The Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music, has revealed its 2020 Grand Jury.
The 11 members of the Grand Jury are:
CHAD BRUNET (CJSR)
RICKY CASTANEDO LAREDO (CJSF)
BRUNO COULOMBE (Le Canal Auditif)
CHAKA V. GRIER (Freelance journalist / Journaliste pigiste)
KIMBERLEY DOOSHIMA JEV (Freelance journalist / Journaliste pigiste)
LIISA LADOUCEUR (Freelance journalist / Journaliste pigiste)
SARAH MACDONALD (Freelance journalist / Journaliste pigiste)
SOFIE MIKHAYLOVA (DJ Sonja)
CHAD PELLEY (Music Researcher / Chercheur en musique)
ANUSKA SARKAR (Freelance journalist / Journaliste pigiste)
IAN STEAMAN (Different Kitchen)
The 11-member Grand Jury was chosen from the greater Polaris jury pool, which includes 201 music journalists, broadcasters and related music media from across Canada. The Grand Jury will convene virtually on Oct. 19 to select a winner from the 10 albums on the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Short List. Those albums are:
Backxwash – God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
Caribou – Suddenly
Junia-T – Studio Monk
Kaytranada – Bubba
nêhiyawak – nipiy
Pantayo – Pantayo
Lido Pimienta – Miss Colombia
Jessie Reyez – BEFORE LOVE CAME TO KILL US
U.S. Girls – Heavy Light
Witch Prophet – DNA Activation
Polaris will be celebrating the Short List with a special cinematic tribute hosted by CBC Music’s Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe, set to be broadcast in Canada on the free CBC Gem streaming service, CBC Music’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages and around the globe at CBCMusic.ca/Polaris on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). The 2020 Polaris-winning album will be revealed live at the end of this event.
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. Additionally, the nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2020 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music.
Albums eligible for 2020 Polaris Music Prize consideration must have been released between May 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020. An independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada determineds the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool wereare then chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury will select the Polaris Music Prize winner.
The past winners are 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).
