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20th Sep 2018

Wolf Alice wins this year’s Mercury Prize for album Visions of a Life

Will Lavin

Congratulations Wolf Alice!

This year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year has been won by Wolf Alice for their album Visions of a Life.

Announced at tonight’s live awards show in London at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, Wolf Alice beat out the likes of Lily Allen and Artic Monkeys to win the £25,000 prize.

This year’s favourites with odds of 4 to 1 were Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, Florence and the Machine’s High As Hope and Noel Gallagher‘s High Flying Birds Who Built The Moon?.

Hosted by BBC Music’s Annie Mac, the night itself was an exciting one featuring a who’s who of the British music industry, with performances coming from Florence + The Machine, Jorja Smith, Lily Allen, Everything Everything, Everything Is Recorded, King Krule, Nadine Shah, Novelist, Sons of Kemet and of course Wolf Alice.

Voted for by an independent panel of 12 judges, the 2108 Hyundai Mercury Prize shortlist was as follows:

  • Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
  • Everything Everything – A Fever Dream
  • Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded
  • Florence & The Machine – High As Hope
  • Jorja Smith – Lost & Found
  • King Krule – The OOZ
  • Lily Allen – No Shame
  • Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination
  • Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built The Moon?
  • Novelist – Novelist Guy
  • Sons Of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
  • Wolf Alice – Visions Of A Life

Last year’s winner was Sampha for his incredible debut album Process, which includes the heartbreaking song about his mother’s death “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”.

The Hyundai Mercury Prize recognises and celebrates the ‘Albums of the Year’, establishing a reputation for highlighting the work of both exciting emerging talent and more established bands and artists. Albums by British and Irish artists with a UK release date between July 22nd 2017 and July 20th 2018 are eligible for the 2018 Prize.