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Little Simz wins 2022 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year

Little Simz was announced as the overall winner of the 2022 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW for Album of the Year. Little Simz collected the winner’s trophy and cheque for £25,000 and then performed a song from the winning album Sometimes I Might be Introvert.

“In a year that has, to put it mildly, presented rather a lot of challenges, British and Irish music has thrived more than ever,” said a statement from the judging panel.

“That made it extremely hard for the judges to choose an overall winner from the 12 Albums of the Year on the 2022 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW shortlist, simply because all of them had so much to offer.

“When it came down to it, the judges were so impressed by Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz that everyone could get behind it. This accomplished and complex yet entirely accessible album is the work of someone striving constantly to push herself. It deals with themes both personal and political while putting them against music that is as sophisticated as it is varied. The Mercury Prize is all about shining a light on albums of lasting value and real artistry. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert has both.”

The ceremony featured live performances from 11 of the 2022 shortlisted Albums of the Year, comprising Fergus McCreadie, Gwenno, Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Joy Crookes, Kojey Radical, Little Simz, Nova Twins, Sam Fender, Self Esteem, Wet Leg and Yard Act, while a filmed live performance was shown to celebrate Harry Styles’ album, as he is currently on a US tour.

The Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Albums of the Year celebrate and promote the best of British and Irish music recognising artistic achievement across a range of contemporary music genres.

The 2022 Mercury Prize nominees for Albums of the Year were:

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


The awards ceremony was hosted by Lauren Laverne and guest presenter Jamz Supernova announced the overall winner on behalf of the judging panel. The event was held at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith.

Amazon Music is the digital music partner of the 2022 Mercury Prize and Bowers & Wilkins, continues as the official audio partner of the Mercury Prize.

Photo by John Marshall