7 h. ago Arlo Parks announces surprise, intimate 'Sonic Exploration' shows in London, New York and LA

Arlo Parks announces surprise, intimate 'Sonic Exploration' shows in London, New York and LA  NME

Politics

32 h. ago The Mercury Prize nominee following in footsteps of Arlo Parks as winner of prestigious award

Singer-songwriter began uploading music to BBC Introducing uploader in 2023

Events

35 h. ago 'These venues are legendary': Sam Fender donates entire Mercury Prize winnings to music charity

The singer joins the likes of Ms Dynamite and M People by donating his winnings to charity.

Politics

44 h. ago Sam Fender donates his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to charity

The singer won the award in October for his third studio album

Economics

45 h. ago Sam Fender's 'incredible' £25k gesture after Mercury Prize win

The singer donated the money to 'legendary venues' that are struggling

Economics

45 h. ago Sam Fender donates his £25,000 Mercury prize winnings to Music Venue Trust charity

Chart-topping singer-songwriter adds to his previous support of charity that works on behalf of small UK venuesSam Fender has donated his £25,000 winnings from this year’s Mercury prize to a charity supporting the UK’s small music venues.The North Shields singer-songwriter won the prestigious prize in October for his album People Watching, a UK chart-topper that continued his run of poignant, socially conscious songwriting. Continue reading...

Economics

45 h. ago Sam Fender donates Mercury Prize winnings to charity protecting music venues

The singer from North Shields has given £25,000 to Music Venue Trust (MVT).

Politics

50 h. ago Arlo Parks shares new song, announces NYC, LA & London shows

Arlo Parks shares new song, announces NYC, LA & London shows  BrooklynVegan

Culture

51 h. ago Sam Fender's stunning gift to charity following his Mercury Prize victory

The Geordie-born star collected his award for the critically acclaimed album People Watching. He decided to give the £25,000 prize to Music Venue Trust.

Politics

53 h. ago Scots William Hill manager lands top Racing Post/SIS shop title

A Scot has been crowned winner of one of the betting industry's most prestigious prizes.

Politics

6 d. ago Armagh retailer is top winner at prestigious London ceremony

Armagh retailer is top winner at prestigious London ceremony  Armagh I

Politics

1 week ago Celebrity Traitors star Cat Burns to sing during Halloween week on Strictly

The 25-year old singer will appear on the BBC One show on Sunday night ahead of a dance off between two couples.

Events

1 week ago The Independent’s Miguel Delaney nominated for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2025

‘States of Play’ is one of seven books on a ‘heavyweight shortlist’ for the prestigious award, with the winner announced on 25 November

Politics

3 w. ago Hilarious BBC blunder as live performance by legendary band Pulp is wrongly subtitled with lines from Miss Marple

A SONG by Pulp was wrongly subtitled with lines from Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple in a BBC blunder. Phrases such as “Morning, Miss Marple. How’s the leg?” accompanied Jarvis Cocker. Hard-of-hearing viewers were baffled as the frontman belted out Spike Island at the Mercury Prize awards ceremony on Thursday night. Subtitles as he prowled the...

Politics

3 w. ago Sam Fender releases new song with Elton John, one day after Mercury prize win

John plays twinkling piano part in new song Talk to You, and says he ‘truly loves’ the Geordie singer-songwriterSam Fender has released a new song with Elton John entitled Talk to You, the day after winning the 2025 Mercury prize for his album People Watching.It features a twinkling piano line laid out by John, amid Fender’s full-bodied guitar-led songwriting. Fender sings on the chorus “Just wanna talk to you / Wanna talk with my best friend / Wanna let go of everything that I carry”, and has said the song is about: “the end of a long relationship – about the regret, the mistakes and the lessons that come with it. It’s that feeling of losing your best friend, and coming to terms with that. I was playing around with the riff and thought, ‘What I need is a really good pianist’, and then, ‘Hmmm, I wonder who I can call?’ And of course, who better than Elton John?” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Who won the Mercury Prize 2025? Sam Fender wins top music prize for album People Watching

Sam Fender beat out the likes of Pulp, CMAT, Fontaines D.C., Jacob Alon and more to win the 2025 Mercury Prize.

Culture

3 w. ago Sam Fender’s six best songs, ranked: from The Borders to Will We Talk?

With news that the Geordie artist has won the Mercury Prize, we rank his best songs

Politics

3 w. ago Sam Fender reveals how he plans to celebrate Mercury Prize 2025 win

Sam Fender has won the Mercury Prize 2025 for his third album, People Watching on Thursday (16 October).

Politics

3 w. ago Sam Fender dedicates Mercury Prize 2025 to 'mentor' as singer

Local lad Fender beat competition from Britpop band Pulp, post-punks Fontaines DC and Irish singer CMAT

Politics

3 w. ago Sam Fender didn’t need his Mercury prize win – but he earned it with his incisive social realism

They could have given the award to an album that wasn’t already a huge hit – but Fender’s blend of kitchen-sink drama and stadium choruses is expertly done‘You can expect all the usual excitement,” offered host Lauren Laverne at the start of this year’s Mercury prize ceremony. It’s the kind of thing people hosting awards shows are duty-bound to say, but the use of the word “usual” suggested she was diplomatically overlooking last year’s event, which – through no fault of the album that won, English Teacher’s This Could Be Texas – had all the excitement of a wake.The Mercury had lost its corporate sponsorship, necessitating what host Annie Mac called “an intimate celebration of this year’s shortlist”, in the same way that an estate agent might call a flat with the shower next to the cooker “cosy”. Continue reading...

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