Women and first-time nominees dominate the 30th anniversary of the Mercury Prize, which celebrates the best British and Irish albums of the year. 11 of the 12 shortlisted albums are from the first-timers like Kojey Radical and Yard Act. Little Simz is the only artist here with Mercury history: her third album, 'Grey Area', was nominated in 2019, with her second nod coming for its follow-up, 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert'. Simz also leads a pack dominated by women, with seven of the 12 albums by female solo artists or mixed groups, like Wet Leg, Jessie Buckley, and Joy Crookes. Guardian delivers a good insight.

"There's always been a time where you come home and you practice in the mirror what you coulda shoulda woulda said – and I think the most important thing about progression, especially having to do with racism and injustice, we have to face ourselves before we face anyone else. That is the only way towards progression" - London singer-songwriter Joy Crookes tells NPR in an interview about her debut album 'Skin'.

The 21-year-old singer is recording her first album and it makes her "want to crap myself", as she says the BBC. "I'm like, 'Why am I stressed every day, I should be excited about this? But why should I be excited when this is nerve-wracking?'. I'm massively over-thinking everything", she explained. Joy Crookes is BBC's […]

Three solo female artists - Celeste, Beabadoobee and Joy Crookes - are nominated for the Brits rising star award for the year 2020 (it was formerly critics’ choice award). In the past, the award was given to Adele, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, Rag’n’Bone Man, Jorja Smith, and Sam Fender, Independent reports. Celeste has received critical […]