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Here's the 2024 Polaris Music Prize short list

These 10 nominated albums are in the running to win the $50,000 grand prize.

These 10 nominated albums are in the running to win the $50,000 grand prize

CBC Music ·
Jeremy Dutcher smiles in a printed shirt, Allison Russell wears a gold crinkled dress and Bambii poses in a red and black top.
Jeremy Dutcher, left, Allison Russell, middle, and Bambii, right, are 3 of the artists vying for this year's prize. (Facebook, Dana Trippe, Remy Bourdeau; design by CBC Music)

The Polaris Music Prize has revealed its 2024 short list. 

Below are this year's top 10 albums vying for the title of best Canadian album of the year: 

  • Bambii, Infinity Club.
  • The Beaches, Blame My Ex.
  • Charlotte Cardin, 99 Nights.
  • DijahSB, The Flower That Knew.
  • Jeremy Dutcher, Motewolonuwok.
  • Elisapie, Inuktitut.
  • Cindy Lee, Diamond Jubilee. 
  • Nobro, Set Your Pussy Free. 
  • Allison Russell, The Returner.
  • Tobi, Panic.

Of the nominees, Dutcher is the only previous winner: his album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa won the prize in 2018. Elisapie was on the short list in 2019, while Tobi and DijahSB's albums appeared on the list in 2021. This year, there are six shortlist first-timers: Bambii, the Beaches, Charlotte Cardin, Cindy Lee, Nobro and Allison Russell.

Geographically, it's a big year for Quebec artists, who make up the majority of nominees. Elisapie, Cardin, Nobro, Russell are all from the province and Dutcher is from Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick and is now based in Montreal. Toronto-based artists follow closely behind, with Tobi, DijahSB, Bambii and the Beaches representing Ontario's capital. Cindy Lee is the only artist from the Prairies.

The Polaris Music Prize long list and short list were voted on by 208 Canadian jurors (including several CBC Music producers) this year. An 11-person grand jury will deliberate to determine the big winner, who will take home the $50,000 prize on Sept. 17. The winner will be revealed at a live gala event at Toronto's Massey Hall. 

Today, Polaris announced the following nominees will perform at the winner reveal event: Bambii, Charlotte Cardin, DijahSB, Jeremy Dutcher, Elisapie, Jordan Miller of the Beaches (with the Thunder Queens), Nobro and Tobi. Cindy Lee and Allison Russell are unable to attend.  

Short List Summer

For a fourth year in a row, CBC Music will present Short List Summer, a series of special programming on radio, digital and social platforms leading up to the Polaris gala to celebrate this year's shortlisted albums. 

Short List Summer will consist of Shortlist Shortcuts, a weekly series on CBCMusic.ca beginning Monday, July 15, that will give readers an overview of one of the shortlisted albums every week until the gala. This will also be accompanied by a weekly social series that will introduce each nominated album, shared to CBC Music's Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts accounts.

On Sunday, July 14, CBC Music will kick off The Ten, a series of one-hour weekly radio specials hosted by Odario Williams. Tune in every Sunday at 6 p.m. (6:30 p.m. NL) on CBC Music and CBC Listen for interviews, insights and a full-album listening party. The schedule is below: 

  • Sunday, July 14: The Ten: the Beaches.
  • Sunday, July 21: The Ten: DijahSB.
  • Sunday, July 28: The Ten: Elisapie.
  • Sunday, Aug. 4: The Ten: Cindy Lee.
  • Sunday, Aug. 11: The Ten: Bambii.
  • Sunday, Aug. 28: The Ten: Charlotte Cardin.
  • Sunday, Aug. 25: The Ten: Nobro.
  • Sunday, Sept. 1: The Ten: Jeremy Dutcher.
  • Sunday, Sept. 8: The Ten: Tobi.
  • Sunday, Sept. 15: The Ten: Allison Russell.

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