British rock sensation Sam Fender has clinched the 2025 Mercury Prize for his acclaimed third album People Watching. The win marks a milestone for the artist, whose heartfelt storytelling and northern roots have made him one of the UK’s most beloved voices.
Rock singer Sam Fender took home the prestigious 2025 Mercury Prize on Thursday night with his album People Watching, during a ceremony held for the first time outside London.
The 31-year-old singer-songwriter, born and raised in North Shields, received the award in front of a cheering crowd at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. Jury members praised People Watching as “a classic, an album that will hold a special place in music collections for years to come.”
Fender, who was previously nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2022, dedicated the award to his late friend and mentor, British actress Annie Orwin. He wrote the title track People Watching in her memory following her passing.
Twelve artists were shortlisted for the 2025 Mercury Prize, which honors the best British or Irish album of the past year.
Irish singer CMAT had been widely tipped as the favorite, alongside rising pop artist PinkPantheress and Britpop legends Pulp. CMAT, 29, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, attended the ceremony but did not perform, recovering from an infected wisdom tooth that forced her to cancel tour dates.
She was nominated for her third album Euro-Country, an Irish-language project blending irony with introspection. Speaking ahead of the event, CMAT attributed Ireland’s recent musical renaissance to “a generation of traumatized people.”
“From such a small and sparsely populated country, so many artists are making music that feels vital and meaningful,” she said.
British indie-pop heroes Pulp, fronted by the ever-charismatic Jarvis Cocker, released More this year — their first album in 24 years. The record, completed in just three weeks, is dedicated to the group’s late bassist Steve Mackey, who passed away in March 2023 at age 56.
Former Mercury Prize winners themselves, Pulp were among the defining acts of the 1990s Britpop movement, with anthems like Common People and Disco 2000.
Since its creation in 1992, the Mercury Prize has recognized groundbreaking British and Irish talent, with past winners including PJ Harvey, Arctic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand.
By Antoine GUY / AFP
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