A Winnipeg metal band and a solo artist originally from Selkirk have been nominated for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize.
The annual prize, which comes with a $50,000 award, is handed out to the artist behind the best Canadian album of the year, as judged on artistic merit by almost 200 music journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and programmers from across the country.
Local four-piece Vagina Witchcraft, which blends elements of politically charged doom metal and hardcore, received the nod for their self-titled debut LP, which is also in the running for a Western Canadian Music Award this fall.
Shoegaze artist Zoon (Zoongide’ewin), who hails from Selkirk via Brokenhead Ojibway Nation but is now based out of Toronto, also made the cut for his critically acclaimed debut album, Bleached Wavves.
The two records were among more than 200 considered by the jury before narrowing it down to the 40-record long list.
That list will be further pared down to a 10-album shortlist in July, followed by the announcement of the eventual winner.