he Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music, has unveiled the 10 albums on the 2022 Short List. One of these albums will win the 2022 Polaris Prize, which is being determined at the Polaris Gala, taking place September 19 at The Carlu in Toronto, Ontario. General admission tickets to the Polaris Gala are currently available via Ticketmaster.
The 2022 Polaris Music Prize Short List is:
Destroyer – LABYRINTHITIS
Pierre Kwenders – José Louis And The Paradox Of Love
Lisa Leblanc – Chiac Disco
Hubert Lenoir – PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe
Kelly McMichael – Waves
Ombiigizi – Sewn Back Together
Ouri – Frame of a Fauna
Shad – TAO
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Life After
Charlotte Day Wilson – ALPHA
The new nominees were revealed during the Polaris Prize Short List Special, which aired earlier today across Canada via CBC Music and CBC Listen. Hosted by A. Harmony, the special featured music from the Short List nominees as well as in-depth interviews with CBC personalities and Polaris jurors.
“This year’s 2022 Short List captures the ambition, creativity, and boundless potential of Canadian music from coast to coast. Bravo to our 10 nominees, and a huge thank you to our esteemed jury for offering their time and expertise. For the first time in a few years, I’m thrilled to suggest that if you have the opportunity to see any of the artists on this Short List live, you should. We’re all long overdue,” said Polaris jury foreperson Melissa Vincent.
With the announcement of the 10 nominated albums, CBC Music is kicking off Short List Summer: a sprawling, season-long deep dive into the nominated records and the artists who made them. Short List Summer will be anchored by CBC Music’s THE TEN, a series of one-hour weekly radio specials hosted by A. Harmony, broadcasting each Sunday on CBC Music and CBC Listen at 6:00 p.m. (6:30 NT) starting Sunday, July 17, until Sunday, September 18. Each week, THE TEN will take an in-depth look at one of the 10 nominated albums in the lead up to the 2022 Polaris Prize winner announcement. The first episode of THE TEN will feature Shad, the only artist to have ever made the Polaris Short List on five separate occasions.
Short List Summer will also include Shortlist Shortcuts, a cbcmusic.ca editorial series beginning Monday, July 18, that highlights one important gateway song from each of the nominated albums, as told by the short-listed artists. This will be accompanied by an artist-led video series that delves into each gateway song, and will be shared to CBC Music’s TikTok and Instagram pages. Follow CBC Music on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook for more Polaris Music Prize content that will explore the Short List albums and the artists behind them.
THE TEN Calendar:
Sunday, July 17 – The Ten: Shad broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, July 24 – The Ten: Kelly McMichael broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, July 31 – The Ten: Ombiigizi broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, August 7 – The Ten: Lisa Leblanc broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, August 14 – The Ten: Snotty Nose Rez Kids broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, August 21 – The Ten: Hubert Lenoir broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, August 28 – The Ten: Ouri broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, September 4 – The Ten: Pierre Kwenders broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, September 11 – The Ten: Charlotte Day Wilson broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
Sunday, September 18 – The Ten: Destroyer broadcast on CBC Music and CBC Listen
For the first time since 2019, the winning album will be revealed live at the Polaris Gala. The Gala will once again be held at The Carlu in Toronto, the venue that has hosted the likes of Glenn Gould, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and multiple Polaris events.
The Polaris Music 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. The nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2022 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music. Additionally, Polaris Music Prize has partnered with Play MPE to award the winning artist with a global music promotion distribution package for one release (single or album) worth up to $3,025 CAD. Play MPE will also gift all nine remaining Short List artists with distribution packages worth up to $1,000 CAD each.
Albums eligible for 2022 Polaris Music Prize consideration must be released between May 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022. An independent jury of music media from across Canada determines the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool are then chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury convenes at the Polaris Gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.
The past winners are Cadence Weapon (2021), Backxwash (2020), Haviah Mighty (2019), Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).
Polaris Music Prize 2022 Event Season:
June 14 – Long List Announcement: The Long List is where Polaris reveals the 40 nominated albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.
July 14 – Short List Announcement: Selected from the 40 album Long List, the Short List is where Polaris reveals the 10 finalist albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.
September 19 – Polaris Gala: Our prestige winner reveal event, the Polaris Gala features live musical performances from the nominated acts on the Polaris Short List. The Polaris Prize winner is determined day-of at the Gala by an 11-member Polaris Grand Jury selected from the greater Polaris juror pool.
October 21 – Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize: The Heritage Prize is a hall of fame-minded critics prize/public polling campaign meant to celebrate classic Canadian albums created before Polaris began in 2006. Like the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees of the Heritage Prize are albums of the highest artistic distinction, without regard to sales or affiliations.
We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters.
About the Polaris Music Prize
The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. www.polarismusicprize.ca
Polaris Fast Facts:
40 Long List nominees
10 Short List nominees
1 Polaris Music Prize winner of the $50,000 prize
9 runner-up winners of $3,000 courtesy of Slaight Music
2 Heritage Prize winners
196 Polaris Posters commissioned by visual artists across the country
200+ annual jury participants
1,000 annual Gala guests
$831,000 in prize money given to musicians
160 Short List nominees have been provided with in-kind media attention
20 Not-for-Profit and charity partners supported through the Community Development Program
