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Artist News Awards
Little Simz wins 2022 Mercury Prize
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 19 October 2022
So, after a month’s delay – due to the death of the Queen on the night when this was originally supposed to happen – Little Simz was last night handed this year’s Mercury Prize for her album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’. As we all knew it would be. I mean, imagine if they hadn’t given it to Little Simz.
Even though it was obvious that none of the others would win, they all still turned up to the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo. All except Harry Styles, who couldn’t be fucked. And is also on tour in the US. As a prize for making the trip to the West London venue, the shortlisted acts got to perform a song live. Styles, meanwhile, had sent in a video.
It was a very strong list this year, with Fergus McCreadie, Gwenno, Harry Styles, Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Joy Crookes, Kojey Radical, Nova Twins, Sam Fender, Self Esteem, Wet Leg and Yard Act all also shortlisted. None of their albums were any match for Little Simz’s record though, which benefits from both being great overall and having the best opening to an album in recent memory. You can’t underestimate a strong intro.
For her trouble, Simz received a trophy and a cheque for £25,000. Both of which sound nice. Accepting the prize, she said: “I’m very, very overwhelmed. I’m very grateful. Glory to God – God, thank you so much. I want to say a huge thank you to the Mercury for this incredible prize”.
Thanking the producer of ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ – Inflo – she went on: “I want to say a thank you to my brother and close collaborator Inflo. Flo has known me since I was so young. He’s stuck by me, we created this album together. There were times in the studio when I didn’t know if I was going to finish this record – I was feeling all the emotions and really going through it, and he stuck by me and he pushed me to deliver this album for you guys”.
Concluding her speech, she spoke to the other nominated artists, saying: “You guys are incredible, we all made incredible albums, we all changed people’s lives with our music and that’s the most important thing. So, this [prize] is for us really”.
Commenting on their correct decision, the Mercury judging panel said: “In a year that has, to put it mildly, presented rather a lot of challenges, British and Irish music has thrived more than ever. That made it extremely hard for the judges to choose an overall winner from the twelve ‘albums of the year’ on the 2022 Mercury Prize shortlist, simply because all of them had so much to offer”.
Not actually that hard though, they went on: “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”, they explained. “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”.
Watch Little Simz’s full acceptance speech here:
