NEW FACES FILL MERCURY PRIZE NOMS

It’s a new sensation for the artists nominated for the 30th edition of the Mercury Prize: 11 of the 12 shortlisted albums are by acts who have never enjoyed that distinction, among them one Harry Styles.

The lone previously nominated artist is Little Simz, whose fourth set, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, is up for the award against albums by Styles, Wet Leg and Sam Fender, among others (see below).

The shortlist is split between female and male acts and includes a jazz pianist (Fergus McCreadie), one band (Yard Act ), three duos (Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Nova Twins and Wet Leg) and a trio of female singer/songwriters (Gwenno, Joy Crookes and Self Esteem).

Three of the nominated long-players hit #1 on the Official Albums Chart—those by Styles, Wet Leg and Fender—and five are debuts. While Buckley & Butler are newcomers as an act, Butler won the Mercury Prize in 1993 as a member of Suede.

Four of the nominated albums were released by Universal Music Group labels; Sony Music labels issued two and Warner Music one. Five of the releases were on indies.

The 2022 Mercury Prize will be awarded 9/8 at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith.

2022 MERCURY PRIZE SHORTLIST

Fergus McCreadie, Forest Floor (Edition/The Orchard)
Gwenno, Treso (Heavenly/[PIAS])
Harry Styles, Harry’s House (Columbia)
Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, For All Our Days That Tear the Heart (EMI)
Joy Crookes, Skin (Insanity)
Kojey Radical, Reason To Smile (Atlantic)
Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (Age101/AWAL)
Nova Twins, Supernova (Marshall)
Sam Fender, Seventeen Going Under (Polydor)
Self Esteem, Prioritise Pleasure (Fiction)
Wet Leg, Wet Leg (Domino)
Yard Act, The Overload (Island)