Cold Specks is the stage name of Somali Canadian singer-songwriter Ladan Hussein,[1] who was previously known as Al Spx.[2] Her music has been described as doom-soul. The name Cold Specks is taken from a line in James Joyce's Ulysses ("Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil lights shining in the darkness.").
She released her debut album, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion, on May 21, 2012, on Mute Records and Arts & Crafts in Canada.[3] The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.[4]
Her second album, Neuroplasticity, was released on August 26, 2014.[5] It featured trumpet playing by Ambrose Akinmusire and backing vocals from Michael Gira of Swans, was supported in part by selected dates opening for Sufjan Stevens on his Carrie & Lowell Tour,[6] and was longlisted for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize.[7] Her third album, Fool's Paradise, followed in 2017.[8]
Following Fool's Paradise, Hussein suffered a mental health breakdown, and underwent several months of treatment at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.[9] In 2025 she released Light for the Midnight, her first full-length album since her health issues.[10] It was longlisted for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize.[11]
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result[citation needed] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2012 Polaris Music Prize | Polaris Music Prize | I Predict a Graceful Expulsion | Nominated |
| 2013 | SiriusXM Indies Awards[13] | Artist of the Year | Cold Specks | Nominated |
| Female Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Soul/R&B Artist or Group of the Year | Nominated |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
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