{"id":151490,"date":"2025-09-18T00:05:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T00:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/151490\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T00:05:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T00:05:07","slug":"yves-jarvis-all-cylinders-declared-best-canadian-album-at-polaris-music-prize-celebration-says-he-recorded-most-of-it-with-no-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/151490\/","title":{"rendered":"Yves Jarvis\u2019 \u2018All Cylinders\u2019 declared best Canadian album at Polaris Music Prize celebration; says he recorded most of it with no budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

Montreal multi-hyphenate rock musician Yves Jarvis was awarded the Polaris Music Prize last night at Toronto\u2019s Massey Hall for his fifth album, All Cylinders, a distinction and $30,000 cash award given to a Canadian album based entirely on artistic merit, versus sales or genre or label affiliation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just honoured to be nominated at all. I\u2019m shocked,\u201d Jarvis said, then thanked God \u201cfirst of all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

His acceptance speech included a chain of thank yous that included family members (he recorded the record in his parents\u2019 spare room) and career supporters, both musical and business.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded most of it on no budget,\u201d he said of All Cylinders. \u201cI didn\u2019t even think that it was the record. I didn\u2019t intend to even move back to Montreal. I was in LA. I came back to Montreal. I stayed at my parents, recorded the whole skeleton there and I feel really blessed to be recognized in this way and be an ambassador for Canadian art.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the cash prize is down this year from $50,000, the honour and repercussions of having one\u2019s album declared the best of the year is immense. The evening\u2019s host, Haviah Mighty<\/a>, whose 13th\u00a0Floor\u00a0won in 2019, put it in perspective when she first took the stage to emcee the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people say winning a Polaris can change someone\u2019s life, they are not joking,\u201d she said. \u201cSince my win, I have released two more albums and I\u2019m currently working on the next. I\u2019ve won a Juno, a SOCAN Her Award, a Prism Prize, among many others; have been nominated for cool things like the BET Awards\u2026I\u2019m beyond grateful that Polaris helped launch me into Canadian music industry visibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

The packed event for the 20th anniversary of the prestigious prize included performances by nine of the 10 shortlisted artists: Jarvis<\/a>, Bibi Club<\/a>, Lou-Adriane Cassidy<\/a>, Marie Davidson<\/a>, Saya Gray<\/a>, Nemahsis<\/a>, The OBGMs<\/a>, Population II<\/a> and Ribbon Skirt<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mustafa<\/a> \u2014 who won the inaugural SOCAN Polaris Song Prize for \u201cGaza Is Calling,\u201d also based solely on artistic merit and comes with $10,000 \u2014 was not in attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two Slaight Family Heritage Prizes, recognizing Canadian albums that came out before the Polaris Music Prize was created in 2006, went to Jane Siberry\u2019s The Speckless Sky (1985) and The Organ\u2019s Grab That Gun (2004). The Slaight Family Foundation generously donated the prize money to all the winners.<\/p>\n

The entire concert and awards was streamed live on CBC and can be watched here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Polaris Music Prize is voted on by members of the music media \u2014 journalists, bloggers, broadcasters, programmers \u2014 this year just over 200 people. The jury members suggested albums throughout the year, then pick their top five in a confidential online vote. The results comprise the 40-album long list from which the same jurors vote again, resulting in the short list. An 11-member grand jury picks the winner in a blind vote.<\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n

Much has changed in the 20 years since music industry veteran Steve Jordan founded the Polaris Music Prize, using the U.K.\u2019s Mercury Prize as its model.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the early days, the grand jury would meet in person over dinner to have an informal debate about the 10 shortlisted picks. Then, the coolest part of all, on the night of the awards, while the performances and congratulatory ceremony was taking place, the jury would convene behind closed doors and have it out, taking two blind votes to come up with the winner. They were not told who won when they were dismissed to join the rest of the audience. The best album was announced at the end of the night. Now, the jury meets online over three sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The venue has also changed from the perfect setting of the Masonic Temple, where the grand jury debated in the \u201cred room,\u201d a former freemasons lodge area with red cushioned wooden throne-like chairs. Where better for a secret meeting? It then went to the Carlu, complete with dinner, where the on-site jury also took place. Now, at the iconic Massey Hall, it was a big move which opened the event up even more to the public. Last night\u2019s event was the biggest attendance Polaris has ever had.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jarvis, whose real name is Jean-S\u00e9bastien Yves Audet, was up against nine other short-listed albums: Bibi Club\u2019s Feu de garde; Lou-Adriane Cassidy\u2019s Journal d\u2019un Loup-Garou; Marie Davidson\u2019s City Of Clowns; Saya Gray\u2019s SAYA; Mustafa\u2019s Dunya; Nemahsis\u2019s Verbathim; The OBGMs\u2019 SORRY, IT\u2019S OVER; Population II\u2019s Maintenant Jamais; and Ribbon Skirt\u2019s Bite Down.<\/p>\n

Past winners have ranged from global multi-platinum indie rock act Arcade Fire (for The Suburbs) to throat singer Tanya Taqaq (for Animism). Last year\u2019s winner was Jeremy Dutcher\u2019s Motewolonuwok, sung in the endangered language Maliseet-Passamaquoddy.<\/p>\n