The performers for this year’s Mercury Prize in Newcastle have been announced.
This year, the annual music prize will be held on October 16 at the Utilita Arena – the first time the Mercury Prize has been staged outside London.
Last month, the shortlist revealed CMAT‘s ‘Euro-Country’, Fontaines D.C.‘s ‘Romance’, Pulp‘s comeback record ‘More’, PinkPantheress‘ ‘Fancy That’, Wolf Alice‘s ‘The Clearing’ and Sam Fender‘s ‘People Watching’ to be up for the prestigious award.
Other nominees include FKA Twigs (‘Eusexua’), Pa Salieu (‘Afrikan Alien’), Jacob Alon (‘In Limerence‘) and Emma-Jean Thackray (‘Weirdo’), with Joe Webb (‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’) and Martin Carthy (‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’) rounding out the shortlist.
Now, nine of the nominees have been revealed to perform on the night. Emma-Jean Thackray, FKA twigs, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb, Martin Carthy, Pa Salieu, Pulp, Sam Fender and Wolf Alice are set to take to the stage, each performing one track from their shortlisted albums.
In addition, Lily Fontaine – singer of 2024 Mercury winners English Teacher – will appear at the ‘Art of the Album Day’ panel and a live recording of ‘The Record Club’ podcast as part of the Mercury Fringe.
The week-long programme will be held in the run-up to the ceremony, showcasing “the depth and diversity of talent in the north” and “create opportunities for local talent”.
Nominee CMAT recently announced that she is postponing her entire October UK tour due to wisdom tooth pain.
The musician was supposed kick off her tour tonight (October 2) at London’s Brixton Academy to support ‘Euro-Country’ – an album which NME gave five stars.
However, the singer revealed on social media that she had to book emergency surgery to remove her wisdom teeth, adding: “I currently can’t even open my mouth wide enough to laugh, let alone sing”.
Elsewhere, fans have reacted to this year’s shortlist, calling it “the only music award I pay any attention to now”.
However, others called out the Prize’s snubs of artists such as Self Esteem, Geordie Greep, Black Country, New Road, Jim Legxacy, Little Simz, Wet Leg and The Cure.
Welsh indie group Los Campesinos! also highlighted the Prize’s admission fee, adding that “this understandably might discourage smaller artists! If the album/artist you love isn’t included it may be because they chose not to apply.”
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that this year’s period of eligibility for albums is over a month longer. This now means albums must be released between Saturday July 13, 2024, and Friday August 29, 2025 in order to be nominated.
CMAT’s ‘Euro-Country’ was therefore made eligible, having made it onto the shortlist upon being released on the final day of eligibility (August 29). Wolf Alice’s ‘The Clearing’ was also a close call nomination, having arrived one week earlier on August 20.