English Teacher have won the Mercury Prize.
The indie band received the coveted accolade on Thursday (05.09.24) at Abbey Road Studios in London for their debut album, ‘This Could Be Texas’.
The judging team said: “This has been a really tough year for the Mercury Prize judges, with the final 12 albums being so reflective of our diverse and rich musical landscape. There was so much passion and enthusiasm for each one.
“In the end, though, we did agree that ‘This Could Be Texas’ by English Teacher stands out for its originality and character.
“A winning lyrical mix of surrealism and social observation, alongside a subtle way of wearing its musical innovations lightly, displays a fresh approach to the traditional guitar band format. ‘This Could Be Texas’ reveals new depths on every listen; the mark of a future classic.
“The Mercury Prize was set up to celebrate the album as an artistic format in its own right and all the judges agreed that this charismatic body of work deserves to be the 2024 Mercury Prize Album of the Year.”
The quartet have become the first group from outside of London to win the prize since 2014, when Young Fathers claimed the coveted accolade.
Lily Fontaine, the group’s lead singer, also pointed to the support the band have received from local venues.
She said: “If you look back over music from this country, Yorkshire in particular has thrown out some of our most prolific songwriters.
“There’s real support for musicians in Leeds at the moment.
“Venues are willing to take on new artists and I think that’s integral to the health of the scene.”
The Mercury Prize comes with a cash reward of £25,000 and recognises the best album by a British and Irish act over a 12-month period.
In 2023, the Mercury Prize was won by Ezra Collective, with their album ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’.