Every year, the Polaris Music Prize awards $50,000 to the best Canadian album of year, as selected by a panel of journalists, critics, and industry professionals. In June the Prize announced a long list of 40 albums, and today that number's been whittled down to 10 for the short list. It includes Daniel Caesar for his breakthrough album Freudian, Pierre Kwenders and the genre-defying pop project MAKANDA At The End Of Space, The Beginning Of Time, and bent-pop pioneers Weaves for Wide Open. In 2017, Lido Pimienta won the prize for her album La Papessa.
Each runner-up artist on the shortlist will receive $3000 CAD. See the full Polaris Music Prize shortlist below via Exclaim!.
The 2018 Polaris Music Prize
Alvvays, Antisocialites
Jean-Michel Blais, Dans Ma Main
Daniel Caesar, Freudian
Jeremy Dutcher, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa
Pierre Kwenders, MAKANDA At The End Of Space, The Beginning Of Time
Hubert Lenoir, Darlene
Partner, In Search Of Lost Time
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, The Average Savage
U.S. Girls, In A Poem Unlimited
Weaves, Wide Open