polaris music prize

In a first, the Polaris Music Prize is rescinding Buffy Sainte-Marie‘s wins. The Juno Awards have also revoked the singer-songwriter’s awards and her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the organization that administers the Junos, released a statement, writing that the singer-songwriter does not meet eligibility requirements following her confirmation that she is not Canadian — similar criteria that the Polaris Prize cited. It was a “not a reflection of Ms. Sainte-Marie’s artistic contributions,” CARAS writes.

CARAS says it made the decision following a thorough review and consultations with the CARAS Indigenous Music Advisory Committee.

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Sainte-Marie has faced criticism and scrutiny following a 2023 CBC investigation that cast serious doubt on her claims of Indigenous identity.

In January of this year, Sainte-Marie’s Order of Canada was terminated. On March 4, The Canadian Press reported Sainte-Marie issued a statement about the termination, saying that she returned the Order “with a good heart” and affirming that she is a U.S. citizen. “My Cree family adopted me forever and this will never change,” she added.

Sainte-Marie won the Polaris Prize — which is awarded annually by a jury of music critics to one Canadian album based on merit — in 2015 for Power In The Blood. She was also awarded a Polaris Heritage Prize, which honours albums released before the Prize’s founding in 2006, in 2020 for her debut solo album It’s My Way!

Now, those two awards will no longer be hers. 

“Based on Sainte-Marie’s statement, Buffy does not meet Polaris Music Prize’s rules and regulations,” wrote the Polaris Prize. “Given Buffy’s statement regarding her citizenship, Polaris Music Prize will be rescinding all awards including her 2015 Polaris Music Prize and 2020 Heritage Prize,” the Prize states.

The PMP statement also acknowledges that not all Indigenous artists have access to government-issued paperwork, with the Prize asserting that this should not impact eligibility for the award.

The Prize’s eligibility criteria requires that nominees “be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with proof of status provided through government-issued documentation, including passports, birth certificates, permanent resident cards, and/or Secure Certificates of Indian Status.”

Read the Polaris Prize and Juno Awards’ full statements on Billboard Canada .

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Canadian Vinyl Pressing Plant Promises to Absorb Tariff Costs for American Customers

An Ontario-based vinyl company has announced it will absorb tariff costs for American customers, receiving a mixed response.

As America imposes 25% tariffs on some Canadian imports (with others delayed until April 2), Precision Record Precision is committing to keeping prices stable for U.S. clients.

“We understand that recent tariff announcements may raise concerns, and we want to assure our US-based customers that any tariffs imposed by the US government on Canadian exports will be paid by and fully absorbed by PRP,” says a statement from CEO Shawn Johnson.

With manufacturing based in Burlington, Ontario, the company bills itself as one of the largest pressing plants in North America. The company was established in 2016 as a partnership between the massive Czech-owned vinyl manufacturer GZ Media and Canadian music distributor Isotope Music.

Some customers welcomed the decision, but the top comment on Instagram disagrees with the company.

“But the American clients SHOULD be paying the tariffs. Not the Canadian company. I understand the desire to not lose business but this is disappointing from a Canadian company and makes me question if I want to use Precision Pressing again thin [sic] the future,” the comment reads.

The trade battle between the U.S. and Canada, as well as persistent threats by the American President to annex Canada, have prompted uncertainty in the Canadian cultural industries as well as a wave of nationalism.

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Canadian Artists Hold the Top Two Spots on Billboard Albums Charts

Tate McRae is so close to superstardom.

The Calgary pop singer has notched her first No. 1 album with So Close To What, topping the Billboard Canadian Albums chart on the chart dated March 8. She bumps Drake and PartyNextDoor’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U to no. 2, on that Canadian chart and on the Billboard 200 — a rare occasion where Canadians have the top 2 albums in both Canada and the U.S.

It marks a major ascension for the Canadian star, who has been building her profile since her breakthrough with 2020’s “You Broke Me First.” In the five years since, McRae has evolved into one of Gen Z’s biggest singers and performers.

McRae expressed her excitement at the No. 1 debut on Instagram. “????????? Are you kidding meeeeeeee Thank you Thank you Thank you 😭’” she wrote.

McRae also has 15 songs in total on the Canadian Hot 100 this week. Her highest placement is the sultry “Sports Car,” which she performed on Saturday Night Live this past weekend. That track sits at No. 11 on the Canadian Hot 100 and No. 16 in the U.S.

Drake and PartyNextDoor, meanwhile, have 16 tracks on the Canadian Hot 100 this week, though they are not as high as in the first week. The top placed song, “Nokia” drops 5-10, and “Gimme a Hug” moves down 10-39.

Overall, it’s a big week for Canadian artists on the charts. 

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