Sampha wins the 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year
Sampha was announced tonight, Thursday, 14 September 2017, as the overall winner of the2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.TheAwards Showwas hosted byBBC Music’s Lauren Laverneand guest presenter,Idris Elbaannounced the overall winner. The event was held at theEventim Apollo, Hammersmith.
On collecting the winner’s trophy and cheque for £25,000, Sampha proclaimed his triumph as ‘incredible’, thanking the judges and dedicating the award to his parents and his brothers. He then performed a second rendition of the song ‘(Nobody Knows Me) Like The Piano’ to a standing ovation from the audience.
The judging panel said “Sampha’s ‘Process’ is a beautifully intimate record. With its unique creativity, rich musicality, depth and vulnerability, it resonates emotionally and speaks to the heart. When you discover this record you’ll want to live with it, share it and celebrate it”.
The Show featured live performances from the 2017 shortlisted ‘Albums of the Year’ includingAlt-J, Blossoms, Dinosaur, Glass Animals, J Hus, Kate Tempest, LoyleCarner, Sampha, Stormzy, The Big MoonandThe xx.The 2016 winner of the Prize,Skeptaalso gave a special performance of ‘Man’ at the Show.
The Prize’s broadcast partnerBBC Musicbroadcast the show onBBC Fourfrom 9pm.
BBC Radio 6 Musicprovided live coverage of the event from 7pm. Both programmes are available onBBC iPlayer.
The Hyundai Mercury Prize ‘Albums of the Year’celebrate and promote the best of UK music, recognising artistic achievement across an eclectic range of contemporary music genres.
Hyundai Motoris very proud tosupport innovation in British music and has celebrated all the shortlisted artists in the build up to this year’s awards show.
The Prize’s digital music partner,Apple Music, has promoted the Mercury Prize from the shortlist announcement through to the Awards Show. Apple Music will also help music fans discover new music with dedicated playlists featuring the shortlisted artists, albums and more. Visit Mercury Prize on Apple Music here:Mercury Prize 2017
The 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize Albums of the Year:
alt-j Relaxer
BlossomsBlossoms
DinosaurTogether, As One
Ed SheeranDivide
Glass AnimalsHow to be a Human Being
J HusCommon Sense
Kate TempestLet Them Eat Chaos
LoyleCarnerYesterday’s Gone
SamphaProcess
StormzyGang Signs & Prayer
The Big MoonLove in the 4th Dimension
The xxI See You
The twelve2017 Hyundai Mercury Prizejudges are:Phil Alexander- Editor-in-Chief, Mojo and Q;Clara Amfo- Broadcaster;Jamie Cullum- Musician and Broadcaster;Ella Eyre- Musician and Songwriter;Harriet Gibsone- Music News Editor, The Guardian/TheGuardian.com;Lianne La Havas- Musician and Songwriter;Will Hodgkinson- Chief Rock & Pop Critic The Times;MistaJam- DJ and Broadcaster;Marcus Mumford- Musician and Songwriter;Jeff Smith- Head of Music, 6 Music and Radio 2;Jessie Ware- Musician and Songwriter; andMike Walsh- Head of Music, Radio X.The Chair of the judging panel is the music executive,Tony Wadsworth.
Further information:
Media Enquiries:DawBell – 0203 327 7111
Kate Etteridge / Lisa Birch (print) /
Holly Appleton / Livy Jenkins (online) –/
Pippa Evers (TV) –
Claire Walley (radio) –
BBC Press Office: Sharon Hanley – 07801 247 422 –
Hyundai Mercury Prize: Gennaro Castaldo– 0207 803 1300
Hyundai Motor UK: Natasha Waddington – 01494 428646/07771 975692