The 1st of September was an unforgettable night for Dave, real name David Omoregie, as the rapper was given the award of Best Contemporary Song. It was Dave’s monumental track, Black, that secured the No Words hitmaker with the prestigious award. 

Defiant, powerful, and thought-provoking, Black mediates on the struggles of Black people from historical suffering to the plight of modern times. Covering modern racial inequality, stereotyping and the history of slavery, to say that Black was deserving of Best Contemporary Song would be a gross understatement. 

Amongst the panel of judges for the Best Contemporary Song award were singer-songwriter Noa, rapper Ghetts and Pauline Black of ska revival band Selecter. The talented artists all described Black as “important, eloquent and a song that not only empowers but is borderless in its musicality.”

The Album of the Year Award went to Little Simz, aka Simbiatu Ajikawo, for her defiant record Grey Area. The award was shared with producer Inflo.

Tackling issues such as violence, self-certainty, and growing up, Simz’ third studio album pairs razor-sharp wit and lyricism with electrifying, experimental production. Including tracks like Offence, Venom and Pressure, Grey Area demonstrates that Little Simz is a maverick of rap, who is only on the rise. 

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Another one sitting pretty. Just won Best Album at the @ivorsacademy 2020 for GREY Area !! Mate , so thankful. One time for flo on this one , my family , team and everyone that has been the foundation of support every artist needs. Been a long journey but more on the horizon to come. For now I’ll be enjoying the fruits of my labour. Blessings and thanks again, simma

A post shared by simz (@littlesimz) on Sep 2, 2020 at 3:49am PDT

The judges for Album of the Year Award included Idles frontman Joe Talbot and Jessie Ware. Simz relayed to The Guardian newspaper yesterday that “This award is really special, because it’s about the power of the pen, and to know that my pen is being respected and acknowledged is a good feeling.”

Little Simz took to social media to share news of her victory with her ever-expanding fanbase. Posting a photo of the Ivor Novello award, the rapper and singer reflected upon her music making journey.

Writing in the celebratory post on Instgram: “It’s been a long journey but more on the horizon to come. For now, I’ll be enjoying the fruits of my labour. Blessings and thanks again.” Garnering over 17,000 likes, the post has been met with a joyous reception from Little Simz fans. 

Calvin Harris also won big last night, scooping up the Award for Most Performed Work for his collaboration with Rag ‘N’ Bone Man on Giant. Calculated from collected data by royalties organisation PRs for Music, Harris shared the award with co-writers Troy Miller and Jamie Hartman. 

Singer Jamie Cullum was successful in winning in the “best song musically and lyrically” category for his moving song, The Age of Anxiety. Delving into topics such as Brexit, social media, and immigration, the track was described as “beautifully emotive, with an exceptionally crafted melody” by judges Lily Allen and Joan Armatrading. 

In a chat with The Guardian, the Twenty-Something hitmaker said that he was “extremely honoured…as someone who’s had a long journey as a songwriter, I’m particularly proud of this one.” Cullum also spoke on the song’s lyrics that refer to immigration, stating “We have a duty to show compassion to people who are in the greatest kind of need.

Hitting the charts on the 28th of August, Over Now is the Scottish DJ Harris and Canadian singer The Weeknd at their very best. Ripe with groovy production, bright, layered synth, and a backing track reminiscent of a 1980s soul-ballad, Over Now draws out The Weeknd and Harris’ strengths in a way that is undeniable. 

More than familiar with exploring themes of love and heartbreak in his music, The Weeknd leads the breakup bop as he sings about an unnamed ex. The Starboy beseeches them to leave him alone, emotionally distancing himself as he croons “I don’t really care if the tears fall down your face/You know you play the victim every time.” 

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It’s out everywhere now @theweeknd link in bio

A post shared by @ calvinharris on Aug 28, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT

The Weeknd’s apathetic lyricism continues when he sings the ice-cold words “You always need that attention/Feedin’ the press, but we don’t speak/But we’re both with somebody else/So please stop callin’ me.” 

Over Now is trademark Harris. The track’s buoyant production gives it a fluidity that spans genres of funk, R&B, and soul/pop ballad. Over Now upkeeps the funk revival present in Harris’ music since his phenomenally successful collaboration album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, and fans would not have it any other way. 

As this is the latest release from Harris since his collaboration with Rag’N’Bone Man on Giant, fans were ecstatic at the arrival of Over Now. Especially with The Weeknd added into the mix, who has seen recent commercial success for his widely popular song, Blinded by the Lights.

An accompanying music video to Over Now was dropped in unison with the brand new track. Harris shared the Over Now video to his official YouTube channel, which has gathered a gargantuan 1.4m views in just one day.

A digitally rendered dream, the Over Now video creates a Blade Runner and Daft Punk inspired world, a visual feast of multicoloured animations and psychedelic avatars. In the video, an avatar of The Weeknd transitions between desert landscapes and a thriving metropolis, drawing fans through a futuristic animated world. The Over Now music video can be watched in full here.

Calvin Harris took to Instagram to ring in his exciting new collaboration. The Acceptable in the Eighties hitmaker shared a snap of himself and The Weeknd with his 9.9m followers yesterday, the post has gathered over 57,000 likes from Harris’ worldwide fanbase. 

 

 

 

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“Over Now” Song and Video Out Everywhere (Link in Bio) @calvinharris

 

A post shared by The Weeknd (@theweeknd) on Aug 27, 2020 at 9:06pm PDT

The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, also took to Instagram to share Over Now with the world. Featuring a short montage clip of wacky Over Now music video, the post has garnered a massive 2.1m views. 

Over Now is not the only project that Calvin Harris has kept himself busy with during lockdown. Recently, the DJ and producer released a series of acid-house EPs under his musical alias, Love Generator. Last month, Harris teamed up with Steve Lacy on Live Without You. Live Without You can be listened to here. 

Over Now is out everywhere.