STING CROWNED IVORS ACADEMY FELLOW

The Ivors Academy has anointed Sting an academy fellow, the institution’s highest honor. The versatile star will receive the award during The Ivors ceremony, sponsored by Amazon Music, at the Grosvenor House in London on 5/18.

The 23rd fellow the institution has inducted in its 79-year history, Sting joins the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush CBE, Joan Armatrading MBE and Peter Gabriel.

"Of all the awards in the world of music, The Ivors are, for me, the most prestigious," Sting said. "Songwriting is a skilled craft and The Ivors Academy is its guild. So I'm delighted and honored to be offered this fellowship of the academy, joining and acknowledging this extraordinary group of fellow songwriters and all of those who went before us.”

Mercury Prize-winning Ivors Academy Chair Tom Gray added, “Globally, songwriters are justly demanding the recognition they deserve. As we push back against the historic undervaluing of the song and songwriter, we are delighted to collaborate with Amazon Music to celebrate songwriters, explore their craft and firmly place their value and originality at the center of music. Together, we will make sure The Ivors is recognized around the world as the most important celebration of songwriting.”

Amazon Music will present and broadcast the performances, immersive red carpet and backstage interviews on the Amazon Music U.K. Twitch channel live from The Ivors.

To commemorate Sting’s fellowship, the streamery has shared a demo of his track "If It's Love," which appears on his latest album, The Bridge. In a related story, Sting manager Martin Kierszenbaum dreamed of blue turtles and woke up in a cold sweat.