Raye was the Mercury Prize Award winner at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, but the night belonged to another artist who put on an electric display, writes Jamie Roberts
Raye might have been crowned this year’s Mercury Prize winner, but there was another winner on the night. Ten of the 12 nominated acts took to the stage in Newcastle to showcase why their work should be voted the best British album of the year.
And while the Londoner won the official plaudits for THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE, the crowd’s reaction to artists efforts on the night gave a different feel from inside the Utilita Arena. If the award was based solely on performances on the night, there was one clear winner in my opinion.
With only Sir Paul McCartney and Dave missing out, the eclectic mix of artists, including Olivia Dean, Nia Archives, Suede and Pulp put on quite a show. But it was local lass Jade who gave a strong case for the award staying in the Toon following Sam Fender’s win last year.
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The former Little Mix star, 33, put on a sensational performance of Angel of My Dreams that brought the crowd to its feet. The standing ovation seemed to be never ending for the South Shields native who had been hoping for a different kind of North-South handover on the night.
With North Shields’ Sam getting his hands on the award 12 months ago, Jade told me on the red carpet she would love to follow in his footsteps. “He’s incredible, isn’t he?” she said.
And it felt like Jade’s rousing rendition of her hit tune with the Royal Northern Sinfonia that followed had done enough on the night. Add to that the huge spike in playtime since Kylie Jenner walked the runway in the iconic Fantasy Bra on October 18 and Jade must have been as hopeful as I was that her name would be read out by broadcaster and DJ Sian Eleri.
The stage felt set for her debut album That’s Showbiz Baby to get the accolade, but it wasn’t to be, despite the overwhelming crowd reaction. That being said, that’s in no way playing down RAYE at all. She also put on quite the show, taking to the stage early on to sing I Hate The Way I Look Today.
And she was clearly overwhelmed as the tears flowed in her acceptance speech. “I’ve always banged on about how much I believe in albums. I wanted to make seven minute songs. I wanted to go to a big band section ‘there’, and do strings ‘there’, and, like, just be really indulgent,” she said.
Referring to the album’s title, she said: “Hope is a very cheesy word, you know, especially for us British people. We don’t do that kind of deep stuff like that, but hope is just something that we all need, and music is medicine.”
And in the Winner’s Room, she told members of the press: “I’m really grateful that this music has found its way to ears who just appreciate it the way I hoped it could be appreciated.”
It must have been an extremely tough decision for the music-industry panel including the likes of Jamie Cullum to make. And while I have no objection to Raye’s accolade, for me, it was Jade that was the night’s overall unofficial winner.
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