Buffy Sainte-Marie Wins Polaris Music Prize

Buffy Sainte-Marie Wins Polaris Music Prize

Update 9/21 10:55 p.m.: Buffy Sainte-Marie has won the Polaris Music Prize for her album Power in the Blood. She’ll take home $50,000. 

Tonight at the 2015 Polaris Music Prize Gala, one artist will be awarded the top prize, which honors the best album of the year by a Canadian act. Before that happens, several artists will perform including Tobias Jesso Jr., Viet Cong, Alvvays, Braids, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jennifer Castle, and more. The show is hosted by Canadian children’s music icon Fred Penner. Watch the live stream below. 

The shortlist includes Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Tobias Jesso Jr.’s Goon, The New Pornographers’ Brill Bruisers, Caribou’s Our Love, Alvvays’ Alvvays, BADBADNOTGOOD/Ghostface Killah’s Sour Soul, Braids’ Deep in the Iris, Jennifer Castle’s Pink City, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Power in the Blood, and Viet Cong’s Viet Cong.

In light of their recent decision to change their name, Dan Boeckner (of Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs/Divine Fits) introduced Viet Cong simply as “Dan, Matt, Monty, and Mike.” The band performed “March of Progress”.

Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late was presented by Toronto Councillor Norm Kelly, who famously clowned Meek Mill on Twitter and recently took the stage with Drake. Then, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra played “Know Yourself”. Jesso did not perform as initially planned.

Last year’s award went to Tanya Tagaq; previous recipients include Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Feist, Fucked Up, Arcade Fire, Caribou, and others. The Polaris Prize longlist and shortlist are chosen by a jury of 196 Canadian music journalists, including Pitchfork contributors Stuart Berman, Jamieson Cox, Melody Lau, Calum Marsh, Anupa Mistry, and Renato Pagnani.

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