Singer-songwriter Sam Fender has been awarded the 2025 Mercury Prize for his third album People Watching. The announcement was made during Thursday night’s ceremony in Newcastle — the first time the prestigious event has been held outside London. Jubilant crowds celebrated as the North Shields-born musician beat strong competition from Britpop legends Pulp, Irish singer CMAT, and post-punk outfit Fontaines DC, among others. DJ Lauren Laverne hosted the evening, while judge Sian Eleri revealed Fender as the winner at the Utilita Arena following performances by several nominees, including FKA Twigs and Martin Carthy.
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Accepting the award, the 31-year-old thanked his fellow nominees, saying, “We’re in great company.” He dedicated the prize to Annie Orwin, his late friend and mentor, who inspired the album’s title track. “I want to just say thank you because I never did to the person the song People Watching is about,” he said emotionally. “I want to dedicate it to Annie Orwin, who’s up there. That’s all I’ve got — thank you, and I love this region; it’s the best region in the country.”
At the winner’s press conference afterwards, Fender celebrated with champagne alongside his band, joking that some of the missing members had gone “for a tab”. He admitted being shocked by the win, saying: “We didn’t think we were going to win anything, so I am still in shock. There’s a million things I could have said, but I genuinely can’t think now. Normally, if you’ve got an inkling, you write something down, but I thought, ‘nah, there’s nee way this is going to happen’, so I’m screwed.” Asked how he planned to celebrate, he replied: “We’ll probably go for a beer, and then we’ve got four weeks off, so it’s just nice to be home.”
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Among the other acts on the 12-album shortlist were indie favourites Wolf Alice, nominated for a fourth time for their album The Clearing, and singer PinkPantheress, recognised for her second mixtape Fancy That. Judge Sian Eleri said: “After much hard discussion, we decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character and ambition. It felt like a classic album — one that will take pride of place in record collections for years to come.” Founded in 1992, the Mercury Prize honours the best British or Irish album of the year. Fender, previously nominated in 2022 for Seventeen Going Under, now joins an esteemed list of winners.
