Arlo Parks wins the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize

9 September 2021, 22:14 | Updated: 10 September 2021, 14:33

Arlo Parks onstage during the Hyundai Mercury Music Prize 2021. Picture: JMEnternational/Getty Images

By Radio X

The prestigious awards ceremony, which celebrates the best UK and Irish albums, took place on Thursday. Find out who won here.

Arlo Parks has won the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize Album Of The Year.

The prestigious ceremony, which took place tonight (Thursday 9 September) at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, saw performances from the likes of Parks, Mogwai and Wolf Alice and celebrated the best British and Irish albums of the past year.

Parks beat out stiff competition from the likes of Wolf Alice's Blue Weekend, BERWYN's DEMOTAPE/VEGA and Celeste's Not Your Muse to take home the prize.

Arlo collected the winner’s trophy and cheque for £25,000, and performed a song from the winning album, Too Good.

In a tweet, Parks wrote: "I feel surrounded by so much talent and genuine love for music - this is the venue I used to cycle by on the way to school as a kid…"

a joy to be burning up the red carpet in @Prada for the Hyundai @MercuryPrize Awards - feel surrounded by so much talent n genuine love for music - this is the venue I used to cycle by on the way to school as a kid… pic.twitter.com/CVDfPZ8TPJ
— Arlo Parks (@arloparks) September 9, 2021

Speaking to Sky News, Parks said: "I'm trying to find the words - I feel like I'm being asked [how it feels] a lot today, but it feels incredible and to be recognised in this way is really, truly special, so I feel very blessed.

"It makes me feel like the work that I did during that period of time was of value and helped people, especially in some of the most kind of confusing and chaotic times that we've had.

"It definitely makes me feel good to know that I'm helping."

Arlo joins last year's winner Michael Kiwanuka and the likes of Wolf Alice, Arctic Monkeys and PJ Harvey to be given the award.

The judging panel said: "It was extremely difficult to choose a winner of the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize. There were so many strong albums, of such diversity and character. But in the end we decided that Arlo Parks was an extremely worthy winner. Addressing such complex issues as mental health and sexuality with real empathy, displaying a lyrical wisdom that belied her 21 years.

"Arlo is an artist who connects deeply with her generation and reflects the plurality of contemporary British life."

Find out everything you need to know about the star-studded night here.