Sometimes she might be winner
October 20, 2022

Little Simz wins Mercury Prize for 'Sometimes I Might be Introvert'

28-year-old rapper Little Simz has won the 2022 Mercury prize for her fourth album 'Sometime I Might be Introvert' last night, NME reports. “The album that we have chosen deals with themes both personal and political; the music is as sophisticated as it is varied. This is a truly exceptional album,” said DJ Jamz Supernova. Little Simz congratulated her fellow nominees: “All of you guys are incredible, we all made incredible albums, we all change people’s lives with our music and that’s the most important thing, so this is for us really, you know what I’m saying?”. The award, given to the best British or Irish album of the year, comes with a cash prize of £25,000. Simz is a DIY artist, self-releasing each of her albums on her own label, Age 101.

First-timers Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
July 27, 2022

Women and first-timers dominate the Mercury Prize shortlist

Joy Crookes

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.

Planet Brit
September 11, 2021

Arlo Parks wins 2021 Mercury Prize

Arlo Parks is the winner of the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize for the best British album of the year. Her 'Collapsed in Sunbeams' won the award over shortlisted albums by Ghetts, Black Country, New Road, Wolf Alice, Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders, Mogwai, and more. Alexis Petridis says Arlo Parks’ "warm voice and diaristic lyrics rightly earn her the Mercury prize".

The Mercury Prize 2021 shortlist:

Arlo Parks – 'Collapsed in Sunbeams'
Berwyn – 'Demotape/Vega'
Black Country, New Road – 'For the First Time'
Celeste – 'Not Your Muse'
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra – 'Promises'
Ghetts – 'Conflict of Interest'
Hannah Peel – 'Fir Wave'
Laura Mvula – 'Pink Noise'
Mogwai – 'As the Love Continues'
Nubya Garcia – 'Source'
Sault – 'Untitled (Rise)'
Wolf Alice – 'Blue Weekend'

A surprised man in a Covid world
September 28, 2020

Mark Beaumont: Ninja approach to award ceremonies - the shake-up they need

Inspired by the stealth approach of the Mercury Prize ceremony last week, NME's Mark Beaumont writes today that all the awards ceremonies should be conducted that way - "Most of music’s award ceremonies have become so formulaic, dreary and smugly ‘establishment’ that the ninja approach necessitated by corona might well be the shake-up they desperately need". There's several benefits, one of which is - stars caught off guard: "At a stealth award ceremony, you’d really get an insight into the true natures of the stars... The cult rock band, with no time to rehearse their snarled acceptance shrug, might break down and weep like Paltrow in an Oscar factory at the unexpected honour".