The Ivor Novello Awards recognise excellence in British and Irish songwriting and composition for the screen. The award body remarks on their official site “winning an Ivor Novello is the highest global recognition for songwriting and composing.” This year, the ceremony is in partnership with Amazon Music and is set to take place on 21 May at London’s Grosvenor House.

61 nominees were named Tuesday (24 March) across seven different categories. And of those, 34 nominees are first time recipients. This includes Dean, Alon and Self Esteem co-writer Johan Hugo.

Veteran nominees include two-time winner Little Simz, who has gotten her fifth ever Ivor nod for her single ‘Free’ in Best Contemporary Song. Damon Albarn also received his fifth nomination for the Gorillaz’s ‘Damascus’ which features Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bay.

Lola Young has picked up her fourth ever nomination at the Ivors for her song, ‘Messy’ which is up for PRS for Music Most Performed Work. Welch joins Young in receiving her fourth Ivor Novello nomination, this year’s comes for her song, ‘Everybody Scream,’ for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. The song is co-written by Mistki and Mark Bowen.

Lily Allen’s ‘West End Girl’ is nominated for Best Album which marks the singer’s third Ivor nomination. And Coldplay also gets their third nod for their single ‘Viva La Vida’ for the PRS for Most Performed Work.  This category is said to celebrate “songs that received the most broadcast, online and general performances in the last year, based on PRS data.”

CMAT’s ‘Euro-Country’ has been nominated for Best Album, which is the Irish singer’s second nomination. The Ivors describe the Best Album category as celebrating “exceptional songwriting craft, creativity and cohesion across the record as a whole.” Other contenders for the award include Dean’s ‘The Art of Loving,’ Jim Legacy’s ‘Black British Music’ and Wolf Alice’s ‘The Clearing.’ Dean commented on the Instagram post below announcing her Best Album nomination with four heart emojis, and reposted the announcement to her Instagram Stories. Dean’s second nomination this year comes for her song, ‘Man I Need’ in the Most Performed Work category.

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Meanwhile, Tempest is set to compete against himself in for Best Contemporary Song with both ‘I Stand on the Line’ (co-written by Fraser T Smith) and ‘Know Yourself’ (co-written by Smith and Tom Rowlands) nominated for the award.   The Rising Star Award with Amazon Music is another exciting category at the Ivors. 2026 nominees include kwn, Jacob Alon, Chloe Qisha and Skye Newman. The award recognizes songwriters from the UK and Irelands who the Ivor Academy believes are “at the tipping point of greatness.” Last year’s nominees include, PinkPantheress, Holly Humberstone, Rachel Chinouriri and Lola Young, who won the award in 2025.   The Ivor Novello Awards are peer-judged by fellow songwriters and composers. They remain the most prestigious and enduring award to celebrate craft and cultural achievement. And at a time tense with generative AI edging into the creative industries, the Ivors Academy says “when questions around authorship and AI are reshaping the music landscape, The Ivors stand as a powerful affirmation of human creativity and the cultural value of songwriters.”   While fans wait for the awards ceremony on 21 May, Amazon Music has curated an “Ivors 2026″ playlist, including many nominees and spanning a wide variety of genres, here. See the full list of nominees in the post below

 

 

 

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The censorship of these statements has lead to concerns from artists about how musicians should feel empowered to be political. Indie-underdog CMAT, nominated for International Artist Of The Year, stated she was “not a big fan of anyone trying to argue that art is not a political place” and that “everything is politics. But more than ever, art is politics because you don’t get to make art in a fascist state. Fascism is on the rise in every single country in the world.”

She had previously criticised Berlin film Festival jury’s Wim Wenders, who stated that cinema should “stay out of politics”. The Irish singer shunned Wenders’ statement as she commented on “fascism rearing its ugly head in Ireland, its showing its ugly head all over the UK and don’t even get me started on America.”

“It’s cowardice,” She said in interview with The Guardian, “And I think it is showing that these people are extremely separate from how normal people live their everyday lives. You know, they’ve become successful artists. Become successful musicians, film-makers, and so they have wiped their hands clean of having to do anything with the working classes or having to do anything with anyone who is oppressed in any nation because they have the luxury of doing that. And I don’t think that’s fair.”

Theo Ellis, drummer of UK Group of The Year BRIT winners Wolf Alice, said he felt it was left to musicians to speak out on current political affairs because of the lack of coverage in traditional media.

“[Musicians] have the power to expose people to information they might not have got somewhere else,” he said.

UK Group of The Year 2026 BRIT winners Wolf Alice on the red carpet. CREDIT: Ian West/PA Images via Getty Image

Alternative/rock category nominees Wet Leg also voiced political concerns on the red carpet. “I think that to be apolitical is political,” stated frontwoman Rhian Teasdale. The group’s guitarist Joshua Omead Mobaraki also commented on the rise of Reform UK, saying he “[doesn’t] want UK Reform to win any seats.”

Hip-hop king of the UK scene Loyle Carner shared similar concerns about UK Reform. “It’s scary times we’re living in. But it’s such low-hanging fruit. I feel, in my circle, or the echo chamber I exist in, to say that I hate Nigel Farage … it’s not hard to say that.”

Artist of the year runner-up Rebecca Taylor AKA Self Esteem expressed sympathy with other musicians who felt their political statements were being censored. “I just can’t not say what I think because it’s too frightening. I’m genuinely terrified that we’re going into a dark place, darker than where we are already.”

Alongside the nominees, comedian Jack Whitehall who was this year’s award presenter had his comments axed from the broadcast, notably a joke about Peter Mandelson. Whitehall joked that he spotted Mandelson sitting amongst a ‘politicians table’. Former Labour grandee Mandelson was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with investigation into allegations that he leaked sensitive information to sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Geese-drummer Max Bassin also had part of his speech censored from broadcasting as he accepted the award for International Group Of The Year. He made it as far as, “What’s up the Brits! I just want to say-” before the remaining speech was censored.

“Free Palestine, f*ck ICE, R.I.P. Mani, let’s go Geese,” he stated.

Once a seemingly neutral ground for politics, music and culture intersecting, the BRITs have taken a much stricter approach to political statements. In previous years, several political moments were captured on the award’s stage. 1995’s awards saw R&B royalty Prince perform a silent protest against his record label dispute, appearing onstage with “SLAVE” written on his cheek. Stormzy also utilised the stage for political input during his 2018 performance where he spoke out on the 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire, confronting Theresa May as he rapped “Where’s that money for Grenfell? You criminals.”

The sensitivity regarding political statements has been amplified across many awards ceremonies this year. In the BAFTAs last week, My Father’s Shadow director Akinola Davies announced “Free Palestine” during his acceptance speech for Best Debut by A British Writer, Director or Producer. This remark was edited out of the BBC broadcast.

In the Grammy awards ceremony last month, several artists including Hailey and Justin Bieber and Joni Mitchell were seen wearing pin badges that read “ICE out”. The censorship controversy is particularly prevalent due to what producers are ruling out as acceptable versus what is unacceptable. At the BAFTAs, John Davidson used a racial slur onstage that was didn’t get censored during broadcasting. An official apology was made owed to the activist’s Tourette’s Syndrome, but many have called the outburst “unacceptable”. The incident has sparked conversations about political censorship seeming unjustified comparatively.

No official announcements about the censorships of these statements has been made by the BRIT awards.

Among the newly announced acts are Super Furry Animals, the beloved Welsh indie-pop innovators whose kaleidoscopic catalogue continues to influence generations. Their long-awaited return to the stage, and to EOTR, bridges nostalgia and reinvention, making them a perfect fit for an anniversary celebration of this scale. Another returning favourite, Kurt Vile, brings his unmistakable brand of hazy, psych-tinged indie rock back to the Larmer Tree Gardens. Known for his meandering guitar lines and laid-back vocals, Vile’s set is likely to be a dreamy late-summer highlight.

Injecting a burst of chaotic energy into the lineup are Fat Dog, one of the most talked-about new bands in the UK underground scene. Their genre-blurring mix of techno, rock, and experimental noise, which they’ve called “scream-into-pillow music” has earned them a devoted following for their unpredictable live shows. Expect mosh pits, sweat, and a sense of total abandon when they take the stage, the kind of set people talk about for years afterwards.

Other artists include the revered songwriter Lucinda Williams and psych-rock workhorse Ty Segall bring heavyweight live reputations to Larmer Tree Gardens. Elsewhere, celebrated vocalist and composer Beverly Glenn-Copeland appears with Elizabeth Copeland, alongside the widescreen post-rock and folk textures of caroline, the shadowy intensity of Just Mustard, the experimental electronics of james K, and the visceral noise-rap of YHWH Nailgun. It’s a bill that invites you to explore, stumble across new favourites, and stay out later than you planned.

What truly makes EOTR unmissable is its mix of genres and celebration of difference- the way folk minimalists bump shoulders with avant-garde jazz players, the way you can wander from a raucous late-night set to a quiet forest performance. The festival consistently gives space to rising stars and niche artists who later become household names, proving that its curators still have their finger firmly on the pulse of what’s next in music. It’s the sort of weekend where every slot on the timetable feels like a potential discovery.

A fourth mystery headliner is yet to be revealed, keeping fans eagerly speculating. Whether it’s a legendary reunion, a beloved cult act, or an unexpected newcomer, the surprise promises to be worth the wait and only adds to the sense of anticipation building around this year’s event. The festival will take place at Larmer Tree Gardens between September 3 and September 6.

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The Irish alt‑pop artist, known for her genre‑bending sound and theatrical live shows,  was due to kick off her tour this month in support of her third studio release ‘Euro-Country ’which has seen widespread critical praise and strong fan support, even a Mercury Prize nomination.

The cancellation comes at a pivotal time in CMAT’s rise. Off the back of a standout Glastonbury set earlier this summer, she’s continued to build a loyal fanbase, drawing praise for her sharp lyricism, self-aware humour and bold creative direction.

It’s due to this that the timing of the situation is so desperately unfortunate. In a ruthless industry, staying in the spotlight can, at times, be more of a feat than getting there to begin with. CMAT is bubbling on the brink of explosion, making this so untimely.

CMAT October 2025 Tour Dates (Pre-Postponement)

• Oct 2 — London, O2 Academy Brixton
• Oct 4 — Manchester, Manchester Academy
• Oct 5 — Leeds, O2 Academy Leeds
• Oct 6 — Newcastle Upon Tyne, O2 City Hall / NX
• Oct 8 — Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom
• Oct 9 — Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom (second night)
• Oct 10 — Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom (third night)
• Oct 12 — Nottingham, Rock City
• Oct 13 — Cambridge, Cambridge Corn Exchange
• Oct 15 — Brighton, Brighton Dome
• Oct 16 — Birmingham, O2 Institute Birmingham
• Oct 17 — Norwich, UEA LCR
• Oct 19 — Sheffield, Octagon Centre
• Oct 20 — Bristol, O2 Academy Bristol
• Oct 22 — Cardiff, DEPOT Cardiff
• Oct 23 — Birmingham, O2 Academy Birmingham

However, In a statement shared on her social media, CMAT explained that she woke up in severe pain and was rushed into an emergency dental appointment, where she was diagnosed with an infection in both of her lower wisdom teeth. She’s now been advised to have them surgically removed, followed by a two‑week recovery period:

“I currently can’t even open my mouth wide enough to laugh, let alone sing,” she wrote. “I’m devastated.”

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The full run of shows has now been pulled, with her team confirming that all ticket holders will either be refunded or given access to rescheduled dates once they’re confirmed.

Despite the abrupt halt, fans have flooded her comments with support, echoing sentiments of care and patience. While the news will come as a disappointment to those who had tickets, many are already expressing hope that the singer takes the time she needs to fully recover.

The artist does seem to be handling the post well despite this. In a hilarious Instagram story displaying her swollen ( and painful looking) injury, the artist played on the lyrics of her hit song ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me’.

It was captioned: “I did the butcher, i did the baker, maybe i should have done the f***ing dentist.”

There’s no word yet on when the shows will be rescheduled, but CMAT reassured fans she’s “working hard behind the scenes” to make it happen.

Here are the 12 albums in the running:

• CMAT – ‘EURO-COUNTRY
• Emma-Jean Thackray – ‘Weirdo’
• FKA twigs – ‘EUSEXUA’
• Fontaines D.C. – ‘Romance’
• Jacob Alon – ‘In Limerence’
• Joe Webb – ‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’
• Martin Carthy – ‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’
• Pa Salieu – ‘Afrikan Alien’
• PinkPantheress – ‘Fancy That’
• Pulp – ‘More’
• Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’
• Wolf Alice – ‘The Clearing’

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This year, only two debut albums made the list: Jacob Alon and Joe Webb. The rest are by artists who already have a strong following.

Some well-known names are back again: Wolf Alice (nominated for all four of their albums so far) and Pulp, the Britpop icons who recently returned with new music. Folk legend Martin Carthy, now 84, makes history as the oldest Mercury nominee ever. On the newer side, artists like CMAT, Fontaines D.C, and FKA twigs continue to push boundaries with fresh sounds, while PinkPantheress earns her first Mercury nod.

 

 

 

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The range of genres represented satisfactorily diverse, however the lack of electronic representation is mildly disappointing. PinkPantheress brings pop, while Martin Carthy provides timeless folk. Emma-Jean Thackray mixes jazz with slightly more experimental sounds, and Pa Salieu offers the shortlist’s only rap entry. For fans of guitars, Sam Fender and Wolf Alice are also in the mix, however are not favoured to win.

Another big change this year is the location of the prize ceremony. For the first time, it won’t be held in London. Instead, the event will take place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on October 16. The winner will receive £25,000, but just being nominated can bring an artist major attention.

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The Mercury Prize is designed to shine a spotlight on albums that stand out, not just in terms of sales but also creativity. Past winners, like English Teacher in 2024, have seen their careers grow quickly after taking home the award.

This year’s shortlist proves that the Mercury Prize is still relevant, still aiming to combine a mixture of sounds, styles, and stories.

Her latest release contains all the things we have grown to love by CMAT. This includes her pride in her Irish roots, highlighted in the title track ‘Euro-Country’ where she sings the first verse in Gaelic, and her humour shown in the track ‘The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station’. CMAT celebrated the release of her latest album on Instagram where she wrote “today is the day that EURO-COUNTRY is out in the world. i am so happy that we made it even though it was the hardest job i have ever had in my life. i hope you can hear how much work went into it, along with a genuinely quite large part of our souls.”

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The music world has been highly anticipating this release and excitement has been building after her standout performance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury this year, as well as performances at Primavera Sound and All Points East. CMAT has also released a memorial plate, available for a chance to win if you order the album on her official website before September 4, again highlighting her unique blend of humour and tradition. She shared this with her fans with the following post.

 

 

 

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CMAT achieved viral fame after her song ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me”, the sixth song on this latest album, became notable on social media platforms such as TikTok and even gaining it’s own TikTok dance. Though she was well known before this, the viral dance helped her achieve the fame she deserves. Celebrities such as Amelia Dimoldenberg have been performing the dance on her TikTok channel @ameliadimz shown below:

@ameliadimz Love you @cmat by @Sam Morris ♬ Take A Sexy Picture Of Me – CMAT

Fans have been reacting well to the album in discussions online. Tracks like ‘Lord Let That Tesla Crash’ are being seen as one of the highlights to the album, a song about death and materialism which has caused gut-wrenching sadness upon listens. The title song ‘Euro-Country’ tackles the economic boom Ireland had from the 1990s-late 2000’s and the effects of the 2008 crash on the lives of young people at the time. The album is catchy but deals with very real topics in an honest and throat-catching way.

CMAT is on tour next year with her new album, though tickets are selling quickly and she has even added a new date in Manchester. She is also currently performing solo album release shows in record stores around the country before beginning her main tour. Tickets are available here

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Following the release, CMAT shared in a statement: “I have certain phrases that reverberate around my head over and over again – and ‘Euro-Country’ was one of them. It’s the title of the album, and the name of the first song on the record. And it means three things to me: It’s the kind of country music I make; the fact that Ireland is a European country run by the euro; and that capitalism is one of the worst things to ever happen to us.”

The song starts with a 40 seconds long intro of CMAT speaking in Irish, in what feels like she is honouring her roots and where she comes from. The Dublin born singer took to Instagram recently, voicing her frustration towards BBC Radio for cutting the intro to her song. In her story, the singer said: “It was not my decision to have the Irish language edited out of the first-ever play of Euro-Country on radio. I don’t know if it was a mistake or what happened.” The BBC have since denied the claims and said they only played the version that was sent to them by the singer’s team. She has since then confirmed that the station have reached out to her and promised they would play the full version, Irish intro included from now on.

The song, an ode exploring themes of identity, Europe and capitalism pays homage to the singer’s roots. The single came out with a music video directed by Eilis Doherty and sees CMAT visit the Omni Park shopping centre in North Dublin, dancing in the water fountain and belting the words to the song. Speaking about her upcoming project, she said: “‘Euro-Country’ is, I think, the best thing I have ever made. I felt halfway through recording it was the most important record I’ve made for myself… mainly because it was making me go crazy. I’m always going to make the work I want to make, because there is a little gremlin in my head that tells me if it’s shit. More than success, there’s a bigger gremlin that wants me to make music that’s really good. She’s brutal and has ruined my life at times, but she is the keeper of my life and she’s always right.”

‘Euro-Country’ will also feature acclaimed single ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me’, a single that saw its popularity rise from TikTok and that has been called the “Gen-Z Macarena’ with its fun dance moves. CMAT is set to go on a UK and Ireland headline tour later this year, including dates in London and Dublin. She is also set to appear at numerous festivals over this summer such as Green Man, All Points East and Tramlines, festivals which follow her amazing Glastonbury set back in June of this year. Tickets for her shows are still available over on Ticketmaster.

‘Euro-Country’ marks Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson’s, otherwise known as CMAT, follow-up LP to her 2023 LP ‘Crazymad, For Me’, an influential country-pop project which awarded the singer with her first Mercury Prize nomination. The ‘Have Fun!’ performer recently teased her upcoming sonic era at this year’s BRIT Awards where she coined the album as “her best record so far”.

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In an Instagram post announcing her upcoming album, CMAT delved into the prominent themes exhibited throughout the record, she shared: “The title, ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ is essentially dealing with the big 3 points I wanted to make with this record.

“1. EURO-COUNTRY is the genre of music I make.

2. EURO-COUNTRY is the type of loss, pain and lack of community that I feel we are suffering from under modern capital isolation.

3. EURO-COUNTRY is, of course, Ireland. The love of my life, the most toxic boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

‘Euro-Country’ will be released August 29, but for fans unable to wait until then, CMAT has dropped the LP’s first single ‘Running/Planning’, a powerful track which gives listeners a taste of what’s to come.

Speaking about the single, CMAT said: “’Running/Planning’ is about having to chase your own tail to be good enough to exist. It’s an abstracted view of societal pressure on women – specifically through a relationship lens: You start dating someone, you get engaged, you get married. You have kids etc etc… everything has to follow this linear pattern. (That’s the reason for the repetitive chorus!)

“And the minute you don’t follow that path, your mam starts giving out to you. That narrow path that everyone is supposed to be on… the minute you get outside of that, it gets stressful. And I don’t know anyone who is like, ‘Yeah, love this!”

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The Irish songstress continued her announcement revealing she will be touring her upcoming album after its release across the UK and Europe. The ‘It’s the EURO-COUNTRY Tour!’ will commence at the beginning of October in London before making numerous stops across the country, in Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham, Brighton and many more. Tickets for the tour will go on sale Friday 4 April at 10am, however, fans who pre-order the new album by 5pm BST on April 1 will get exclusive access to tickets with a pre-sale code. Ticket information is available here.

‘Euro-Country’, CMAT’s third studio album will be available from August 25, pre-order here.

In the interview with NME, CMAT delved into her admiration for this year’s BRIT nominees, particularly The Last Dinner Party, who have put a new face to indie music – having won both the BRIT Rising Star award last year and Best New Artist at this year’s award ceremony.

The ‘No More Virgos’ performer shared: “I’m very openly a big fan of The Last Dinner Party, they’re such a beacon for me. Back in the day, there was not a woman to be seen for miles. There were no women in indie music because they weren’t allowed to be visible.”

She continued: “they weren’t put to the forefront at a time when guitar music was starting to die a death, and [the industry] didn’t think they should revitalise it by encouraging women to get involved… So to now see so many women, not just being here, but being the best at what they do to the point they’re winning great awards, it makes my heart sing.”

As topics of independent artists and venues, and women being at the forefront of the industry were pertinent themes at the BRITs last night (1 March), CMAT’s comments are even more resonant, especially in her discussion of removing barriers for women to inspire other women within the industry.

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In both interviews, the indie-country singer was also eager to discuss her upcoming new material.

When speaking to Rolling Stone UK the ‘California’ singer shared: “There’s something very big that’s maybe in the shape of an album that’s coming very soon. The announcement is coming very soon. It’s all done and dusted.”

Continuing: “It was a really really difficult album to make, and it took all of my creative juices. I locked myself in a studio in New York for four months and got a bit of scurvy. It sounds really different to the other two, but it is very connected spiritually to everything happening in my life right now. I’m really proud of it. I think it’s my best record so far.”

Releasing her first album ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’ in 2022 and her second album ‘Crazymad, For Me’  in 2023, CMAT showcases an enticing glimpse into her world through pop-culture references, high emotions alongside an extraordinarily outlandish funk of country-pop. She recently performed at Jools Holland’s annual Hootenanny, where her quirky and captivating performance style left a lasting impression on viewers. CMAT’s appearance at the BRITs coincides with her upcoming schedule supporting Sam Fender on his European Tour next week.

Find our full report of the BRITs 2025 here.