The Polaris Music Prize Long List was announced on Wednesday June 13th, and among the 40 bands and artists who made the list, two call BC home.
Every year since 2006, 40 nominees make the long list.
From there, only 10 nominees move on to the short list and finally, just one band or artist will receive the Polaris Music Prize for 2023 which gets them $50,000.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids and Dan Mangan both received the honour to be long listed for the award which is given to what is deemed the best new album of the past year.
Hailing from Kitamaat Village just across the water from Vancouver Island, the Snotty Nose Rez Kids are comprised of two Haisla Rappers, Darren “Young D” Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce.
The duo have made a name for themselves throughout Canada and they’re no strangers to the Polaris Music Prize. The first time they were nominated was in 2017, their album The Last Savage garnered them a place on the short list.
Since then, they’ve released three albums, all of which have gotten them onto the Polaris Music Prize’s short list, the latest being I’M GOOD. HBU?.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids have a large following and have played to sold out crowds numerous times in Victoria. In 2022, they played Phillips Backyard in July and again this year, they are on the ‘Tilt’ Phillips show on July 8th just before Anderson .Paak takes the stage as DJ Pee .Wee.
Dan Mangan is another BC-born artist who made the long list this year for his 2022 album Being Somewhere.
Born in Smithers, BC, he now calls Vancouver home — although he has been back and forth between British Columbia and Ontario throughout his music career.
Mangan’s music is grounded in indie folk rock and his name came to notoriety when he released his 2009 album Nice, Nice, Very Nice on the record label Arts & Crafts. This was the first time he was nominated for a Polaris Music Prize and the last time until this year’s long list.
His new album is being regarded as some of his best work to date and he is currently touring the album extensively with a show in Victoria slated for September 23rd at the Capital Ballroom.
Other notable bands and acts that made the Polaris Music Prize Long List who were recently in Victoria are Edmonton-based Mariel Buckley who just played a show in Sidney at the Mary Winspear Centre on June 10th and Begonia, who calls Winnipeg home just played a sold out performance at Lucky Bar on May 21st.
The full Polaris Music Prize Long List can be found here.
