“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”
Sampha was announced tonight, Thursday, 14 September 2017, as the overall winner of the 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year. The Awards Show was hosted by BBC Music’s Lauren Laverne and guest presenter, Idris Elba announced the overall winner. The event was held at the Eventim 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’ including Alt-J, Blossoms, Dinosaur, Glass Animals, J Hus, Kate Tempest, Loyle Carner, Sampha, Stormzy, The Big Moon and The xx. The 2016 winner of the Prize, Skepta also gave a special performance of ‘Man’ at the Show.
The Prize’s broadcast partner BBC Music broadcast the show on BBC Four from 9pm.
BBC Radio 6 Music provided live coverage of the event from 7pm. Both programmes are available on BBC 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 Motor is very proud to support 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
