English Teacher has been declared the victor of this year’s Mercury Prize, with their debut album titled This Could Be Texas.
The indie quartet from Leeds – Douglas Frost, Lily Fontaine, Nicholas Eden, and Lewis Whiting – were visibly moved as they accepted the esteemed award, triumphing over competitors such as Charli XCX’s Brat, Irish artist CMAT, rapper Ghetts, emerging talent Cat Burns, and indie group The Last Dinner Party.
During the band’s acceptance speech, Fontaine expressed her gratitude towards her mother, who designed the album’s cover art. “I truly find it hard to articulate,” she told Sky News shortly after departing the stage. “I keep forgetting that this is happening.”
“It’s simply incredible,” Whiting added.
This year’s Mercury Prize ceremony was hosted at Abbey Road Studios in London for the first time, shifting from its previous location at the Hammersmith Apollo.
English Teacher were visibly overcome with emotion as they received their award. Pic: JM Enternational
It is the accolade every British and Irish musician aspires to attain, as it is “purely centered on the quality of the music,” Fontaine remarked.
“When we are crafting an album, it encompasses our entire existence; the project becomes our life. When [an award] is so concentrated on the excellence of the creation you’ve brought to life, that is incredibly significant to an artist.”
If listeners can connect with the album on an emotional level, “that would be phenomenal,” she continued.
“We packed a lot into it,” Frost stated. “Thus, I truly cherish the notion of people revisiting it, finding something new they appreciate, as it always presents an opportunity for a new favorite track.”
The judges remarked that all 12 nominated albums were “so indicative of our diverse and rich musical landscape,” making the choice quite challenging – but ultimately, they all felt that This Could Be Texas stood out “for its originality and distinctiveness.”
They characterized it as “a compelling lyrical fusion of surrealism and social commentary” with “a delicate manner of integrating its musical innovations effortlessly,” and “a refreshing take on the customary guitar band format.”
It “unveils new layers with every listen – a hallmark of a future classic,” they concluded.
This year’s nominees featured eight debut albums, including Cat Burns’ Early Twenties, Nia Archives’ Silence Is Loud, Barry Can’t Swim’s When Will We Land?, The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude to Ecstasy, and corto.alto’s Bad With Names, alongside This Could Be Texas.
Former Portishead vocalist Beth Gibbons, who won the prize with the group’s debut album Dummy back in 1994, received a nomination for the first time on her own, for her solo debut album Lives Outgrown, while Berwyn garnered his second nomination, but this time for his album – after having made history as the first artist ever to be nominated for a mixtape in 2021.
Berwyn, who relocated to London from Trinidad in his childhood, described it as “rewarding and reassuring” to be listed again with Who Am I, which he labeled as “a documentary, not just an album.”
Other nominated artists included CMAT, receiving her first nomination for her second album, Crazymad, For Me, while Charli XCX, Ghetts, and Corinne Bailey Rae each received their second nominations this year.
CMAT and Ghetts (displayed below) were among the nominated artists. Images: JM Enternational
English Teacher follows in the tradition of Ezra Collective in 2023, alongside other recent awardees such as Little Simz, Arlo Parks, Michael Kiwanuka, Dave, and Wolf Alice.
Initially awarded to Primal Scream’s Screamadelica in 1992, this accolade celebrates the contributions of British and Irish musicians, ranging from established legends to rising stars – recognizing the top 12 albums of each year and potentially bringing lesser-known artists into the spotlight.
Over the years, some of the most acclaimed albums have included Pulp’s Different Class, Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner, and Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys hold the record for the most nominations, each appearing five times; however, only Arctic Monkeys have secured a win. The frontmen of both bands have also received individual nominations; Alex Turner with The Last Shadow Puppets and Thom Yorke for his solo work.
PJ Harvey stands out as the sole artist to date with two victories from four nominations.
The 2024 event was moderated by broadcaster and author Annie Mac, in conjunction with BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Huw Stephens. The panel of judges comprised broadcaster and writer Danielle Perry, musician and BBC Radio 2 host Jamie Cullum, DJ and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Jamz Supernova, DJ and broadcaster MistaJam, along with Will Hodgkinson, rock and pop critic for The Times.
This year, albums released in the UK between 15 July 2023 and 12 July 2024 were eligible for consideration.
