Leading the nominations this year is rapper Dave with six nominations. He is nominated for track of the year twice for his hits ‘Starlight’ and ‘Clash’ featuring Stormzy. Both singles also received nominations for Video of the Year. After recently headlining Reading and Leeds, the 24-year-old is also nominated for Male Artist of the Year alongside Central Cee, Digga D and 2021’s Track of the Year winner, Tion Wayne.

Dave has met widespread critical acclaim since his debut album Psychodrama which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart back in 2019. It had the biggest first week of streams for a UK rap album and subsequently took home the 2020 Brit Award for Album of the Year and went on to win the Mercury Prize. His latest album, We’re All Alone in This Together is nominated for the GRM Rated Award for Album of the Year and faces competition from Little Simz, Fredo, Tion Wayne, M Huncho, Knucks and Kojey Radical. The Evening Standard described the album as a ‘masterpiece’ saying Dave is ‘the greatest rapper working in Britain today.”

Also leading the nominations is Little Simz who is featured in three categories. She’s up for Album of the Year with her Mercury Prize Nominated Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. AllMusic described the album as a “master class in modern songwriting with heaps of poise and a beating, soulful heart,” and Stereogum said the release was “cinematic and surreal and overwhelming”. Simz is also nominated for Female Artist of the Year alongside Mahalia, Ms Banks, Stefflon Don and FLO. Her single ‘Point and Kill’ features on the list for Track of the Year with fellow contenders Aitch, ArrDee and Central Cee.

You can see a full list of nominations here. Voting is now open and fans can place their votes for each category until the 21st of September. The hosts, performances and date of the ceremony are yet to be announced.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the award ceremony was held online this year, but that didn’t stop organisers from letting the winners speak for themselves. The trio is seen laughing on screen, before they went on to hold their speech. Tion Wayne is starting off the speech whilst Stormzy is fiddling with the award in his hands.

The “Vossi Bop” rapper is laughing it off when his colleague is thanking him for “making me a rich one.” Stormzy himself recalls the moment he got to hear the first beat of the song that earned the three of them the award: “Tion sent me the rhythm and it was a smash!” “We done it, so I just did my part but Tion, genius, bro.”

The ceremony featured performances by Dizzee Rascal, Kano, George The Poet and M Huncho. The winners were voted by GRM Daily readers in July and August via an online poll. Track of the Year wasn’t the only award that Dutchavelli got to take home that day. Stormzy’s colleague also won Breakthrough of the Year – and dedicated the award to his late manager Fox, who passed away earlier this year. “Grateful for this one, it means a lot. Big up to the runners-up, management, family and the mandem. This one’s for Fox.”

One of the biggest prizes of the night went to London-based rapper Dizzee Rascal who won the Legacy Award, which has been given to him for changing the face of British music. An award, that probably everyone would like to earn. Who knows, maybe next year it’s up to Stormzy to take the prize home, seeing as he’s influencing not only Britain’s youth but also the UK music scene.