Jeremy Dutcher has won the 2024 Polaris Music Prize for his album, Motewolonuwok.
An 11-member jury selected the record as the best Canadian album of the year, based solely on artistic merit. The prize was awarded at Massey Hall in Toronto on Sept. 17.
After winning the prize, Dutcher brought out all his singers and crew, clearly surprised at his win. “Six years ago, this award changed my life. I have to give unending gratitude to this music community, please keep your hands going for all of these nominees.” He continued, “Not a single album on that list sounded like each other and that speaks to the breadth of music in this place. This choir, these singers, this band, everyone who helped make this album, I love you. I didn’t think this would happen.”
When speaking about the meaning of his win he said, “To bring forward art and music in this land, in our languages, with our esthetics — all I have to say is we are shining for you, now go shine for other people.”
WATCH | Jeremy Dutcher wins the 2024 Polaris Music Prize:
Motewolonuwok is Dutcher’s second album, and it’s his second time winning the Polaris Music Prize. He is the first artist in 19 years of Polaris history to receive the award twice. As with his debut, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, Dutcher’s devotion to preserving the Wolastoqey language is the heart of Motewolonuwok, but for the first time, he included English lyrics to bring settlers into the conversations around reclamation and reconciliation.
In an interview with CBC Music last October, Dutcher spoke about his previous Polaris win and the importance of preserving Indigenous language: “Not a lot of non-French or English albums have even scratched the public imagination…. It’s exciting to be in that very small percentage of people to bring our language into that space, and the conversation about revitalization into that space.”
At the gala, Dutcher began his medley performance with “Sakom,” which was followed by “Take my Hand” and “Together We Emerge,” where he was joined by a chorus that flanked him while he sang at the piano. The powerful, soaring songs brought the room to a standstill.
There will be three opportunities to listen to highlights from the gala on CBC Music Live via CBC Radio One and CBC Listen:
- Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. NT).
- Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. NT).
- Sept. 24 at 11 p.m. ET (11:30 p.m. NT).
On Oct. 2, the entire gala will be available to stream on CBC Gem as part of the CBC Music Presents: Live at Massey Hall series.