Latest news with #PolarisMusicPrize
CBC
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Soul singer Tanika Charles opens up about her new album, Reasons to Stay
Singer-songwriter Tanika Charles recently released Reasons to Stay, a new album tackling her complex family history. In a new interview with The Block, Charles discussed the new project while also looking back on her past albums, including 2019's The Gumption, which was was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Charles joined host Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe to talk about her formative musical years, being inspired by her brother and more. You can hear the full interview above and read an excerpt below. Welcome Tanika Charles to The Block, baby. Full disclosure, Tanika and I go way back. So far back. So far back. Back when you used to spit. I know. And I would tell people, "Tanika Charles, she's so great. She could stack like 25 harmonies." And you too, come on! No, I couldn't do harmonies. I would get distracted by the other notes. I'm so bad at it. Anyway, before we get into it and off track completely, that track that we just heard, Different Morning, kind of strayed from your usual style of soul revival. What attracted you to that particular sound for that song? I'm going to kind of take it back a little bit. So, and I really hope that I don't get in trouble for saying this, but I'd received a grant and I had a deadline and I honestly think the songs weren't as cohesive as maybe Reasons to Stay, this upcoming album. So I just collected a bunch of songs and I was working with different producers and I heard this beat and I'm like, "This is dope. It is not gonna match any of the music that I've done before. And none of the music that's going on the album now." And it just had a nice feel to it. And I thought, "You know what, I could use a feature," and DijahSB is an artist that I find so engaging [and] hilarious online, but also just skilled, like prolific, [and] I really wanted to work with them. And I sent a message and I was like, "I've got this track, would you be interested?" [I] sent the track over, it was back in a day and it was fire. And that's basically how that came to be. But it was just a sound that I was attracted to. WATCH | The official music video for Different Morning feat. DijahSB: [It] had a little bit of dancey vibes, like that four-on-the-floor [beat]. Yes. I'm not mad at it. I want to take it back even further to the young Tanika Charles. I have had the opportunity to work with your brother, so I know that your family is talented musically. Your brother played a bunch of instruments. Your other brother sings. Your mom sang in church. So what was the house like? Not as musical as you would think. It was my dad coming home from working out of town, so he worked in Fort McMurray, and he would only come home on the weekends. So the three days that he'd come home, [we would] clean the house, my mom would make his favourite food, and after dinner he would sit down, have a rum and coke and play music. And it was jazz mostly. George Benson, George Duke, Spyro Gyra, Quincy Jones, Bob James. These are the musicians that I would listen to when I was growing up and my dad would say, "Listen to the instrumentation and listen to the lyrics of songs and if you were to sing, make sure you pronounce the words." And I would always just harmonize because harmonies are fun. And I would come around the house and sing along. Some of the songs wouldn't have lyrics and I just [came] up with some nonsense. So the family would sit down after dinner and listen to music and Rudy, my older brother— He would always play [music]. He had the Triton, which was a massive keyboard and the most popular one at the time. Yeah. So he'd have a Triton at home. He'd have his sax. He would have all of these instruments and he was always creating. When I got into music, I'm going to give the credit to my older brother. Rudy? Yes, 100 per cent. Even though we had and we have a tumultuous relationship, he is so incredibly skilled at what he does, and he was the one that kind of encouraged me to take up singing, I guess. I like to sing.
Hamilton Spectator
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Award-winning musicians to do TVO Today Live Q&A event in Hamilton
TVO Today Live's next stop is Hamilton. On Saturday, May 10, locals have the chance to be in the audience of the live-taped series on democracy and music, featuring a question-and-answer segment with local musicians. TVO's Steve Paikin will host Burlington's Sarah Harmer, and Tom Wilson and Cadence Weapon of Hamilton, at The Music Hall. All are award-winning artists. Singer-songwriter Harmer is the 2024 Juno humanitarian award winner, rocker Wilson is the 2024 CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award winner and a five-time Juno Award winner, and hip hop artist Weapon is the 2021 Polaris Music Prize winner. Doors open at 6:30 p.m and attendance is free. Attendees will be entered in a prize draw to win books and TVO merchandise. The Music Hall is located at 24 Main St. W. Starting at 7 p.m., the musicians will answer questions from Paikin and the audience about how they relate politics to their music and explore their influence in the world. For more information and to register, visit and search for 'TVO Today Live.' This is the first TVO Today Live to be held in Hamilton. The show is an event series on the future of democracy, with previous episodes touching on the state of democracy in Ontario, U.S. President Donald Trump's previous term and social media's impact on politics. The show has been taped in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Kitchener. The first episode was shot in June 2022 at Toronto's MaRS Discovery District. Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. cbholla@
Toronto Star
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Madeleine Thien is the quiet conscience of Canadian literature. Nine years after winning the country's top book prize, she returns with a stirring new novel
Updated 1 hr ago May 3, 2025 9 min read Save By Richie AssalyCulture Reporter On a recent trip to Europe, Madeleine Thien dragged her partner, writer Rawi Hage, over a treacherous mountain path through the Pyrenees. The trek was a minor disaster – authors are rarely known for their outdoorsiness ('I thought she was trying to kill me,' Hage deadpanned) – but Thien was determined to trace the steps of philosopher Hannah Arendt, who fled to Spain from Vichy France during the Second World War. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW RA Richie Assaly is a culture reporter for the Star, with an interest in music, pop culture and food reporting. He is also a juror for Polaris Music Prize. Related Stories After a harrowing spiral into darkness, Toronto singer Cold Specks returns with breathtaking comeback album A contentious partnership, high-profile resignations and accusations of antisemitism. Inside the turmoil at Canada's most prestigious literary prize Olive trees, hope and the power of music in dark times: How a renowned Palestinian-Canadian pianist rediscovered his creative spark Report an error Journalistic Standards About The Star More from The Star & partners
CBC
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Does it make sense to revoke Buffy Sainte-Marie's Juno Awards and Polaris Prizes?
Social Sharing The Juno Awards and the Polaris Music Prize have announced that they are rescinding the honours Buffy Sainte-Marie won from their organizations over her career. The decisions were made in light of her recent acknowledgement that she is an American citizen. The Fifth Estate called into question whether the music icon's claims of Indigenous ancestry are true. Marek Tyler is a nêhiyaw and Scottish musician, educator and entrepreneur. Kim Wheeler is an Anishinabe/Mohawk writer and producer. Today on Commotion, Tyler and Wheeler join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their reaction to the award news, and whether it signals a greater hope for systemic change in the Canadian entertainment industry. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Elamin: Marek, what was your reaction when you heard the news about Buffy being stripped of the Junos and the Polaris Prize? Marek: My reaction? It was shrapnel. And what I mean by "shrapnel" is, for more than 100 years our identity has been systematically attacked…. I think about those families whose identities are constantly being questioned when they walk into a Walmart, when they go to the dentist, and when they go through security wherever they're at. And so for every newly-outed Indigenous person, I think there's shrapnel in the community, a feeling of betrayal at this level, because those scars of identity that we're still living with? They're new. That's where it leaves me. So when I think about that piece, then I go, okay, well, let's think about systemic change, not symbolic actions. The trophies and awards that we receive for these accomplishments, they're symbols of success. But what is required, in my opinion, is systemic change. So yes, someone's symbol has been removed from them. But really what I'm thinking about now is to protect future generations so that they don't endure this shrapnel that we see in [our] community. That we right now require systemic change, and that, for me, is Indigenous-led conversations so that these organizations, who have antiquated policy, can make better, more informed decisions…. So yes, shrapnel, absolutely. But these symbolic actions need to be grounded in systemic change. Elamin: Marek, I appreciate the image of shrapnel and the ways that it evokes a radiating hurt. I think you're trying to get at two different ideas: the idea of the story about Buffy being a story about ancestry coming into question, and the story of what that does to identity. Ancestry and identity are related, but they are two different things. And I think the idea of the questioning of Buffy's ancestry ending up introducing a whole terrain of doubt for people who are sort of trying to figure out their identity, I'm very sensitive to that. Kim, you're a Polaris Prize jury member, but you were not on the jury when Buffy's album Power in the Blood won in 2015. How are you feeling about that decision from Polaris to rescind Buffy's prize? Kim: Well, I understand why they're doing it. The rules are you have to be Canadian, and she isn't. I don't know if she ever actually claimed to be Canadian, or if anybody ever asked if she was, if anybody ever asked to see her passport. We all just, when Buffy said that she was from Piapot, those were her people, we all just took it at face value. I think it's the right thing to do, to rescind it based on her being an American citizen. I think that they've sidestepped the issue that she is being accused of being a "pretendian." And I say "accused" because I think I'm still on the fence. I'm still confused. I mean, you have to go through the seven stages of grief, right? And people are still dealing with that. There are people who are still angry. There are people who are still in denial. There are people who have totally come to accept it. So when we talk about should we take the prize away based on her citizenship? Yes. I really like what Marek said, that these are new conversations. These are conversations that we haven't had to have before, because our people have not been in the position to win these major awards. So when we have to have these conversations — and yes, they have to be Indigenous-led — we are all still doing this for the first time.
USA Today
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie's awards rescinded after she confirms she's not Canadian
Folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie's awards rescinded after she confirms she's not Canadian A 2023 CBC investigation tracked down the Massachusetts birth certificate for the 84-year-old singer, who previously marketed herself as a "Cree singer-songwriter." Oscar-winning singer Buffy Sainte-Marie has had two more awards rescinded amid revelations about her heritage and nationality. Canada's prestigious Juno Awards, which recognize musical achievements, and the Polaris Music Prize on Friday announced their respective decisions to revoke the recognitions they've bestowed upon the singer over the decades, citing the 84-year-old's recent confirmation that she is an American citizen, rather than Canadian. This statement to the Canadian Press, which was issued March 4 in response to the termination of her appointment to the Order of Canada earlier this year, said she had "made it completely clear" she was not Canadian when she was awarded the honor in 1997. USA TODAY has reached out to Sainte-Marie's representatives for comment. Buffy Sainte-Marie removed from Canadian Music Hall of Fame after 'confirmation that she is not Canadian' In the aftermath of the statement, the Polaris Music Prize said in a March 7 blog post, "Buffy Sainte-Marie released an updated statement confirming she is an American citizen and holds a U.S. passport. ... Based on Sainte-Marie's statement, Buffy does not meet Polaris Music Prize's rules and regulations. "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." Polaris "requires all nominees to 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," the post explained. It added, "We understand that not all Indigenous people have access to government-issued paperwork, and we acknowledge that this does not diminish their identity or connection to their communities and should not impact their ability to be nominated for the Polaris Music Prize." That same day, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences said in a news release: "Following a thorough review, consultations with the CARAS Indigenous Music Advisory Committee, and in light of recent information, including Ms. Sainte-Marie's confirmation that she is not Canadian, CARAS will revoke Buffy Sainte-Marie's JUNO Awards and Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction in accordance with its eligibility requirements." The statement added, "Buffy Sainte-Marie has been a strong supporter and advocate for Canadian music, and we acknowledge the past contributions she has made to our organization. However, CARAS' mandate is to educate, develop, celebrate, and honour Canadian artists." Buffy Sainte-Marie previously highlighted alleged Cree ancestry In her statement last month to the Canadian Press, Sainte-Marie said that when she was a young adult she was adopted by a Cree family in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. She also said she has "lived with uncertainty" about her heritage. In the past Sainte-Marie was described on her website — which touted her "Indigenous leadership" — as a "Cree singer-songwriter." Her website's bio in 2023 also claimed "she became the only Indigenous person to win an Oscar" at the time with her 1983 Academy Awards recognition for best original song ("Up Where We Belong" from "An Officer and a Gentleman.") These statements have since been removed from her website. 2023 investigation found Sainte-Marie was born to white parents in Massachusetts; singer says she was adopted In October 2023, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation published an investigation that uncovered her birth certificate, which showed a birthplace of Stoneham, Massachusetts. According to the CBC, she was born Beverly Jean Santamaria on Feb. 20, 191, to a white couple, Albert and Winifred Santamaria, whom she's claimed were her adoptive parents. "For many years, Sainte-Marie claimed she was born on the Piapot First Nation" located within Saskatchewan, the report said. But Sainte-Marie's lawyer, Josephine de Whytell, told the outlet in a statement at the time, "At no point has Buffy Sainte-Marie personally misrepresented her ancestry or any details about her personal history to the public." In the 2018 novel "Buffy Sainte-Marie: An Authorized Biography," for which Joni Mitchell wrote the forward, Sainte-Marie explained her understanding of her Native heritage to author Andrea Warner. "I was told that I was adopted. I was told that I was just born 'on the wrong side of the blanket.' In other words, one of my parents was my parent and one wasn't. I was told that we were part-Indian, but nobody knew anything about it," the book quotes her as saying, according to the CBC. Emile and Clara Piapot of the Piapot First Nation adopted Sainte-Marie into their family in the early '60s, several family members confirmed in the CBC's report, saying, this "holds far more weight than any paper documentation or colonial recordkeeping ever could." Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'I am proud of my Indigenous-American identity' The day before the CBC investigation was published, Sainte-Marie took to social media to share both a video and a lengthy statement about the "deeply hurtful allegations" that were set to come out. "I am proud of my Indigenous-American identity, and the deep ties I have to Canada and my Piapot family. What I know about my Indigenous ancestry I learned from my growing up mother, who was part Mi'kmaq, and my own research later in life," she wrote on Oct. 26, 2023. "My mother told me many things, including that I was adopted and that I was Native." Sainte-Marie wrote that she has struggled to pinpoint her ancestry and said her "Indigenous identity is rooted in a deep connection to a community which has had a profound role in shaping my life and my work." "For a long time, I tried to discover information about my background. Through that research what became clear, and what I've always been honest about, is that I don't know where I'm from or who my birth parents were, and I will never know," she wrote. "Which is why, to be questioned in this way today is painful, both for me, and for my two families I love so dearly."
