Disappointment for CMAT as Sam Fender wins Mercury Music Prize

THERE WAS DISAPPOINTMENT for Irish acts CMAT and Fontaines DC after Newcastle singer Sam Fender won this year’s Mercury Prize for album of the year.

Fender won for his album People Watching, the 31-year-old’s third album and which topped the UK charts earlier this year.

It was a hometown win for Fender as the awards ceremony was taking place in Newcastle.

CMAT had been nominated for her album EURO-COUNTRY. It was the second year running for the Dunboyne, Co Meath singer, following last year’s nomination for Crazymad, for Me and she had been tipped to take home the prize.

She was unable to perform at the awards show on doctor’s orders after having all of her bottom wisdom teeth removed.

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She told BBC Radio 6 Music that she was “furious” she couldn’t be up on stage tonight.

CMAT was joined on the shortlist at tonight’s ceremony in Newcastle by Dublin group Fontaines DC who were nominated for their album Romance.

Other acts in the running included Pulp and Wolf Alice.

Despite frequent nominations, an Irish act has never won the prestigious award.

Meanwhile, tonight marked the first time in the award’s 34-year history that it was held outside of London.

All 12 shortlisted acts were awarded a trophy on their way in, with the overall winner receiving an additional trophy and £25,000 (€28,700) in prize money.

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