Arts & Culture

Impressive Polaris Prize short list packed with NEXT magazine faves

Beaches, NOBRO, Charlotte Cardin and more among solid short list for annual award

By: NEXT Magazine

The Beaches, shown at the JUNOs, made the Polaris Short List(Photo Meg Moon)

NOBRO are among NEXT faves on this year's Polaris Prize Short List

Many NEXT favourites on the impressive, just announced Polaris 2024 Short List including cover stars The Beaches (Sept. 2023) for their Blame My Ex and featured artists Charlotte Cardin for 99 Nights, and NOBRO whose nominated album, Set Your Pussy Free, received 5-Ns in NEXT.

Other nominated acts include: BAMBII (INFINITY CLUB), DijahSB (The Flower That Knew), Jeremy Dutcher (Motewolonuwok), Elisapie (Inuktitut), Cindy Lee (Diamond Jubilee), Allison Russell, (The Returner) and TOBi (Panic).

Dutcher won the award in 2018 for the album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa while Elisapie previously made the Short List in 2019 with DijahSB on the Short List in 2021. It’s the first time on the list for all other nominees.

The award for best Canadian album of the year, regardless of sales or streams, is chosen by group of Canadian music journalists who first create a long list, then a short list before award night.

The winner will be announced after a behind-the-scenes, “live” jurors process at the Polaris Gala at Massey Hall, Fri., Sept. 27 at a show that features live performances from: Charlotte Cardin, Jeremy Dutcher, BAMBII, Elisapie, DijahSB, NOBRO, TOBi and a special performance by The Beaches lead vocalist Jordan Miller and The Thunder Queens

The Polaris winner receives a $50,000 prize provided by the Slaight Family Foundation.

Previous Polaris winners include: Debby Friday, (2023) Good Luck; Pierre Kwenders, (2022) José Louis and the Paradox of Love and Cadence Weapon (2021) Parallel World.