Emma-Jean Thackray has spoken to NME about how her neurodiversity inspired her Mercury-nominated album ‘Weirdo’, as well as sharing her advice for others looking to enter the industry. Watch our video interview above.
The Leeds jazz star caught up with us on the red carpet at the announcement of the Mercury Prize 2025 shortlist yesterday (Wednesday September 10) – where her acclaimed second album was revealed to be up against records by the likes of Fontaines D.C., CMAT, Wolf Alice, FKA Twigs, Pulp and Pa Salieu.
“I’m dead stoked for everyone,” she said of the 12 artists honoured. “It’s so nice to be amongst so many fantastic records. There are a couple on there that I thought would be shortlisted, a couple that were surprises to me. A good mate from college on there as well [Joe Webb].”
‘Weirdo’, featuring cameo appearances by Reggie Watts and Kassa Overall, sees Thackray making sense of her life as an artist and young woman with ADHD and autism, while also grappling with grief.
“I’m just a little weirdo,” she admitted. “I’ve always been a weirdo, my entire life. The seed of the record was about accepting and celebrating my neurodiversity. Then of course, it became about something else and evolved, but he very first seed of it was about me being a little weirdo.”
Asked for advice for anyone who may be worried about entering or navigating the music industry with neurodiversity, Thackray replied: “Be yourself. Throw yourself into the music – that’s the most important thing – and the music will take care of you.”
As for who she expects to walk with the Mercury Prize next month? “I’m betting on myself,” she told us, “I’m literally going to the bookies in about five minutes” – before revealing that she’d spend the £25,000 on a gold toilet.
The shortlist for the Mercury Prize 2025 is:
CMAT – ‘Euro-Country’
Emma-Jean Thackray – ‘Weirdo’
FKA Twigs – ‘Eusexua’
Fontaines D.C. – ‘Romance’
Jacob Alon – ‘In Limerence’
Joe Webb – ‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’
Martin Carthy – ‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’
Pa Salieu – ‘Afrikan Alien’
PinkPantheress – ‘Fancy That’
Pulp – ‘More’
Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’
Wolf Alice – ‘The Clearing’
This year’s edition of the Mercury Prize awards show will take place outside of London for the first time, and be held at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle on Thursday October 16. The ceremony will feature live performances from many of the 12 shortlisted acts, culminating in the overall winner being revealed.
Last year’s Mercury Prize was held at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios, and saw English Teacher take home the prestigious award for their universally-acclaimed debut LP, ‘This Could Be Texas’.
Emma-Jean Thackray is on tour in the UK and Europe throughout the autumn and winter. Visit here for tickets and more information.