SOCAN member Mustafa’s “Gaza is Calling” has won the very first SOCAN Polaris Song Prize, worth $10,000, honouring the Canadian song of the year, in a gala presentation held Sept. 16, 2025, at Massey Hall in downtown Toronto. Cameron Kennedy, SOCAN Vice President, Creative & Member Relations, and 2021 Polaris Prize winner Cadence Weapon revealed the prize (though Mustafa was unable to attend).
“This is about celebrating Canada’s incredible songwriters and artists: music creators who shape our culture, inspire us, and move us with their art,” said Kennedy at the podium. “The Polaris jury is applying the same uncompromising standard that they bring to the album of the year, to recognize one truly outstanding song.”
On his Intagram on Sept. 17, 2025, Mustafa said, “I will donate the prize money to Gaza.”
Yves Jarvis’s All Cylinders won the 2025 edition of the $50,000 Polaris Prize for the best album in Canada. He very calmly accepted the award onstage from the evening’s host, Haviah Mighty, and said, “Thank you so much. I’m honoured, I’m really honoured. I was honoured just to be nominated at all. Thank you God, thank you God, first and foremost. Thank you, Mom and Pop… I’m so blessed. My parents are so supportive. I recorded most of the record in their spare room.” Jarvis then thanked other members of his family and the individuals on his entire team.
The Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize went to Jane Siberry’s The Speckless Sky for the juried vote, and to The Organ’s Grab That Gun for the public vote. Both were on hand to accept their awards. Said Siberry, “Forty years later, I still feel like a baby musician, still inching towards my prime.” The Organ’s Katie Sketch said, “We’re deeply grateful to everyone who continues to listen, and to those who stood with us in a time when queerness was ridiculed and shamed.”
The Gala featured short but intense live performances from all of the nominees except Mustafa. Jarvis himself offered music that fell somewhere in between prog, jazz, metal, alt-rock, soul, and dance, and showed off his chops as a lead guitarist. Golden-voiced Lou-Adriane Cassidy brought a total live-wire passion to her catchy disco-pop tunes, and Nemahsis showed off her pure-pop songs and unique vocal style. Noisier performances included the industrial goth of Bibi Club; the psychedelic prog-rock of Population II; the moody, reverbed atmospherics of Ribbon Skirt; and the blistering but soul-tinged punk rock of The OBGMs. Marie Davidson showed off her big-beat DJ work, and Saya Gray displayed both her nimble guitar playing and strong singing.
Both the SOCAN Polaris Song Prize and Polaris Music Prize are awarded to the best Canadian song and album of the year, respectively, based only on artistic merit, without regard to genre, sales history, or label affiliation. Each of the 2025 short-list nominees received a $3,000 prize.
SOCAN congratulates all of the 2025 winners and nominees, on these great career achievements!