Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize.
The 31-year-old musician has received the £25,000 (S$43,480) prize for the best British or Irish album of the year for People Watching, and Sam subsequently admitted to feeling surprised by his own success.
Sam — who was visibly shocked when his name was announced to the audience — told the BBC: “I didn’t think that was going to happen at all. I’ve spent the last 10 minutes crying.”
Sam received a rapturous ovation from his hometown crowd at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.
The singer — who also received a nomination for his second record, Seventeen Going Under, back in 2022 — actually dedicated his accolade to Annie Orwin, his former mentor.
Sam — who earlier performed the title track of his award-winning album — said: “I was honoured and lucky enough to be with her in the last week of her life, and the title track was about her and about grief.
“Then the rest of the album is very much local stories, little pictures of Shields, and the people I’ve grown up with.
“So, very much like every other album I’ve done, but I think we got it right this time.”
This year’s awards ceremony was moved from London to Newcastle in an effort to make the music industry feel more inclusive, and less London-centric.
Jo Twist, the chief executive of the BPI, which organises the awards show, said: “Talent is everywhere but opportunity isn’t.
“So it’s only right that we bring these large scale shows (outside London) to show there are opportunities within the music industry without having to move city.”
Sam felt particularly thrilled to receive the award in his home city, observing that Newcastle has “always been in an isolated bubble” from the rest of the UK music industry.
The singer — who overcame competition from the likes of Pulp and Wolf Alice to win the award — added: “For it to be recognised is really important. Hopefully it can be the beginning of many other wonderful things.”
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