Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album People Watching.
The announcement was made during the award ceremony in Newcastle on Thursday night, marking the event’s debut outside of London.
Jubilant crowds cheered hometown hero Sam Fender, from North Shields, who triumphed over competitors including Britpop legends Pulp, Irish artist CMAT, and post-punk group Fontaines DC.
DJ Lauren Laverne hosted the event, while judge Sian Eleri announced the 31-year-old’s win at the Utilita Arena, following performances by several nominees, including FKA Twigs and Martin Carthy.
Judge Eleri said: “After much hard discussion, we decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character, and ambition.
“It felt like a classic album, one that will take pride of place in record collections for years to come.”
Sam Fender performing. Pic: AP
Accepting the award, Fender expressed gratitude to the other nominees, saying, “we’re in great company”.
He dedicated the prize to his late friend and mentor, Annie Orwin, who inspired the album’s title track.
“I want to just say thank you because I never did to the person, the song that People Watching is about,” Fender said, becoming emotional.
“I want to dedicate it to Annie Orwin who’s up there.
“That’s all I’ve got thank you, and I love, this region is the best region in the country.”
Among other nominated artists were Pulp, Wolf Alice, FKA Twigs, PinkPantheress, Pa Salieu, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb and Martin Carthy.
If Wolf Alice or Pulp had won the prize, they would have become only the second artist to have won the award twice after PJ Harvey, who won it with Stories From The City in 2001 and Let England Shake in 2011.
Pulp won the prize in 1996 with their album Different Class, while Wolf Alice won with Visions Of A Life in 2018.
Established in 1992, the award honours the best album released by a British or Irish artist each year.
Last year, the indie quartet English Teacher took home the prize for their debut album This Could Be Texas.
Fender had been nominated before in 2022 for his album Seventeen Going Under.
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