Polaris Music Prize Gala Adds Allison Russell Ballet and Announces Previous Winner Debby Friday As 2024 Host

The 2024 Polaris Music Prize is revealing final details about its 2024 Gala, where this year's winner will be crowned.

Last year's winner Debby Friday will return to the Massey Hall stage, this time to host the evening, on September 17. The Prize has also announced a new ballet performance, inspired by Allison Russell's Grammy winning song "Eve Was Black."

These new performers and presenters join a previously announced list of performing artists that includes the majority of short-listed artists: Charlotte Cardin, DijahSB, Jeremy Dutcher, TOBi, NOBRO, Bambii, Elisapie, and The Beaches' frontwoman Jordan Miller performing with The Thunder Queens.

Though Allison Russell won't be there in person — she's performing in L.A. that night — she's recorded a video introduction to the ballet performance, which is set to her song "Eve Was Black." The piece will feature Nia Lyons from Collage Dance Collective in the lead role, and was choreographed by Montreal's Kevin Thomas, artistic director of Collage Dance. It first premiered in 2021, presented by the Nashville Ballet in association with the National Museum Of African American Music.

"Eve Was Black is an open letter to my abuser, but also to anyone suffering from the false ideology of white supremacy and other bigotries, whatever they may be," Russell says. "It’s also about how you can free yourself from that toxicity and way of thinking." The song won the 2024 Grammy for best American roots performance, and comes from Russell's shortlisted album The Returner.

The Returner competes alongside nine other albums for the $50,000 Polaris Music Prize, which is awarded to the artist behind the best Canadian album of the year, judged by a jury of critics exclusively based on artistic merit.

With the addition of the Allison Russell-inspired performance, Cindy Lee is now the only shortlisted artist whose music won't be represented in a live capacity at the event. Cindy Lee is considered one of the frontrunners for the award, with the shortlisted Diamond Jubilee receiving Pitchfork's highest score since 2020, though Polaris winners are never a shoo-in. While initially favouring indie rock albums, the Prize has recently rewarded artists pushing the limits of genre definitions.

Last year's Prize went to Debby Friday for her confident and experimental debut Good Luck, and recent previous winners include Jeremy Dutcher, who is shortlisted this year, Pierre Kwenders, Backxwash, Cadence Weapon, Haviah Mighty and Kaytranada.

Since her 2023 win, Debby Friday has gone on to performances at Pitchfork Festival CDMX in Mexico City, End of the Road Festival in England and Pride Toronto, as well as appearing on the cover of the U.K.'s NME magazine.

“Winning Polaris last year was definitely a highlight for me. GOOD LUCK was such a journey and it was an incredible feeling to know that so many people connected with the album and to feel recognized in that way," she said in a statement.

The 2023 Gala was host-less, which meant that the ceremony moved along at a swift pace but sometimes lacked context for the stories behind the nominated records. Friday's hosting gig might help split the difference between those two awards show demands, and she's sure to bring style and charisma to the stage.

The Polaris Music Prize Gala is Tuesday, September 17 at Massey Hall in Toronto. Tickets are available here.