The nominees for the 2021 Mercury Prize have been announced. Wolf Alice, Mogwai, Arlo Parks, Celeste, and more have had their respective albums nominated for the coveted British music price.
This year’s award will be given on September 9th at a live ceremony at the Eventim Apollo in London.
In a joint statement, this year’s panelists, Anna Calvi, Annie Mac, Jamie Cullum and more, spoke on the strength of British musicians, even during such perilous times.
“It is testament to the strength of British music that, during a year which saw musicians face the toughest challenges of their lives, so many remarkable albums came out nonetheless,” they said.
“There was an embarrassment of riches for this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize judges to choose from, but the final twelve show how diverse, vibrant and far-reaching British music continues to be. Choosing one winner out of twelve albums that bring so much hope for the future will be a challenge indeed.”
There are quite a number of debut records up for nomination, including Arlo Parks’ Collapsed In Sunbeams, Black Country, New Road’s For The First Time, and Celeste’s Not Your Muse.
Wolf Alice, whose 2018 record Visions Of A Life won the prize in that year, return to the prize with their third studio record.
Check out the full list of nominees below.
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
BERWYN – DEMOTAPE/VEGA
Black Country, New Road – For The First Time
Celeste – Not Your Muse
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & 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
