• Begonia – Powder Blue *
• Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere *
• Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
• Debby Friday – Good Luck *
• Feist – Multitudes
• Gayance – Mascarade *
• Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU? *
• The Sadies – Colder Streams *

You can view the Short List announcement below.

Links: Polaris Music Prize, More Polaris Stories, Video above courtesy of polarismusicprize

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Hamilton's Zoon on 2023 Polaris Long List

On June 13, 2023, the latest Polaris Music Prize Long List was unveiled. This prestigious competition celebrates musical creativity and diversity in the Canadian music scene. The short list will be announced on July 13.

You can view the announcement below.

Links: Polaris Music Prize, More Polaris Stories, Video above courtesy of polarismusicprize

Here's the complete Long List 

Click here for the winner & Short List

• Zoon – Bekka Ma’iingan
  
  
  
  Links: Zoon, More Zoon Stories, Video above courtesy of Paper Bag Records
  
  
• ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT – Darling The Dawn
• Alvvays – Blue Rev
• Aquakultre – Don’t Trip
• Aysanabee – Watin
• Badge Époque Ensemble – Clouds Of Joy
• Begonia – Powder Blue
• Bibi Club – Le soleil et la mer
• BIG|BRAVE – nature morte
• Philippe Brach – Les gens qu’on aime
• Mariel Buckley – Everywhere I Used To Be
• Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
• Chiiild – Better Luck In The Next Life
• Feist – Multitudes
• Debby Friday – Good Luck
• Gayance – Mascarade
• Ghostkeeper – Multidimensional Culture
• Home Front – Games of Power
• JayWood – Slingshot
• Khotin – Release Spirit
• Thierry Larose – Sprint!
• Murray Lightburn – Once Upon A Time In Montreal
• Isabella Lovestory – Amor Hardcore
• Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere
• N NAO – L’eau et les rêves
• Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
• Eliza Niemi – Staying Mellow Blows
• Nico Paulo – Nico Paulo
• Planet Giza – Ready When You Are
• poolblood – mole
• Jessie Reyez – Yessie
• The Sadies – Colder Streams
• Jairus Sharif – Water & Tools
• Andy Shauf – Norm
• Dylan Sinclair – No Longer In The Suburbs
• Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU?
• Alexandra Stréliski – Néo-Romance
• U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess
• Witch Prophet – Gateway Experience
• Yoo Doo Right – A Murmur, Boundless to the East

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CONGRATS! 2022 Native American Music Awards Winners (including many Canadians)

We'd like to acknowledge all the local artists who were nominated for these awards

• Blues Video: Joshua Arden Miller (Six-Nations): Solidarity
• Contemporary Vocal Video: Jace Martin (Six Nations)- Ghost 2018
• Pop Video: DJ Shub (Fort Erie) - Calling All Dancers, Jace Martin (Six Nations) - Ghost 2018

Below is a complete list of Canadian winners: 

• Animation in a Video: The Halluci Nation - Stay
• Christian/Inspirational Performance: Yvonne St. Germaine - Sorrow Road
• Country Video: Julian Taylor - The Ridge
  
  
  
  Links: Julian Taylor, More Julian Taylor Stories, Video above courtesy of Julian Taylor
  
  
• Folk/Americana Recording: Kelly Derrickson - I Am
• Honorable Mentions: Sandra Sutter / Veronica Johnny
• Pop Recording: Melody McArthur - Rising Waters
• Pop Video: Joey Stylez - Indian Girl Driving Me Crazy
• Pow Wow/Drum Songs Recording: Young Spirit - Cree Round Dance Songs
• Rap/Hip Hop Video: Snotty Nose Rez Kids: Real Deadly
• Rock Video: The Bloodshots - No Way Out
  
  
  
  Video above courtesy of Seven Hip-Hop

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

Here are the rest of the fabulous winners:

• Artists (Female): Ava Rose
• Artist (Male): Sten Joddi
• Blues Recording: Earl Slick and the West Side Social Club - The Roof Is Leaking
• Blues Video: Blue Mountain Tribe  - Pray For Our Planet
• Collaboration in a Video: Antoine Edwards ft.Gunner Jules, Spur Pourier - Miracle Patience
• Contemporary Vocal Video: Shawn Michael Perry - I Will Survive
• Country Song: Elexa Dawson - Music is Medicine
• Debut Artist: Charles Wood III 
• Debut Duo/Group: The Buffalo Weavers
• Flute Recording: Aaron White - Moonlight Love Songs
• Folk/Americana Video: Tabitha Fair - Toward The Rising Sun - Te Ata
• Group: The Ripcords
• Hall of Fame: Micki Free
• Hip Hop Recording;  Sten Joddi - It’s A Native Thang
• Honor/Tribute Song: Hannah Bonez & Leah Shenandoah - I’m Missing You
• Honorable Mentions: Blanca Iris Acuna / Jack Holland / Just Jamez / Kelly Montijo Fink / Nick Lone / Richelle Darby Garcia / Scott Kalama of Blue Flames / Shibastick / Two Shields
• Instrumental Recording: Ancient Voices - Under Open Sky
• Instrumental Video: Connor Chee - Frybread
• Lifetime Achievement: Rodney A. Grant / Paul LaRoche / Robert Tree Cody
• Live Performance Video: The Storm - DOC Native featuring Spencer Battiest 
• Living Legend: Oren Lyons
• Narrative in a Video: Foreshadow - Protect Your People 
• Native American Church Recording: Jarvis Hunter - Remembering Our Elders
• Native Heart: Gera & T.M - Distant Lands
• R&B Recording: Ramonda Holiday - The Rez Hummingbird
• Rising Star: Bryant Waupoose III
• Rock Recording: Blackbird - Who We Are
• Single: Samantha Crain - Bloomsday
• Song: G Precious with Macy Gray - Unforgettable
• Traditional Recording: Spur Pourier - Shining So Bright
• Traditional Vocal Video: Picadilly Billy - Martin Sisters 
• Waila Recording: Intertribal - Tribal Harmony

Links: Native American Music Awards, More NAMA Stories

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