This year’s Mercury Prize ceremony has been postponed following the announcement that Queen Elizabeth II died this afternoon (September 8).
The red carpet for the event had previously been cancelled after Buckingham Palace issued a statement earlier today, which said that “doctors [were] concerned for Her Majesty’s health” and had “recommended she remain under medical supervision”.
The 2022 Mercury Prize ceremony was due to be hosted by Lauren Laverne tonight, and broadcast on BBC Four from 9pm-10.15pm and on BBC Radio 6 Music from 7pm-midnight.
In a statement, the Mercurys organisers said: “Tonight’s Mercury Prize event has been postponed at this time of great national sorrow. We know everyone involved in the Mercury Prize will understand.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with The Royal Family at this very difficult time.
“We will make an announcement regarding future arrangements as soon as we are able.”
12 albums had been shortlisted for this year’s Album Of The Year award including Harry Styles’ ‘Harry’s House’, Little Simz’s ‘Sometimes I Might be Introvert’, Sam Fender’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’, Wet Leg’s self-titled album and Yard Act’s ‘The Overload’.
Eleven of the 12 nominees were confirmed to perform live at the ceremony, which was set to take place at London’s Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. Only Harry Styles was unable to attend, and planned to instead pre-record a special performance that would be broadcasted during the event.
Speaking about her nomination, Self Esteem recently told NME. “I’m not being coy, but I can’t believe what’s happened. “I’d really made my peace with being consistently underground and under-dogged. Something has happened where people have connected to [the album]. It’s still kind of a slow-burn and slowly growing – it’s not like my life has changed overnight – but my greatest joy is making music.”
Last year, Arlo Parks walked away with the 2021 Mercury Prize for her album ‘Collapsed In Sunbeams’. A future date for this year’s ceremony has not been shared at this time.