The judging panel for this year’s Mercury Prize has just been announced and among the list of names assessing this year’s nominees are Stormzy, Jorja Smith and Annie Mac.
They will be a part of a 12-person panel – made up of artists, journalists and music figures – who will assess this year’s nominees. The shortlist for the 2019 Mercury Prize is set to be announced tomorrow (July 25).
Stormzy and Jorja Smith have both been nominated for the Mercury Prize in recent times; with Big Mike receiving a nomination in 2017 for his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer, while Jorja was nominated last year for her smooth LP Lost & Found.
The Mercury Prize Chairman, David Wilkinson, said: “There were over 200 albums entered for the 2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize – and the judges spend many months listening to these and then meet to decide on the shortlist of 12 ‘Albums of the Year’.
“This has been an exciting year for British and Irish music so it’s going to be tough for them choosing just 12 albums. After last year’s successful event we’re looking forward to an equally diverse and eclectic shortlist being announced by Huw Stephens on 25 July.”
The past twelve months have seen the release of some pretty huge albums so competition for this year’s Mercury Prize will be tough.
Keep it locked right here on GRM Daily for more news on the Mercury Prize shortlist.