With British summertime and festival season closing, one would assume that music fans are singing the blues, but with the beginning of a new season comes the Mercury Prize. It has been confirmed that the Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Awards Show will be held tomorrow (Thursday, 8th September 2022) at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo.
Annie Mac, former BBC Radio 1 DJ turned writer, has been confirmed to announce the winner of the prestigious accolade; the cultural figure is also on the judging panel and will take on the role of guest presenter. Fellow DJ Lauren Laverne has been bestowed the title of the primary host at the upcoming London-held ceremony; best known for her show Desert Island Discs, Laverne was announced as the show’s master of ceremonies earlier this Summer.
Two days to go until we find out the overall winner of the 2022 Album of the Year.
Watch the Awards Show for the 2022 Mercury Prize with @FreeNow_UK on Thursday 8th September at 9pm on BBC Four and iPlayer.#MercuryPrize pic.twitter.com/FjN6xyK0zx
— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) September 6, 2022
Information concerning the ceremony’s performers were also revealed among the various announcements confirming details of the upcoming event. Set to perform at the star-studded awards show are eleven of the twelve shortlisted artists; Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Fergus McCreadie, Gwenno, Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler, Joy Crookes, Kojey Radical, Little Simz, Nova Twins, Yard Act and Self Esteem.
This year marks Harry Styles’ first entry in the acclaimed shortlist, the award-winning singer’s recent album Harry’s House has been included within the 12 shortlisted albums. Due to his extensive touring schedule across the pond, Styles will not be able to perform at the event. In Lieu of a physical presence, the singer has pre-recorded a very special performance that will celebrate his album and be aired during the ceremony.
Those also in the running to win the Mercury Prize include eleven more albums; Fergus McCreadie for Forest Floor, Gwenno for Tresor, Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler’s For All Our Days That Tear the Heart, Skin by Joy Crookes, Kojey Radical’s Reason To Smile, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz, Supernova by Nova Twins, Sam Fender’s Seventeen Going Under, Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem, Wet Leg for Wet Leg and The Overload by Yard Act.
The Shortlist for the 2022 Mercury Prize with @FreeNow_UK has been revealed! @fergusmccreadie@gwennosaunders@Harry_Styles@buckleyxbutler@JoyCrookes@KojeyRadical@LittleSimz@NovaTwinsMusic@SamFenderMusic@SELFESTEEM___ @wetlegband@YardActBand#MercuryPrize pic.twitter.com/VbIV8nubON
— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 26, 2022
Along with Mac, the judging panel also consists of jazz pianist Jamie Cullum, singer-songwriter Anna Calvi and musician Loyle Carner as well as many others. The panel of esteemed professionals is chaired by Jeff Smith, the Head of Music, 6 Music and Radio 2 has given the following statement, “Getting down to 12 albums this year was not easy, simply because there were so many remarkable ones to choose from. That serves as proof that British and Irish music thrives during unsettled periods in history, with the albums chosen covering everything from imaginative pop to pioneering rap to Cornish language folk-rock. We feel that these 12 amazing albums each have something to say artistically and socially, all in their own unique, enriching ways. Now comes the really hard part… choosing only one overall winner.”
Right up until the end of the ceremony, the award show’s digital partner Amazon Music will be supplying programming and specially curated playlists to music fans. The Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Awards Show’s long-time broadcast partner BBC Music will also keep music fans in the loop with up-to-date coverage of the ceremony across the channels BBC TV and BBC Radio 6 Music, as well as content and coverage being made available via social media and online.
