The Mercury Prize 2022 with FREE NOW have announced its shortlist of 12 albums ahead of the ceremony in September.
Last year, the award was taken home by Arlo Parks with her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams which beat off stiff competition from the likes of Wolf Alice, Sault, Ghetts, and Mogwai. The judging panel for this year includes Annie Mac, Anna Calvi, Jami Cullum, Jamz Supernova, Loyle Carner, and Tshepo Mokoena. Meanwhile, the chair of the judging of the 2022 ceremony is Jeff Smith, Head of Music for BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.
The list of nominees were revealed by Nemone during her BBC 6 Music show, and the first name revealed during the broadcast was Wet Leg for their chart-topping eponymous debut album. In a statement, the band said of the accolade: “It’s been just over a year since our first gig and we are all still in shock at where this journey has taken us.
“When we started the band, we never really thought we’d get the opportunity to make any recordings at all, let alone a whole album…and now to have that album nominated for a Mercury has left us absolutely lost for words. We feel very lucky that we got to make the album that we made. Thanks to everyone who helped us along the way. Feeling very proud and grateful today.”
Other notable nominations include Harry Styles with Harry’s House, Sam Fender with his sophomore album, Seventeen Going Under, Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Self Esteem’s Prioritise Pleasure, and Yard Act with their debut record, The Overload.
The 2022 Awards Show will take place on September 8th at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, and will also be broadcast live across BBC TV and BBC 6 Music. It will include performances by the 12 nominees before an overall winner is crowned.
See the full list of nominations below.
Mercury Prize 2022 with FREE NOW nominees:
- Fergus McCreadie – Forest Floor
- Gwenno – Tresor
- Harry Styles – Harry’s House
- Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler – For All Our Days That Tear The Heart
- Joy Crookes – Skin
- Kojey Radical – Reason To Smile
- Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
- Nova Twins – Supernova
- Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under
- Self Esteem – Prioritise Pleasure
- Wet Leg – Wet Leg
- Yard Act – The Overload
