Listening Session – Hosted by Shad, Presented by Polaris Music Prize
Free Listening Session w/ Registration | Sep 15, 9-11 PM | Loveless Cafe, Toronto
19+ | Accessible space but a not accessible washroom
In celebration of 20 years of Polaris Music Prize, we’ve created the Polaris Festival presented by Sirius XM Canada. The Festival is happening throughout September with over 15 events like Salons, Concerts, Listening Sessions, and our Concert & Award Ceremony at Massey Hall. Browse Festival events here.
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A function for all the Quixotic music makers/lovers/haters/true believers, Shad will be selecting a mix of smashes and rarities, with special attention paid to the greats from coast-to-coast-to-coast. A little chatter on the mic too.
SHAD
Shad (Shadrach Kabango) is a Canadian rapper of Rwandan descent. He is known for blending humour with weighty themes, exploring a range of topics and sounds over the course of his 20-year career. Shad has carved out a distinctive voice in hip-hop, expertly crafting rhymes that tackle themes ranging from identity and faith to politics and personal struggle, all while experimenting with a diverse range of sounds and styles.
A critically acclaimed artist, Shad has earned a number of prestigious accolades. He won the 2011 JUNO Award for Rap Album of the Year, and he is also the only artist to be short-listed five times for the Polaris Music Prize, more than any other artist in the award’s history, underscoring his consistent artistic excellence and national impact.
LOVELESS CAFE
https://www.thelovelesscafe.ca/
POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE
Polaris Music Prize is a Canadian charitable arts organization celebrating 20 years of honouring music as art. From June to September 2025, the new Polaris Music Prize Festival brings concerts, salons, and listening sessions to Toronto and across Ontario — culminating in the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony on September 16 at Massey Hall. Through its Album, Song, and Heritage Prizes, Polaris amplifies Canadian artists based on artistic merit — not genre, sales, or algorithmic popularity. With 700+ artists championed, over $1.4M in prize and artist fees awarded, and a jury of over 200 music critics and curators, Polaris protects space for boundary-pushing music and fosters a deeper national music culture. Learn more at polarismusicprize.ca.
The event is part of the Polaris Music Prize Festival presented by SiriusXM Canada. CBC presents the 2025 Polaris Music Prize. This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, and Canada’s private radio broadcasters. It is supported by SiriusXM Canada, Ontario Creates, the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, and the Slaight Family Foundation.
