Ezra Collective win 2023 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Album Of The Year

7 September 2023, 22:28 | Updated: 25 July 2024, 11:38

Ezra Collective won the 2023 Mercury in Hammersmith this evening. Picture: Press

The London jazz quintet triumphed at the prestigious awards ceremony, which took place in London on Thursday.

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By Radio X

Ezra Collective have won the title of 2023 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Album Of The Year for their second full-length outing, Where I'm Meant To Be.

Receiving the award - which comes with a cheque for £25,000 - drummer and band leader Femi Koleoso said "First of all let me thank God, because if a jazz band winning the Mercury Prize doesn't make you believe in God, I don't know what will."

The band - who comprise Femi Koleoso on drums, TJ Koleoso on bass, Joe-Armon Jones on keys, James Mollison on saxophone and Ife Ogunjobi on trumpet - met at the London-based music education programme Tomorrow's Warriors, and Koleoso paid tribute by saying: "We met in a youth club. This moment is testimony to special people who put time and effort into young people playing music.

"This is not just a result for Ezra, but for every single organisation ploughing their energy into young people playing music. Let's continue to support that."

The judges said of the winning album: "The British jazz renaissance of the past decade has been one of the most significant developments in modern music. Now, Where I’m Meant To Be, with its touches of reggae, soul, Latin and Afrobeats, its call and response riffs and rhythmic intensity, is a landmark not only for jazz, but for contemporary music in general.”

The prestigious ceremony, which took place tonight (Thursday 7th September) at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, saw performances from Loyle Carner, Raye, Jockstrap and Jessie Ware.

Loyle Carner performs onstage during The Mercury Prize 2023 awards show at the Eventim Apollo Hammersmith. Picture: JMEnternational/Getty Images

The event celebrated the best British and Irish albums of the past year and Ezra Collective beat out stiff competition from the likes of Arctic Monkeys with The Car, Young Fathers with Heavy Heavy and Raye's My 21st Century Blues.

Ezra Collective join last year's winner Little Simz and the likes of Wolf Alice, Arlo Parks, Arctic Monkeys and PJ Harvey to be given the award.

Raye performs onstage during The Mercury Prize 2023 awards show. Picture: JMEnternational/Getty Images

Who won the 2023 Mercury Prize?

Ezea Collective has been awarded the 2023 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Album Of The Year for their second album Where I'm Meant To Be.

Jessie Ware performs onstage during The Mercury Prize 2023 awards show. Picture: JMEnternational/Getty Images

Who was on the Mercury Prize 2023 shortlist?

The 2023 Mercury Prize with FREE NOW Albums Of The Year shortlist was:

Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant to Be
Fred again.. - Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)
J Hus - Beautiful And Brutal Yard
Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B
Lankum - False Lankum
Loyle Carner - hugo
Olivia Dean Messy
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
Shygirl - Nymph
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy

Who performed at the 2023 Mercury Prize?

Jessie Ware, Ezra Collective, Olivia Dean, Jockstrap, Young Fathers, Lankum, Raye, Shygirl and Loyle Carner all performed at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith. Arctic Monkeys, J Hus and Fred Again were all represented by pre-recorded video performances.