From a list of hundreds, 196 music journalists from across the country carefully decided the 10 best Canadian albums of which the winner of the 2023 Polaris Music Prize will be determined on September 19, live from Toronto’s legendary Massey Hall. In honour of this year’s vibrant list of nominees, Canadian Beats is examining the 10 nominees and celebrating the artists behind them.
“I was at home on my porch in Winnipeg, MB, and I was in tears when I heard. I felt so honoured honestly to be included on a list with so many artists that I love and respect. It’s like…I don’t do this for awards or accolades ,but holy shit does it feel good to get some recognition for all the hard work that goes into this wonderful and absurd job. I told my partner first and then I told my precious and undyingly supportive PARENTS!
-Begonia, on the moment she heard Powder Blue was on the 2023 Polaris Music Prize Short List.
Much like the beautiful overarching theme of Powder Blue, Winnipeg’s Begonia is celebrating her first-ever Polaris Music Prize nomination with a strong and comforting feeling of genuine support from her family and fans alike.
Taking us through her journey of challenging self-discovery of queerness and religion, Begonia’s smooth vocals reinforce positivity through the most difficult times. Tracks like “Heaven,” “I’m Not Dying” and “Cold Night” are encouraging deconstructions of toxic relationships; while “Married by Elvis” and “Right Here” are celebrations of friendships of both the romantic and platonic.
But its tracks “Butterfly” and “Marigold,” and their themes of reconciliation that Begonia highlights as “the most vulnerable and autobiographical on the record and were probably the hardest for me to just let go of and set free into the world.”
Of “Butterfly,” she says,
“It was the best way I could find to reconcile my feelings of shame from being so deeply inside and then subsequently leaving the Church. It’s about learning that you’re never too old to change your mind. It also speaks to the confusion that arises when I felt like I was owed an apology but also upon further reflection realized I probably needed to be forgiven myself.”
“’Marigold’ is about me reflecting and understanding my own identity as I age (in queerness and out of religion),” she adds. “I’ve always prided myself on authenticity and truthfulness in my work but this album and those songs really pushed me further than I had ever gone before. All at once terrifying and exhilarating to share.”
“I’ve had a lot of people come up to me while we’ve been on tour or through DM and trust me enough to tell me their own personal stories. Stories of belonging, leaving the church and of similar queer self discovery and they tell me how this album has made them feel seen. It always makes me so emotional when people share their stories with me. I feel so honoured honestly. To share my truth in order to make it easier for others to share theirs has always been one of my main artistic goals …so truly that’s been one of the biggest/best feelings, to know that it’s making some sort of impact on people.”
-Begonia, on the most complimentary and impactful thing said about Powder Blue
Proud of her work that resonates so deeply with so many, Begonia is preparing for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize Gala by “putting together a medley of my favourite songs from the album to perform with my band,” and has enlisted local Winnipeg designer, Tony Chestnut, and Vancouver designer, Evan Clayton, to create the perfect look for the performance.
Will the positively proud Powder Blue land the honour of the best Canadian album of the year? Find out by following CBC Music on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, and at cbcmusic.ca/polaris and follow Canadian Beats for more Polaris Music Prize coverage.