POLIÇA began in Minneapolis in 2011 when singer Channy Leaneagh started collaborating with Ryan Olson, the producer of Jagjaguwar signed soft rock collective Gayngs, on a new batch of synthesizer and percussion-heavy arrangements. Channy was in the process of emerging from a personal and creative breakup, with this informing much of the lyrical content of the songs. The resulting debut album, 2012’s Give You The Ghost, immediately garnered international acclaim, with Rolling Stone hailing it as “the sound of heartbreak and celebration happening simultaneously” and Q praising it as “a bewitching, urgent, magical debut.” Bon Iver meanwhile declared that POLIÇA were “best band I’ve ever heard” and Jay-Z weighed in with a co-sign. The record became known for Channy’s electronically manipulated vocals (using a TC-Helicon voice processor) that lent the album much of its uniqueness as heard on tracks such as Lay Your Cards Out and Dark Star.

The quick success of Give You The Ghost brought with it a heavy touring schedule and an itch to keep creating. Taking just a few months off from the road, the band ventured into the studio and came out with their follow-up, Shulamith, named after radical feminist Shulamith Firestone, in the fall of 2013. The record featured stand-out tracks “Tiff” featuring Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and "Chain My Name" a moment of sparkling electronic pop on a record of darker sounds and themes than their debut. Interestingly the album’s cover was banned by Apple Music requiring them to heavily pixelate the image of a woman dying her hair red. Shulamith was another critical hit with MOJO saying it “proves that intelligent pop music still has the ability to seduce and enthral” and, bolstered by a live lineup of dual drummers Drew Christopherson and Ben Ivascu and bass and backing vocals from Chris Bierdan, POLIÇA conquered massive festivals around the world from Coachella to Glastonbury in addition to performing on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and multiple slots on Later With Jools Holland.

There followed a period of recuperation back home in Minneapolis in which time Channy and Ryan started a family. Slowly songs appeared, influenced by motherhood and the growing social unrest in the USA. The resulting album, 2016’s United Crushers, named after tags that appear on many abandoned buildings around Minneapolis, was a crisper, less bleak affair as demonstrated on lead single Lime Habit. United Crushers was also notable for having band members Drew, Ben, and Chris contribute more to the recording and, with the vocal processing dialed down, the album had more of a live feel. As with the previous two albums, a whirlwind of touring, festivals and media appearances followed. Channy became an in-demand featured vocalist, performing on releases by Lane 8, trance DJ Sasha and Leftfield’s Alternative Light Source album. POLIÇA also worked with Berlin neo-classical collective s t a r g a z e, an intriguing musical pairing brought about by their involvement with Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon’s collaborative PEOPLE (now branded 37d03d0) collective. The resulting highly experimental album Music For a Long Emergency was released in 2018.

In 2018 POLIÇA began work on their fourth album but near tragedy followed. As Channy was clearing snow from her roof she fell and had to physically drag herself into her house to call for help. She had smashed her L1 vertebrae and battered her spine, leaving her in a brace with limited mobility for months. While recovering, Leaneagh’s doctor told her to focus not only on physical healing, but to meditate on the mental act of healing as well – working to erase the anger, regrets, and fear she felt about her fall. On the resulting LP When We Stay Alive, released in 2020, Channy realized the power in restructuring her inner self. POLIÇA managed one European tour on When We Stay Alive ending in Portugal in March 2020 before the pandemic hit.

The songs on the new 7-track, 31-minute release Madness are something of a companion piece to When We Stay Alive and represent a potential endpoint to the first phase of POLIÇA’s existence.

Past Shows


Oct
8
th
2022
Palace Theatre
Oct
8
th
2022
Palace Theatre

Broken Social Scene with Poliça

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of 'You Forgot it in People'
Nov
8
th
2021
First Avenue
Nov
8
th
2021
First Avenue

Poliça

with Velvet Negroni
Apr
10
th
2020
Mainroom
Apr
10
th
2020
Mainroom
postponed

Poliça

with Wilsen
Nov
27
th
2019
7th St Entry
Nov
27
th
2019
7th St Entry

Poliça

with MARGRET
Nov
26
th
2019
7th St Entry
Nov
26
th
2019
7th St Entry

Poliça

with Lady Midnight
Feb
21
st
2018
Mainroom
Feb
21
st
2018
Mainroom

Poliça and s t a r g a z e

with Divide and Dissolve and IN/VIA
Jul
8
th
2017
Bayfront Festival Park
Jul
8
th
2017
Bayfront Festival Park

Hippo Campus with Poliça

with Low, Remo Drive and J.S. Ondara
Feb
11
th
2017
Mainroom
Feb
11
th
2017
Mainroom

Poliça

with Spank Rock and Taskforce
Mar
4
th
2016
Mainroom
Mar
4
th
2016
Mainroom

Poliça

with Fog and Kill The Vultures
Mar
3
rd
2016
7th St Entry
Mar
3
rd
2016
7th St Entry

Poliça

with Dizzy Fae and Izell Pyramid
Mar
2
nd
2016
Turf Club
Mar
2
nd
2016
Turf Club

Poliça

with Sarah White and Fraea
Dec
31
st
2014
Turf Club
Dec
31
st
2014
Turf Club

Poliça

with Marijuana Deathsquads and Allan Kingdom
Aug
11
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater
Aug
11
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater

SUMMER SET Music & Camping Festival

with Passion Pit, Girl Talk, BIG GIGANTIC and more!
Aug
10
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater
Aug
10
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater

SUMMER SET Music & Camping Festival

with Passion Pit, Girl Talk, BIG GIGANTIC and more!
Aug
9
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater
Aug
9
th
2013
Somerset Amphitheater

SUMMER SET Music & Camping Festival

with Passion Pit, Girl Talk, BIG GIGANTIC and more!
Apr
24
th
2013
Mainroom
Apr
24
th
2013
Mainroom

Poliça

with RONiiA and Night Moves
Aug
11
th
2012
Cabooze Outdoor Plaza
Aug
11
th
2012
Cabooze Outdoor Plaza

Poliça

with Supreme Cuts and Zoo Animal
Feb
14
th
2012
Mainroom
Feb
14
th
2012
Mainroom

Poliça

with Soft Opening and Brute Heart
Jan
28
th
2012
Mainroom
Jan
28
th
2012
Mainroom

89.3 The Current’s 7th Birthday Party

with Haley, Sims, The Suicide Commandos and more!
Dec
7
th
2011
7th St Entry
Dec
7
th
2011
7th St Entry

P.O.S

with Marijuana Deathsquads and Poliça

More Shows

Jul
16
th
Turf Club

Hana Vu

with Babebee
Aug
3
rd
First Avenue

Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers

Jul
28
th
Turf Club

Lambrini Girls

Aug
9
th
First Avenue

Old 97's