In a shock result London grime MC Skepta has won this year’s Mercury Music Prize for his album Konnichiwa. The rapper has unfortunately beaten bookies (and public) favourite Blackstar by the late David Bowie. The final shortlist also included deserving finalists: Laura Mvula’s The Dreaming Room, Michael Kiwanuka’s Love & Hate and A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead, who are still yet to win despite being the most nominated act in the prize’s history. Despite thoroughly disagreeing with the final result we can take solace in the fact that this year’s shortlist contained a varied and plentiful wealth of British talent… and y’know, at least it didn’t go to The 1975!
mercury prize
Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist announced
The most prestigious prize in British music has released it’s shortlist for album of the year. The list includes a posthumous nomination for David Bowie for his final album Blackstar, as well for Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool making them the most nominated act in the award’s history. The final awards show will take place on 15th September where the list will be whittled down to a final 6 albums before the overall winner will be announced. For the first time the prize will include a public vote to decide one of the finalists. This year’s nominations are:
Anohni – Hopelessness
Bat For Lashes – The Bride
David Bowie – Blackstar
Jamie Woon – Making Time
Kano – Made in the Manor
Laura Mvula – The Dreaming Room
Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Savages – Adore Life
Skepta – Konnichiwa
The 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
The Comet Is Coming – Channel the Spirits
Changes in store for the Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, which rewards the best British/Irish album of the year, celebrates it’s 25th anniversary this year. The momentous occasion brings some changes to this British music institution. Sponsored this year by Hyundai, the prize will be narrowed down to a list of 6 finalists rather than the usual 12. One of the finalists will be decided via a public poll with the rest being selected by the judging panel. A launch event will take place on 4th August with the ceremony itself taking place 15th September at the new venue of the Hammersmith Apollo. Last year’s prize was won by Benjamin Clementine for his debut album At Least For Now.
Benjamin Clementine wins Mercury Prize
Avant garde pianist Benjamin Clementine has won this year’s prestigious Mercury Music Prize for his album ‘At Least for Now’. He followed in the Mercury tradition of rewarding lesser known acts and beat more famous albums from Florence + the Machine and bookies favourite Jamie XX. His compelling and poetic music has been widely compared to Nina Simone. He has delivered one of the most memorable Jools Holland performances in recent years and has earned such famous fans as Bjork and Paul McCartney. The award is well deserved recognition for an unspeakably talented artist.
Mercury Prize nominations announced
The nominations for this year’s Mercury Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in British music, have been announced. A panel of music critics will select their choice of album of the year from the twelve albums in the shortlist, with the winner to be announced on the 20th November. The shortlist is as follows:
- Aphex Twin – Syro
- Benjamin Clementine – At Least For Now
- Gaz Coombes – Matador
- C Duncan – Architect
- Eska – Eska
- Florence + the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
- Ghostpoet – Shedding Skin
- Roisin Murphy – Hairless Toys
- Slaves – Are You Satisfied?
- SOAK – Before We Forgot How To Dream
- Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool
- Jamie XX – In Colour
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