Mercury prize 2026 held in Newcastle: 'This is the northern renaissance'

“There's talent everywhere,” said Kojey Radical, a Mercury prize finalist, on the red carpet at this year’s awards at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► youtube.com
“Moving awards like this gives opportunity not just to the music artists, but the local journalists, and everyone that’s near here like restaurants and hotels.” It is the second year the Mercury prize ceremony has been held in the city in England’s north-east. “It gives [artists] more of a chance ... This is the northern renaissance,” said King David-Ike Elechi of the jazz band Knats. The award, handed out annually to the best British or Irish album as voted for by a panel of music industry figures, comes with a £25,000 prize. This year’s shortlist also featured Paul McCartney, Florence + the Machine, Olivia Dean, Raye, Dove Ellis, Dave, Nia Archives, Suede and War Child. Raye took home the prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope. Accepting the award at the ceremony, she said: “Hope is a very cheesy word, especially for us British people, we don’t do that king of deep stuff like that. But hope is just something that we all need, and I think music is that.” #mercuryprize #mercurymusicprize #music #newcastle #uk