07 September 2023 , 14:54
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Loyle Carner and Young Fathers are set to go head-to-head as the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s coveted Mercury Prize award.
Big names such as Arctic Monkeys, Fred Again and Jessie Ware are also up for the gong, which recognises the best British and Irish albums of the year. Newer stars in the running for the prestigious award include Raye, who has just released a song called The Weekend with rapper Stormzy.
Motown-influenced singer Olivia Dean has been nominated for her debut album, Messy, which was released less than three months ago in June. Electronic duo Jockstrap are also up for their first album, I Love You Jennifer B, which came out last September, as are debuts from London producer Shygirl and jazz-influenced group, Ezra Collective.
Irish folk band Lankum and former Mercury Prize nominee J Hus, who was up for the award in 2017 for his album Common Sense and co-signed by rap superstar Drake off the back of it, complete the list of this year’s 12 nominees.
While the decision on who will win is often decided at the nail-biting last minute – with the winner being announced in London tonight and at 10pm on BBC Four and 6 Music – Loyle Carner, who missed out on the award in 2017 to Sampha, is the current favourite to scoop the gong, according to the bookies.
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Loyle Carner is the bookies' favourite to win this year's Mercury music prize (Redferns)The south Londoner’s third album, Hugo, about his reconciliation with his estranged father, has odds of 4-1 to win. While eclectic Edinburgh band Young Fathers, who won the award back in 2014, are on 5-1 for their latest album, Heavy, Heavy.
Arctic Monkeys are nominated for the fifth time for their seventh studio album, The Car, tying them with Radiohead for the most nominated act in the 32-year history of the Mercury Prize awards.
However, the Sheffield-born band – whose frontman is Alex Turner – is currently on tour, as is breakout dance star, Fred Again, so neither will attend the ceremony at London’s Hammersmith Apollo hosted by Lauren Laverne. Last year’s award was won by rapper Little Simz in a glittering ceremony held on October 18, which had to be rescheduled following the death of the Queen a month prior. As well as the trophy, winners take home £25,000 in prize money.
She said she was “overwhelmed” to have won the award, after beating off competition from Harry Styles, Self Esteem, Fergus McCreadie, Jessie Buckley, Joy Crooke, Kojey Radical, Nova Twins, Sam Fender and Wet Leg.