Pierre Kwenders has won the Polaris Music Prize 2022.
The Congolese born, Montreal based musician won the prize at a ceremony in Toronto last night, with the Polaris celebrating the best Canadian albums released over the past 12 months.
Pierre took home the trophy – and the $50,000 prize – for his record ‘José Louis and the Paradox of Love’, which fought off competition from Destroyer, Ouri, Charlotte Day Wilson, and more.
Taking home the prize at the live gala, Pierre Kwenders saluted his family, noting that in the past two months alone he had lost his godfather and two of his cousins. Saying “life is a motherfucker” he continued: “I remember the reason I do what I do and the reason why I do the music that I do and I tell the story that I tell with my music is to tell the story of the people that inspire me. And all those three people that I mentioned inspired me as fuck.”
Polaris Music Prize Short List 2022:
Charlotte Day Wilson – Alpha
Destroyer – Labyrinthitis
Hubert Lenoir – Pictura de Ipse : Musique Directe
Kelly McMichael – WaveS
Lisa LeBlanc – Chiac Disco
Ombiigizi – Sewn Back Together
Ouri – Frame of a Fauna
Pierre Kwenders – José Louis and the Paradox of Love
Ombiigizi – Sewn Back Together
Ouri – Frame of a Fauna
Shad – Tao
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Life After
Leave a Reply