Two thirds of Mercury Prize 2021 nominees have been supported through PRS Foundation’s programmes
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8 out of 12 Mercury Prize 2021 nominees have had support from PRS Foundation at different points in their careers
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PRS Foundation supports exciting, diverse talent at timely career moments and #FundedByPRSF nominees have been supported domestically and internationally
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More than ½ of the Mercury Prize nominees in the last 4 years have had PRS Foundation support prior to being nominated
PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development is delighted to see today that 8 of the 12 artists nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize have received support from PRS Foundation at strategic points in the development of their careers.
These artists and the support they received are:
- Arlo Parks (nominated for “Collapsed in Sunbeams”): BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation showcase for SXSW 2020 w/ BME Sessions
- Black Country New Road (nominated for “For the First Time”): PPL Momentum Music Fund 2019 (for debut album recording and UK touring), BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation showcase for ESNS 2020, and International Showcase Fund for SXSW 2020
- Floating Points (nominated for “Promises”): PPL Momentum Music Fund 2013 (for composition and recording)
- Ghetts (nominated for “Conflict of Interest”): International Showcase Fund for Midem 2015
- Hannah Peel (nominated for “Fir Wave”): PPL Momentum Music Fund 2013 (for recording, release and promo of an EP and her sophomore album), New Music Biennial 2017 (‘Journey To Cassiopeia’ commissioned by Tubular Brass)
- Laura Mvula (nominated for “Pink Noise”): Women Make Music 2011 (Black Voices commissioned Mvula to write a Jazz Suite which was then toured around the UK and Europe)
- Nubya Garcia (nominated for “SOURCE”): Steve Reid Innovation Award, 2017, BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation showcase for New York Winter Jazzfest 2018, PPL Momentum Music Fund 2018 (to write, record and later release her debut album), and International Showcase Fund for SXSW 2018
- Wolf Alice (nominated for “Blue Weekend”): International Showcase Fund for SXSW 2014
Funding partners for the development schemes listed above include PRS for Music, PPL, Arts Council England, British Underground, Department for International Trade, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, Creative Wales, Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Invest NI, the Musicians’ Union, British Council, the Southbank Centre, BBC Radio 3, Steve Reid Foundation, Spotify and BBC Music Introducing
Each of these music creators had successfully accessed PRS Foundation’s targeted support to their specific career development, such as creating, recording, residencies, UK touring or showcasing internationally. Four of the nominated artists received a ground-breaking PRS Foundation PPL Momentum Music Fund grant to support them at crucial career tipping points (Black Country New Road, Floating Points, Hannah Peel, Nubya Garcia), with Black Country New Road and Nubya Garcia receiving this support specifically for album projects. Five nominees also received one of PRS Foundation’s international opportunities to perform oversees and expand into new territories through the International Showcase Fund (Black Country New Road, Ghetts, Nubya Garcia, Wolf Alice) and BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation Showcase partnership (Arlo Parks, Black Country New Road, Nubya Garcia).
Congratulations also to two other other grantees, our Hitmaker supported Josh Crocker who has a co-write and producer credits on Celeste’s nominated album, “Not Your Muse”, and to the amazing collective Sault which features PRS Foundation supported MOBO Tour 2012 grantee Cleo Sol.
Joe Frankland, Chief Executive of PRS Foundation said,
“Huge congratulations to the eight Mercury Prize nominated artists announced today who have received support from PRS Foundation in recent years. A consistently high percentage of Mercury Prize nominees for the last 4-5 years have received PRS Foundation support at some point in their careers and it is a fantastic example of how timely investment in exciting, diverse and innovative talent works in tandem with co-investment from the music industry to produce critically acclaimed new music and sustainable artist careers in a competitive global market. Having so many grantees nominated over a number of years – including winners Wolf Alice and Dave – is testament to that.
Additionally, with five of the nominees having accessed international support to develop and expand their careers in new territories it is important to highlight how vital access to overseas markets is to UK music creators. Our International Showcase Fund will be more important than ever in a post-Covid, post-Brexit landscape and additional support is needed to recover and sustain this level of success.”
In the previous 3 years, 17 of the Mercury Prize nominees including the winners Wolf Alice and Dave have received direct PRS Foundation support. With the addition of this year’s nominees, PRS Foundation supported artists have made up more than half of the nominations over the last 4 years.
