This year’s edition of the prestigious awards ceremony took place at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle last night (October 16). Many of the 12 shortlisted acts performed live at the event, including winner Sam Fender, Pulp, FKA Twigs and Wolf Alice.
CMAT‘s performance was taken from her Glastonbury performance of ‘Running/Planning’ while Fontaines D.C.’s was an exclusive video of ‘Starburster’ from their Finsbury Park show in the summer. You can view the show on BBC iPlayer here.
On the night, Fender’s ‘People Watching‘ won the top prize receiving the trophy from Broadcaster & DJ Sian Eleri who presented on behalf of the judging team – before performing the title track from his winning album again to a standing ovation.
Accepting the award, Fender led the audience in a chant of “Toon Toon”. He said “we didn’t expect this at all…I can’t think!” He then went on to thank some of his “very good friends among the nominees tonight” including CMAT and Fontaines D.C. adding that he was in “great company.” He also dedicated the award to the late Annie Orwin, who inspired ‘People Watching’.
On releasing ‘People Watching’ earlier this year, Fender said the track was about somebody who was “like a surrogate mother to me and passed away last November. I was by her side at the end, slept on a chair next to her. It’s about what was going through my head, to and from that place and home.”
Fender concluded his speech by shouting out his hometown saying, “this region is the best region in the country.”
Other performances on the night saw Richard Hawley join Pulp for their hit single ‘Spike Island’.
Last month, it was confirmed that this year’s period of eligibility for albums was over a month longer. This meant that the records needed to have been released between Saturday July 13, 2024, and Friday August 29, 2025.
The Mercury Prize moved up north from its traditional home in London this year, as part of a new partnership with Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority. The ceremony followed a week-long regional fringe programme to “celebrate the depth and diversity of talent in the north and create opportunities for local talent”.
Last year’s Mercurys were held at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios, and saw English Teacher take home the award for their universally-acclaimed debut album, ‘This Could Be Texas’. The former NME Cover stars were the first non-London act to bag the prize since Edinburgh’s Young Fathers won in 2014.
Check out all the performances from the Mercury Prize 2025 here: