For i-D’s Wise-Up Issue, we traveled to Toronto to attend the Polaris Music Prize 2012. Whilst there we hung out with everyone’s favourite new artist, Grimes. Ahead of her performance at the awards show the green haired beauty told us all about her most gruesome injuries.
A cultural revolution is underway. Canada is becoming the buzz word in new music. No longer content with playing understudy to its big brother, the USA’s booming, multi-billion dollar music industry, this generation’s answer to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen are taking shape. Hailing from the ten provinces and three-territory nation repped by the red maple leaf, Drake, Grimes, Lunice, Art Department, Feist, The Weeknd and Trust are responsible for some of the most original and influential sounds going global right now. Propelling the entire nation into the limelight in a bid to draw attention to its homegrown talent, The Polaris Music Prize pays tribute to the most outstanding Canadian creatives pushing the boundaries of contemporary and commercial music. Celebrating its seventh annual ceremony this year, nominees Cadence Weapon, Cold Specks, Kathleen Edwards, Feist, Fucked Up, Grimes and YAMANTAKA all performed to a select crowd of 200 music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers at the historic concert hall at Bell Media’s Masonic Temple studios on 29th September, competing to win a grand prize of £19,000 and a place in the hall of fast rising Canadian fame akin to previous winners Caribou, Arcade Fire and Fucked Up. Founded by Steve Jordan, former A&R Executive of Warner Music Canada and True North Records, this yearly gala showcases just how serious Canada is about supporting the powerful individuals it has inspired. Hear what Grimes has to say about her inspirations and music here ahead of the awards show, look right.
claireboucher.carbonmade.com
polarismusicprize.ca
Text Milly McMahon
Photography Seth Fluker
