The Polaris Music Prize has revealed its 2022 short list, which includes artists from five provinces and, for the first time, three French-language albums.
The 40 previously longlisted albums have been narrowed down to the following 10:
- Labyrinthitis, Destroyer.
- José Louis and the Paradox of Love, Pierre Kwenders.
- Chiac Disco, Lisa LeBlanc.
- Pictura de ipse: Musique directe, Hubert Lenoir.
- Waves, Kelly McMichael.
- Sewn Back Together, Ombiigizi.
- Frame of a Fauna, Ouri.
- Tao, Shad.
- Life After, Snotty Nose Rez Kids.
- Alpha, Charlotte Day Wilson.
St. John’s singer-songwriter Kelly McMichael, Anishinaabe duo Ombiigizi (a collaboration between Status/Non Status’s Adam Sturgeon and Zoon’s Daniel Monkman) and Montreal producer Ouri are all first-time nominees, up for their respective debut records. This year counts Shad’s fifth Polaris shortlist nomination, which makes him the most shortlisted artist of all time (he appeared on the short list in 2008, 2010, 2014, 2019 and this year).
The winning album will be chosen by an 11-member grand jury and announced at the first in-person Polaris Music Prize gala since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It will take place on Monday, Sept. 19, at the Carlu in Toronto.
