Sam Fender and Griff were the big winners at the NME Awards, scooping two prizes each. The annual ceremony at London’s Brixton Academy was this year hosted by actress and comedian Daisy May Cooper and rapper-presenter Lady Leshurr.
North Shields rocker Fender, who opened the show with an impassioned performance, claimed the awards for best album by a UK artist and best album in the world for his critically acclaimed second effort Seventeen Going Under. When he took to the stage to collect his prize, he swore at the crowd and joked: “We didn’t even know we were nominated until two seconds ago.”
Griff, meanwhile, secured the NME Radar Award and told the audience: “I count it as a privilege that every day I get to do this.” She later returned to the stage alongside Norwegian singer Sigrid to collect the prize for best collaboration for their track Head On Fire.
American star Halsey accepted this year’s innovation award with a pre-recorded message. She said: “NME, thank you so much for this year’s innovation award. This is the coolest award I’ve gotten in my life, ever. It means the world to me.”
Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC won the award for best band in the world and, taking to the stage, lead singer Grian Chatten joked: “We are going to party like Number 10 tonight.” Rapper Berwyn was named best new act from the UK and brought his mother up to collect the award, after admitting he did not have a speech prepared.
A nervous Ellie Goulding read her notes from her phone while presenting the award for best podcast, before jokingly adding: “I made a podcast and it was rubbish.” Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie, with whom she presents the Table Manners podcast, were the winners and both took to the stage to accept the gong.
Pop star Mabel presented the icon award to her mother, Swedish singer Neneh Cherry. In her acceptance speech, Cherry said: “The fact is that none of this would have actually happened without the inner sanctum of my family, my extended family – you know who you are, and all the amazing visionaries I have come up with, and all the new visionaries that are giving me life. You know what they say, it takes a village!”
Music moment of the year went to former Oasis star Liam Gallagher for his free concert for NHS workers. Best song in the world went to Lorde for Solar Power.
How Not To Drown by Chvrches and The Cure frontman Robert Smith was named best song by a UK artist before both acts took to the stage to perform together. It was the first time the Scottish synth-pop trio had played the tracks live in public and their lead singer Lauren Mayberry danced energetically around the stage.
Rina Sawayama was named best live act while the sister Reading and Leeds festivals were named the best festival in the UK.
FKA Twigs received the pre-announced award for Godlike Genius and delivered a euphoric performance wearing what appeared to be a pair of body-length wings. She was surrounded by dancers wearing masks before her wings fell away to reveal a silver and glittering one-piece.
Other winners on the night included Wolf Alice for best festival headliner and Bring Me The Horizon for best band from the UK.
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