Michael Kiwanuka wins the 2020 Mercury Prize
The soul singer-songwriter won the prestigious award for his self-titled album
Last updated 21st Jul 2021
Soul singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka was awarded the 2020 Mercury Prize award yesterday evening for his third self-titled release - Kiwanuka.
This was the third time Kiwanuka has been nominated for the award, having been nominated for his 2012 album Home Again and then for Love & Hate which was released in 2016.
Upon winning the revered accolade, the London-based musician said, "I'm over the moon I don't even have words to say...I'm so so excited...this is for art, for music, for albums. This is the only thing I've ever wanted to do, so to win a Mercury is a dream come true."
Annie Mac surprised the artist with the news, having been led to believe he was having an interview with Jools Holland.
Reacting to the award and album, Kiwanuka revealed that "I wanted to express myself in the truest way I could...I was having imposter syndrome. It was taking away the experience of doing my dream job. So, I made the decision with making this album that I really wanted to be myself and enjoy it and not hold back - really show myself as clearly as I could be."
Showcasing a cinematic-soul style, Kiwanuka touches upon many pertinent themes, including racial inequality, violence, self-doubt and more.
Earmarked as the bookie's favourite for this year's award, Kiwanuka landed the top spot, with other nominees including the Jazz FM Award-winning drummer Moses Boyd, Laura Marling, Dua Lipa and Stormzy.