Lido Pimienta has been awarded the 2017 Polaris Music Prize for her album La Papessa. The artist of Wayuu descent was crowned the winner at a Toronto ceremony on September 18 and picks up $50,000 in addition to the prize itself.
The finalists for the Polaris Music Prize are chosen from albums by Canadian artists released between between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017. Pimienta's album, which mixes sounds from her Afro-Colombian heritage with synthpop, beat fellow shortlisted releases by Feist, Leonard Cohen, BADBADNOTGOOD, Weaves, and 2014 winner Tanya Tagaq. Kaytranada, who won the prize in 2016 for his album 99.9%, was at the ceremony to hand out this year's prize.
Tweeting about her victory, Pimienta wrote:
The outpouring of love is overwhelming. Daze and confusion persist. I'll write more thanks after I drop my son at school ok?@PolarisPrize pic.twitter.com/mXyPz9HC96
— Lido Pimienta (@LidoPimienta) September 19, 2017
Stream La Papessa below.
