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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Laura Webster

Scottish jazz pianist nominated for prestigious Mercury Prize

Fergus McCreadie has been nominated for the Mercury Prize with his album Forest Floor

AWARD-WINNING Scottish jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie has been nominated for a prestigious annual music prize – and will be going up against industry heavyweights like Harry Styles and Sam Fender.

McCreadie (25), a graduate of Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize with his album Forest Floor, which combines elements of jazz and traditional Scottish music.

The pianist has already won titles like Best Album at the Scottish Jazz Awards, and been nominated for Scottish Album of the Year in 2019.

The composer, originally from Jamestown and raised in Dollar, has performed regularly around Scottish jazz festivals and toured across Norway, Sweden, Lithuania and Estonia.

McCreadie said he was “excited and shocked” to be shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.

He told BBC Radio 6: “It is a huge honour to join that list of great musicians up for this award.

“It is great to be part of that for Scottish music, to have this recognition hopefully it can embolden musicians in Scotland. It feels a special thing to do.”

The 31st annual ceremony, which will see the winner handed a trophy and a large cheque to recognise the best British album of the year, will be held at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo in September.

The 12-strong list in the running for the prestigious award also features Isle of Wight band Wet Leg, previous nominee Little Simz (below) and former One Direction star Harry Styles.

The 28-year-old’s Harry’s House album has just reached its sixth week at number one on the UK album charts and now boasts more weeks atop the chart than all of One Direction’s albums combined.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Fergus McCreadie - Forest Floor

Gwenno - Tresor

Harry Styles - Harry's House

Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler - For All Our Days That Tear The Heart

Joy Crookes - Skin

Kojey Radical - Reason To Smile

Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Nova Twins - Supernova

Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under

Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure

Wet Leg - Wet Leg

Yard Act - The Overload

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