Ezra Collective have made history by becoming the first ever Jazz act to win a Mercury Prize after their success at the 2023 ceremony for the Album of the Year award. The London based quintet were nominated for their album Where I’m Meant To Be, which was released in November 2022.
The Mercury Prize is a £25,000 prize that celebrates the best of British and Irish music and has become a well-known and prestigious award for both established and up and coming artists. Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal’s Boy in da Corner and Primal Scream’s Screamadelica.
The 2023 Mercury Prize ceremony took place on Thursday 7th September at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Ezra Collective were one of 12 nominees for the 2023 Album of the Year award, and were up against acts such as Arctic Monkey’s, Fred Again.., Loyle Carner, RAYE and more.
When accepting the award, Ezra Collective drummer Femi Koleoso said “First of all, let me thank God because if a jazz band winning the Mercury Prize doesn’t make you believe in God, I don’t know what will”
“This is not just a result for Ezra Collective, or for UK jazz, but this is a special moment for every single organisation across the country, ploughing efforts and time into young people playing music.”
You can watch Ezra Collective’s acceptance speech below:
Where I’m Meant To Be spans many genres including Jazz, Afrobeat and Funk. Many artists featured on this Ezra Collective LP, including Emeli Sande, Sampa the Great, 2022 Mercury Prize nominee Kojey Radical, and 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen.
Ezra Collective’s debut album You Can’t Steal My Joy was released in 2019, and due to the Coronavirus pandemic, live shows and touring for the 5-piece were limited. Their sophomore, and now award winning, release was written during the 2o2o lockdown. Much to fans delight, Ezra Collective made an electric return to the stage and performed their song “Victory Dance” at this year’s Mercury Prize ceremony.
Other performers at this year’s Mercury Prize included nominees Young Fathers, RAYE, and Jessie Ware. Whilst not all nominees perform at the awards ceremony, all acts receive a trophy in recognition of their achievement.
The full list of nominees for the 2023 Mercury Prize were:
- The Car by Arctic Monkeys
- Where I’m Meant to Be by Ezra Collective
- Actual Life 3 by Fred Again
- Beautiful and Brutal Yard by J Hus
- That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware
- I Love You Jennifer B by Jockstrap
- False Lankum by Lankum
- Hugo by Loyle Carner
- Messy by Olivia Dean
- My 21st Century Blues by Raye
- Nymph by Shygirl
- Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers
