The NME Awards 2020 saw a host of stunning performances from the most exciting corners of British music. From Mura Masa and slowthai’s grubby punk ragers to the serenity and beauty of FKA twigs, and with The 1975’s Matty Healy handing over the baton to Beabadoobee, who is leading the next wave of guitar heroes, the night was jam-packed with year-defining performances. Relive all the action below with NME photographers’ stunning images.
Mura Masa and slowthai
Mura Masa and slowthai opened the show with a predictably raucous rendition of their collab ‘Deal Wiv It’, which NME named the best song of 2019.
Brothers in arms
The pair picked up the NME award for Best Collaboration later on in the evening.
Beabadoobee
Beabadoobee followed the opening performance with a joyous rendition of ‘She Plays Bass’.
A new hero arrives
Before the performance, Bea was presented the NME Radar award by her label mate Matty Healy. The two are firm friends, with The 1975 bringing Beabadoobee along to support on their UK arena tour this month, and Bea telling us that her plan for a zombie apocalypse would be to hide at Matty’s house.
Bea-utiful
While presenting the award, Healy called her “the most exciting thing in rock music,” and the performance that followed proved it.
FKA twigs
Next up was FKA twigs, who brought the room to a standstill with a gorgeous eight-minute performance.
Stand and deliver
The singer played ‘Mary Magdalene’ and ‘Cellophane’ from her new album ‘MAGDALENE’, backed by just a cello and a piano.
Yungblud
Things were got wild for Yungblud’s set, which saw Dominic Harrison tear through ‘Original Me’, which had won Best Music Video earlier in the night.
Hi, nice to meet you…
Barrelling around the stage and into the crowd, Yungblud made the cavernous Brixton feel wonderfully intimate.
One for the road
Not content with just playing one song, Yungblud commanded his band to launch straight into a rendition of ‘Braindead!’ to end the set.
AJ Tracey
Half way through the night, AJ Tracey picked up the Best British Song award for ‘Ladbroke Grove’, and proceeded to fly through a brilliant rendition of the hit immediately afterwards.
Wise words
In his acceptance speech, Tracey championed the conversation around mental health, saying: “It’s OK not to feel OK, make sure you lean on someone.”
The 1975
A five-song closing set saw Matty Healy and co head straight into a blistering rendition of huge recent single ‘People’.
Say cheese
Still time for a quick Insta video before you’re squashed by your favourite singer!
N’night
The band waved goodbye to another year at the NME Awards, finishing their set with a triumphant rendition of ‘Love It If We Made It’. See you next year!