Angine de Poitrine Win the 2026 Polaris Music Prize Without Saying a Word
The masked Quebec instrumental duo took the Canadian album award for Vol. II and accepted it in character, bowing and blowing kisses to the crowd
Quebec instrumental math-rock duo Angine de Poitrine were named the winners of the 2026 Polaris Music Prize on Tuesday night, taking Canada's most prestigious album award for their recent record Vol. II.
The Polaris goes each year to the album a jury considers the best Canadian release of the year, and comes with $50,000 in prize money. Previous winners include Arcade Fire, Feist, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Fucked Up and Kaytranada. This time, the duo came out ahead of a shortlist that featured Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Peaches, Rochelle Jordan, Charlotte Cornfield and former Polaris winner Tanya Tagaq.
The twist is that Angine de Poitrine don't speak. Masked and anonymous onstage, the pair communicate in clicks, squeaks and grunts, turning the gimmick into a running comedic bit. That held at the ceremony too: after performing during the event, they accepted the award wordlessly, bowing to the audience and blowing kisses. It was the second time they had to collect a Canadian honor in character, after picking up a Billboard Canada Award in June.
The win caps a rapid ascent. Together since 2019, the duo turned into internet stars over the course of 2026, with appearances on Jools Holland's show and Jimmy Fallon's, and they have already inspired a tribute act on the other side of the world. More recently they moved into the festival circuit, playing Riot Fest in Chicago and Iron Blossom in Richmond the weekend before the Polaris announcement.
Reported from Stereogum
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