Mercury Prize 2023: Ezra Collective wins for ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’
Ezra Collective have won the 2023 Mercury Prize, taking home the coveted award for the album Where I’m Meant To Be at the event this evening. It marks a huge moment in Ezra Collective’s career and sees them follow in the footsteps of legends such as Suede, Pulp, PJ Harvey and last year’s winner, Little Simz.
This year’s list of nominees has seen a diverse array of artists be nominated for the award. After last year’s postponement of the ceremony due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, this year’s Mercury Prize sees the tradition get back on track.
Among the nominees for the 2023 Mercury Prize were Arctic Monkeys for The Car, Fred again.. for Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), and J Hus for Beautiful And Brutal Yard.
Other nominees for the award included Jessie Ware for That! Feels Good!, Jockstrap for I Love You Jennifer B, Lankum for False Lankum, Loyle Carner for Hugo, Olivia Dean for Messy, Raye for My 21st Century Blues, Shygirl for Nymph, and Young Fathers for Heavy Heavy.
All 12 artists who were nominated for the award receive a specially commissioned “Album of the Year” trophy to commemorate their nomination. Ezra Collective walks away with an additional winner trophy and a cash prize of £25,000.
This year’s nominations saw Alex Turner become tied as the artist with the most Mercury Prize Nominations. Five have come from his work with Arctic Monkeys, and one was through his collaboration with Miles Kane, The Last Shadow Puppets. Turner now shares the honour with Thom Yorke, who received five nominations with Radiohead and one for his solo album The Eraser.
Other past nominees for the prize include Hus, Ware, Carner, and Young Fathers. Ezra Collective, Fred again.., Jockstrap, Lankum, Dean, Raye, and Shygirl were all first-time nominees this year, with the former taking home the prize.
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