Songs you need to hear this week, 2024 Polaris Music Prize edition
Listen to recent songs from some of this year's shortlisted artists
Songs you need to hear is CBC Music's weekly list of hot new Canadian tracks.
This week, we're focusing on new music from some of the artists shortlisted for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.
Scroll down to check out their latest releases ahead of the awards gala on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Toronto's Massey Hall.
'Did Life Work Out for You?,' Charlotte Cardin
As part of her ongoing city series, Montreal's Charlotte Cardin released A Week in Nashville back in May. The final track on the EP, "Did Life Work Out for You?" is a tender song, with pared-back piano and shimmering guitar chords that evoke nostalgia. Cardin sings with a mild country twang (perhaps the influence of recording in Tennessee) as she reminisces on a summer fling that perhaps could have been something more. Although she's happy with her current relationship, she's held on to mementos and letters from their time together and frequently finds her thoughts drifting to the months they shared: "That summer together, then never again/ I go through the 'whys' and the 'what-could-have-beens'." — Kelsey Adams
'End of Beginning (Djo cover),' the Beaches
The success of "Blame Brett" has taken the Beaches to many new places, including a trip Down Under in May to perform at the Australian Broadcast Corporation's Triple J studios. As with tradition there, the Toronto band performed a cover for their Like A Version series and they chose Djo's 2022 viral hit, "End of Beginning." "The song really relates to touring artists on the road," guitarist Kylie Miller said, in an accompanying interview, "because it's all about missing where you're from, and your hometown, so it just made sense for us to cover this song while we are the farthest we've ever been from home." It's also a fitting choice as the song is a wistful look back at an earlier stage of your life and an exploration of what it means to grow up, which mirrors the Beaches' own skyrocketting trajectory this past year. Their version of "End of Beginning" feels just as sentimental (with a fun lyric change to give a shout-out to Toronto); a cherry on top of an incredible run with their now Polaris-nominated album, Blame My Ex. — Melody Lau
'Heaven Sometimes,' Caleb Caudle, Allison Russell
The list of Allison Russell's musical collaborators continues to grow. Her Rainbow Coalition (the all-female band she assembled for her Polaris-shortlisted album, The Returner) comprised a who's who: Wendy & Lisa, SistaStrings, Joy Clark and Brandi Carlile, to name a few. More recently, she has hopped on new singles from Hozier and Orville Peck. Now, she's a guest on one of the songs on Sweet Critters, the latest album from prolific singer-songwriter/country artist Caleb Caudle. He says "Heaven Sometimes" is a song about endurance — a subject close to Russell's own heart. "On a day like this, the struggle is more than I can stand," they harmonize on the chorus. "I thought I knew the plan like the back of my hand." When life goes off the rails, this song is a tuneful reminder that resilience will get it back on track. — Robert Rowat
'Never Fold,' Tobi, !llmind
"Because I love you, I will never fold," raps Tobi on the endearing track "Never Fold," a soulful pump-up song. "'Never Fold' is a statement to oneself, to always stay persistent in your journey and be unwavering in your discipline and dedication, no matter what happens," Tobi told Genius. Over brassy horns and crisp beats, Tobi's voice is as smooth as ever as he sings about forging his own path and refusing to be anyone's punching bag. He raps with conviction and precision, making listeners taste his desire to create art that moves people, and !llmind's sleek production effortlessly highlights his swagger. Striving for greatness amid the weightiness of fame, love and other anchors was a theme that appeared throughout his Juno-winning album, Panic, and it once again burns bright on "Never Fold." This time around, he's even more confident about being successful, allowing the song to serve as a victory lap. — Natalie Harmsen
'Ice,' Ragz Orginale feat. Bambii
The last time Toronto producer Bambii and British vocalist Ragz Orginale teamed up, it was for Bambii's Polaris-shortlisted EP, Infinity Club. "Slip Slide" is a sultry, twitchy house number that transports you straight to a clandestine club. Their latest collab, "Ice," is a new sound for Bambii, leaning more into the alt-R&B world. Her vocal propels the sleek track, with a trance-like refrain of "Love the way I/ Love the way I/ Turn me into ice" that beckons and entices. Bambii has continued to push her boundaries since releasing Infinity Club, her next project is sure to be full of surprises. — KA
To hear more about these standout songs, tune in to CBC Music Mornings every Thursday (Canada-wide) with producer Nathan Gill and host Saroja Coelho, and Here and Now with Gill Deacon every Wednesday afternoon (in Toronto). Both are available via CBC Listen.