The Overcast’s annual Borealis Music Prize is a $1000 award that recognizes uncommon talent, potential, or originality in any genre of music by a local artist.
It is a triple juried award, so whoever wins really worked for it: the longlist, the shortlist, and the winner are each picked by a new, separate jury. Its goal is to put local music on the radars of our readership.
This year’s shortlist will be juried by: Bryan Power (Director of NL Folk Fest & Lawnya Vawnya), Angela Antle (CBC’s Weekend Arts Magazine), Dave Rowe (O’Briens Music), Krista Power (MightyPop), and Chris Donelly (“Best Drummer in Town”). Winner will be January’s cover story.
On the Shortlist …
Amelia Curran is a sophisticated singer-songwriter with a poet’s lyrics, a striking approach to the guitar, and one of the most affecting voices this side of Canada.
Fog Lake is Aaron Powell, who now holds the record for number of Borealis Music Prize shortlistings. His lo-fi “drone pop” sound has earned him an international cult following.
Hey Rosetta! crafts uncommonly complex songs that defy their advanced song structures by being accessible and catchy singalong powerhouses; it’s innovative, impressive work.
Kat McLevey’s overdue full-length debut Evergrown has already won her 2 MusicNL awards, and proved she’s no longer one to watch, but one to catch up with; she’s writing in her genre as well as any of her townie contemporaries.
Ouroboros use four saxes to blow you away, and they do just that. You’ve heard nothing quite like it: four skilled saxophonists and a drummer that won’t quit: this is seriously original, seriously good music.
Come to the Awards Gala / Holiday Party …
On December 29th, at The Rocket Room, 8pm sharp, we’re having a proper awards gala, with free drinks to whet your appetite for the event. Each band will have someone come to the podium and champion them before we screen a 3-5 minute video profiling the nominee, then crown a winner.
In addition to the Borealis Music Prize cheque and trophy, we will hand out our annual “Breakout Band of the Year” trophy too. Stick around after the 30 minute ceremony for beers on the house and a holiday party.
Details to follow, lootbags to boot. It’s invite only, but we have 30 tickets to give away to non-media, non-band, non-jury members. Want one? Go to this link to enter. www.theovercast.ca/borealisshortlist2015.
Have the tickets been given away? The link just brings me back here.
We’ll do a giveaway next week, sorry about the confusion. Awaiting some details longer than expected!
I love how hey rosetta play so many shows around town and support our local bars. So relevent to the scene here! Hehe omg if we could all just be hey rosetta we could all make this list. Good pick!
That’s a fair enough sentiment, but, it is an album award, not local music scene award, and, any album that survives three separate juries is a notable one. And if you ask around, you can’t make a living “supporting local bars.” A man’s gotta eat.
Kat *McLevey*
Would you believe we had the right spelling and changed it to the wrong one in proofing … dang/thanks!