Angine de Poitrine, a masked Quebec rock duo from Saguenay, won the 2026 Polaris Music Prize for their second album "Vol.II," earning $30,000. The prize is awarded annually by Canadian music experts based solely on artistic merit. Sébastien Collin accepted the award, praising the band's innovative approach to music and anonymity. Additionally, Angine de Poitrine won the Polaris Song Prize for their track "Fabienk," securing another $10,000 prize.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Angine de Poitrine, a masked Quebec rock duo from Saguenay, Que., won the 2026 Polaris Music Prize at a gala in Toronto's Massey Hall on Tuesday night, earning them $30,000 for their second album, Vol.II. The band also clinched the $10,000 Song Prize for their track "Fabienk," becoming the first act to win both top honors since the song prize was introduced last year. Known for their unique microtonal sound and ornate costumes, Angine de Poitrine comprises guitarist Khn and drummer Klek, who maintain anonymity by speaking in a made-up language. Their manager, Sébastien Collin, accepted on behalf of the duo during the ceremony at Massey Hall. The Polaris Music Prize is awarded annually to the best Canadian album based solely on artistic merit.
Written for “Polaris Music Prize Angine de Poitrine” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Quebec duo Angine de Poitrine wins 2026 Polaris Music Prize
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Poitrine → win → Prize
The otherworldly rock band took home the $30K prize for their 2nd album
Angine de Poitrine, the masked and ornately costumed band from Saguenay, Que., has won the 2026 Polaris Music Prize.
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band → take → Prize
The anonymous duo received the accolade and $30,000 for their second album, Vol.II.
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duo → receive → album
Their manager Sébastien Collin gave an acceptance speech on their behalf since the band members, Khn and Klek, do not speak in their real voices, opting instead to use a made-up language to maintain their anonymity.
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members → give → anonymity
"That all this attention is being directed toward music this rock-driven and this complex is unexpected, yet entirely deserved," Collin said at the end of the Polaris Music Prize Concert in Toronto at Massey Hall.
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Collin → direct → Hall
"This artistic project is the result of a lifetime of refinement, collaboration, a drive to push beyond one’s limits, and a refusal to be confined by any established framework.
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project → push → framework
The Polaris Music Prize goes to the best Canadian album of the year, based solely on artistic merit and voted by a jury of Canadian music experts.
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Prize → go → experts
The prize has been given out every year since 2006.
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prize → give → 2006
Past winners include Feist, Kaytranada, Patrick Watson, Jeremy Dutcher, Debby Friday and more.
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winners → include → Feist
Angine de Poitrine has had a massive year.
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Poitrine → have → year
The band's dizzying, tension-filled microtonal rock first took the world by storm when they went viral after a performance on KEXP, the Seattle-based radio station, which now sits at 19 million views on YouTube.
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which → fill → YouTube
Just two years after the release of their debut album, they've sold-out an international headlining tour, opened for Jack White, shared a stage with Shania Twain and made appearances on British and American late-night shows.
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they → sell → shows
Vol.II was selected from a short list of 10 albums by more than 200 Canadian music critics and journalists who make up the Polaris jury.
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who → select → jury
Angine de Poitrine beat out previous winner Tanya Tagaq, and previous nominees Les Louanges, Bibi Club, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Begonia, Peaches, Rochelle Jordan, Charlotte Cornfield and Aquakultre.
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Poitrine → beat → Tagaq
Polaris Song Prize and Heritage Prize winners announced
Angine de Poitrine also took home the Song Prize, a joint award from SOCAN and Polaris that goes to the best Canadian song of the year, beating out Charlotte Cornfield, Pup, Charlotte Day Wilson, Patrick Watson and Martha Wainwright.
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that → announce → Cornfield
The band's song Fabienk won the $10,000 prize, as voted by the Polaris jury.
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song → win → jury
Earlier in the night, the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize winners were announced.
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winners → announce → night
The Heritage Prize is Polaris's way of giving nods to albums that were released before they launched in 2006.
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they → give → 2006
It is decided in part by a jury of critics and also by a public vote.
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It → decide → vote
Willie Dunn's 1971 self-titled album won the jury selection and the Watchmen's 1992 album, McLaren Furnace Room, won the public vote.
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album → title → vote
Dunn's widow, Liz Moore and son Lawrence Dunn, took to the stage to honour the late Mi'kmaq singer-songwriter.
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widow → take → songwriter
On behalf of his father, Lawrence reminded the audience of the core message of Willie's album — the historic suffering of Indigenous people at the hands of imperial and colonial forces.
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Lawrence → remind → forces
"Willie forces the raw question: Who is served by this suffering?
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Who → force → suffering
He turns the mythic artifact into embodied grief with sanctity and sovereignty inseparable.
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sanctity → turn → grief
Shortly after, the four current members of Winnipeg band the Watchmen praised their fans in their acceptance speech, saying, "We really want to thank the fans.
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We → praise → fans
We do have the best fans.
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We → have → fans
I know it's a cliché, but it's true.
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it → know → ?
They made it possible, and not only the award, but they make it possible for us to still continue to play in the the greatest country in the world, so we're really grateful for that."
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we → make → that
The Aporia
