Arlo Parks has won the 2021 Mercury Prize

Last night, one of London’s own took home the 2021 Mercury Prize in a win that beat a rather tough roster of talent.

The Mercury Prize was founded in 1992 and is awarded to the year’s most outstanding British album. Hammersmith-born Arlo Parks – also known as Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho – won the coveted award for her debut album ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’, which was released in January and reached number three in the UK charts.

DJ Annie Mac was judging this year’s prize. She said at the awards ceremony: ‘We chose an artist with a singular voice who uses lyrics of remarkable beauty to confront complex themes of mental health and sexuality, and connects deeply with her generation as she does so.’

Parks won a trophy and a cheque for £25,000. Accepting the prize, she said: ‘This is something that came off a lot of hard work from a lot of different people... it took a lot of sacrifice and hard work to get here and there were moments when I wasn’t sure whether I’d make it through, but I’m here today.’

Parks beat British artists Berwyn, Black Country New Road, Celeste, Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra, Ghetts, Hannah Peel, Laura Mvula, Mogwai, Nubya Garcia, Sault and Wolf Alice. 

Listen to ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’ by Arlo Parks here. 

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