Polaris Music Prize Short List Announced

By FYI Staff

The Polaris Music Prize shortlist was announced yesterday (July 16) by Raina Douris on CBC Music's Drive. Douris took listeners through the 10 Short List artists with a live radio special. An artist and album were revealed every half hour, followed by an introduction to the nominated album, as well as interviews with Polaris jurors. 

Here is the 2019 Polaris Music Prize Short List

Marie Davidson - Working Class Woman: This is the fourth solo studio album by the Montreal musician/producer, now based in Berlin. The electronica-rooted work is out on famed label Ninja Tune.

Elisapie - The Ballad of the Runaway Girl: The Inuit singer-songwriter from community of Salluit now resides in Montreal. Her earlier project Taima won the Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year in 2005, and The Ballad of the Runaway Girl, her fourth solo album, earned a Juno nomination this year.

FET.NAT - Le Mal: Hailing from Hull, Quebec, the group is described by Pitchfork as "a bilingual psycho-jazz punk-funk quartet."

Dominique Fils-Aimé - Stay Tuned!: This is the second album of a planned trilogy from the Quebec singer/songwriter. The record explores themes of feminism and race via a style that mixes soul, R&B, and jazz elements.

Les Louanges - La nuit est une panthère: Les Louanges is the project of young Quebec multi-instrumentalist Vincent Roberge, and this is his debut full-length release. It draws upon funk, hip-hop, jazz and alternative rock stylings.

Haviah Mighty - 13th Floor: This is the full-length solo debut from the Toronto via Brampton rapper. She is also a member of the hip-hop trio the Sorority.

PUP - Morbid Stuff: The Toronto punk band made the Polaris Short List in 2016. This album has earned them international acclaim.

Jessie Reyez - Being Human In Public: The pop-soul singer/songwriter won the 2018 Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Canada’s Walk of Fame's 2018 Allan Slaight Honour. This is her second release.

Shad - A Short Story About a War: This is the fourth album by the rapper to appear on the Polaris Short List. The 13-track concept album touches on themes such as the environment, racism, violence and greed.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Trapline: The Vancouver Indigenous hip-hop duo made the Polaris Short List last year with their second full-length release The Average Savage. That album also earned a Juno nomination.

The Polaris Music Prize shortlist was voted on by a panel of 199 Canadian jurors. A grand jury of 11 selected members will convene at the live Polaris gala on Monday, Sept. 16, hosted by Raina Douris, to name a winner. The full event will be live-streamed on cbcmusic.ca/polaris

The  Prize awards $50,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales. Additionally, the nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2019 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music.