Ezra Collective have been awarded the 2023 Mercury Prize for their album Where I'm Meant to Be.
Accepting the award yesterday evening (September 7) during a ceremony at London's Eventim Apollo, the UK quintet became the first-ever jazz outfit to win the Mercury Prize, the annual honour given to the best British & Irish album across a range of contemporary music genres.
Drummer Femi Koleoso said, "This is not just a result for Ezra Collective, or for UK jazz, but this is a special moment for every single organization across the country, ploughing efforts and time into young people playing music."
Released in November 2022, Where I'm Meant to Be features collaborations with Sampa the Great, Kojey Radical, Emile Sandé, Steve McQueen and Nao.
Ezra Collective's competition for the 2023 Mercury Prize included Arctic Monkeys' The Car, Jessie Ware's That! Feels! Good!, Shygirl's Nymph, Fred again..'s Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022), Young Fathers' Heavy Heavy and more.
Arctic Monkeys' nomination, their fifth overall, tied Radiohead's record for most Mercury Prize nominations. The band won the prize in 2006 for their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.
Hear Where I'm Meant to Be and find the complete list of 2023 Mercury Prize nominees below. As in years past, the 12 shortlisted albums were selected by an independent panel of judges, made up of writers, broadcasters and musicians.
The 2022 Mercury Prize went to Little Simz for her album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Other recent winners of the annual honour include Arlo Parks, Dave, Michael Kiwanuka, Wolf Alice, Skepta and Sampha.
2023 Mercury Prize Nominees:
Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant to Be
Fred again.. - Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)
J Hus - Beautiful And Brutal Yard
Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B
Lankum - False Lankum
Loyle Carner - hugo
Olivia Dean - Messy
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
Shygirl - Nymph
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Accepting the award yesterday evening (September 7) during a ceremony at London's Eventim Apollo, the UK quintet became the first-ever jazz outfit to win the Mercury Prize, the annual honour given to the best British & Irish album across a range of contemporary music genres.
Drummer Femi Koleoso said, "This is not just a result for Ezra Collective, or for UK jazz, but this is a special moment for every single organization across the country, ploughing efforts and time into young people playing music."
Released in November 2022, Where I'm Meant to Be features collaborations with Sampa the Great, Kojey Radical, Emile Sandé, Steve McQueen and Nao.
Ezra Collective's competition for the 2023 Mercury Prize included Arctic Monkeys' The Car, Jessie Ware's That! Feels! Good!, Shygirl's Nymph, Fred again..'s Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022), Young Fathers' Heavy Heavy and more.
Arctic Monkeys' nomination, their fifth overall, tied Radiohead's record for most Mercury Prize nominations. The band won the prize in 2006 for their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.
Hear Where I'm Meant to Be and find the complete list of 2023 Mercury Prize nominees below. As in years past, the 12 shortlisted albums were selected by an independent panel of judges, made up of writers, broadcasters and musicians.
The 2022 Mercury Prize went to Little Simz for her album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Other recent winners of the annual honour include Arlo Parks, Dave, Michael Kiwanuka, Wolf Alice, Skepta and Sampha.
2023 Mercury Prize Nominees:
Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant to Be
Fred again.. - Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)
J Hus - Beautiful And Brutal Yard
Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B
Lankum - False Lankum
Loyle Carner - hugo
Olivia Dean - Messy
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
Shygirl - Nymph
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
