Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq’s album Animism (Six Shooter Records) was named Canadian album of the year at the Polaris Music Awards Monday night (Sept. 22) in Toronto, beating out albums by Arcade Fire, Drake, Owen Pallett and six others. She collected the top honor having just finished performing her improvisational vocal acrobatics on the Carlu stage, earning the only standing ovation of the night from the predominantly industry crowd.
The decision to award Tagaq with the $30,000 prize was made during the gala ceremony, by a jury of 11 music journalists who were sequestered in another area of the venue to battle it out.