Yves Jarvis and Mustafa Honoured at The 20th Polaris Music Prize

According to the Polaris community, Yves Jarvis is the creator of the Canadian album of the year, All Cylinders, and Mustafa is the singer-songwriter of “Gaza Is Calling,” the Canadian song of the year. The 2025 Polaris Gala was held Tuesday night at Massey Hall in Toronto, marking the 20th edition of this award, which annually recognizes the best Canadian music based exclusively on artistic merit and expert evaluation. Presented by the CBC, the evening ran from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and alternated between award presentations and various performances.

Mixed performances

Montrealer Marie Davidson opened the evening with “Sexy Clown,” from her album City of Clowns, which was nominated on the short list. Alone behind her mixing desk, she delivered a raw and theatrical performance, as only she knows how. Gatineau-born musician Yves Jarvis followed with a psychedelic and evolving set, shifting from rock bursts to more soulful and contemplative moments, already showcasing the breadth of his soundscape even before the winners were announced.

The program then took the audience on a journey through a mosaic of genres. The duo Bibi Club offered indie pop tinged with post-punk, with “Le feu” and “Shloshlo,” supported by looped visuals and the clear voice of Adèle Trottier Rivard.

Toronto’s Saya Grey kicked off her set with “Hell (Of A Man),” delivering intimate folk music accompanied by her band, first on acoustic guitar, then setting aside the instrument to take up more space on stage with “Lie Down.”

There was a change of tone with OBGMS, whose punk-rock energy was mixed with gospel passages. Dressed in white, accompanied by projections of the Earth in flames, they took us on a journey of collective and visceral rage.

On the Montreal side, Ribbon Skirt imposed a nervous and tense indigenous rock sound, carried by the song “Off Rez,” and the post-punk aesthetic of its lead singer. The band’s musicians never stopped moving on stage, as if immobility would freeze the soul in cement.

Toronto singer Nemahsis then softened the atmosphere with her melancholic alternative pop, particularly on “You Wore It Better,” carried by an ethereal voice and minimalist arrangements.

Then, Population II plunged the room into a psychedelic trance with “La Trippance,” a progressive rock track extended for the occasion, supported by strobe lights, frenzied riffs, and even a heartfelt “Vive le Québec libre.”

To conclude, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, illuminated by a red moon projected behind her, gave a spellbinding and electrifying performance with “Dis-moi, dis-moi, dis-moi” and “Journal d’un loup-garou,” bringing the evening to a close on an intense note.

New and former winners

This year, the gala introduced a Song of the Year Award, with a $10,000 prize from SOCAN. The award went to Mustafa for “Gaza is Calling.” The Toronto singer, the only artist absent from the evening, was unable to collect his award in person.

In closing, the Album of the Year Award was presented by Haviah Mighty to Yves Jarvis for his fifth album All Cylinders, released last winter. Formerly known as Un Blonde, the Montreal-based artist walked away with a $30,000 prize. He succeeds Jeremy Dutcher, the winner in 2024.

Two other awards highlighted Canada’s musical heritage. The Polaris Heritage Prize, which recognizes albums released before the award was created in 2006, was presented live for the first time: the jury selected Jane Siberry‘s The Speckless Sky (1985), while the public chose Grab That Gun (2004) by The Organ.

Finally, the organizers took advantage of this anniversary edition to announce the launch of a new submission portal accessible on their website. This tool will now allow artists from across the country to submit their albums directly to the Polaris jury, simplifying access to the selection process.