The 2025 Mercury Prize confirmed today the lineup of artists set to perform at this year’s Awards Show. Taking the stage at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday, October 16th will be Emma-Jean Thackray, FKA twigs, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb, Martin Carthy, Pa Salieu, Pulp, Sam Fender, and Wolf Alice. Each act will present a single track from their shortlisted album. A special film of live performances will also highlight the other shortlisted records, celebrating this year’s ‘Albums of the Year.’

The 2025 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ Awards Show will be presented by Lauren Laverne.

BBC Music, the Prize’s broadcast partner, will provide full coverage on Thursday, October 16th. BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds will host live programming from Newcastle between 9pm and midnight with Deb Grant and Nathan Shepherd revealing the winner in real time. Matt Everitt will report from backstage, bringing all the excitement directly to listeners. BBC Four and BBC iPlayer will air the Awards Show beginning at 9.30pm.

The final schedule for the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe has also been released today. Running from Thursday, October 9th through Wednesday, October 15th, the Fringe is powered by Generator, the North’s leading music development agency. This region-wide celebration promises to showcase the North East’s thriving music community and transform its venues with bold new energy.

English Teacher, the 2024 Mercury Prize winner, will also take part in the Fringe. Lead singer Lily Fontaine is joining Art of the Album Day on October 15th at Newcastle’s historic Common Room. She will appear as a guest on the first live edition of the Record Club podcast with Bowers & Wilkins in association with PPL and PRS Foundation, hosted by BBC’s Jess Izatt.

This marks the very first time the Mercury Prize has stepped outside of London. The move to Newcastle, created in partnership with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority, represents an exciting new chapter for the Prize as it aligns with one of the most dynamic music cities in the UK.

The city is already alive with anticipation. From local artist Charlotte Brecken reimagining shortlisted album covers on train tickets to a “Mini Mercury” choir of 70 children aged eight to twelve and a full week of events beginning on October 9th, Newcastle is preparing to welcome the Prize with open arms.

Councillor Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, shared her excitement: “The Mercury Prize Award Show and Fringe programme is now fast approaching and it is an incredibly exciting moment for Newcastle and the wider region. We are looking forward to the national and international spotlight focusing on our fantastic city, highlighting our talented musicians, growing music scene and iconic venues.

“With the help of Generator, we will not only host a major event but also create opportunities for people of all ages and leave behind a lasting legacy that strengthens Newcastle’s place in the music world. These events prove to young creatives that they do not need to move to London to succeed. They can build their careers right here on Tyneside. The atmosphere will be incredible and the economic benefits will be enormous. Visitors will enjoy a warm welcome and unforgettable experience.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “Bringing the Mercury Prize to Newcastle is about inspiring the next generation of talent in our region. I am delighted that so many incredible artists are coming here for the Prize. They are role models to our young musicians.

“We have seen Sam Fender rise from our own community and I want him to be just one of many stars to come from the North East. That is why we are inviting thousands of young people to experience an amazing week of fringe events across the region. Perhaps one of them will be a future Mercury Prize nominee.

“This is part of our mission to help people dream big and build real careers in creative industries, whether that is music or beyond.”

Partners are also rolling out activities in connection with the event. LNER, the Official Travel Partner, is providing a special named train service to carry VIPs, judges and guests to the Awards Show on October 16th. The journey will be capped by a unique musical welcome as they arrive in Newcastle.

Fenwick, the city’s flagship department store, will unveil window displays showcasing the twelve ‘Albums of the Year’ on Monday, October 13th. The store will host two Fringe events, including a food and music celebration in the food hall on October 15th and a Mercury Prize Fanzone on October 16th in its newly opened Golden Flake Tavern, created with Greggs. The Fanzone will feature live sets programmed by Generator. Both events require booking, with tickets available now at fenwick.co.uk.

The Mercury Prize Fringe, running October 9th through 16th and powered by Generator, will fill the North East with music, workshops, industry panels, and community programming. Covering all seven local authority areas, the Fringe will connect schools, emerging artists, cultural groups, and fans. Highlights include appearances by Radio 1’s Maia Beth, who will serve as this year’s official Mercury Prize social host, and Sam Spencer, EVP at Atlantic Records, along with advice sessions and masterclasses led by Mercury-shortlisted artists and industry leaders including YouTube Music and Universal Music Group. More details can be found at generator.org.uk/mercuryfringe.

The Mercury Prize shines a light on the finest new music from Britain and Ireland, celebrating creative achievement across diverse contemporary genres. As an independent award, it honors the album format, offering a snapshot of the year in music while providing a major platform for rising artists. For many, it has marked a pivotal step toward wider recognition in the UK and internationally.

Each year’s shortlist is chosen by a panel of independent judges made up of passionate industry professionals. The 2025 panel includes Danielle Perry, broadcaster and writer; Jamie Cullum, musician and Radio 2 host; Jamz Supernova, DJ and 6 Music broadcaster; Jeff Smith, Head of Music at Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music; Lea Stonhill, music programming consultant; Mistajam, songwriter, DJ and broadcaster; Phil Alexander, creative director at Kerrang! and contributing editor at Mojo; Sian Eleri, Radio 1 broadcaster and DJ; Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic at The Times; and Sophie Williams, music writer and broadcaster. The panel will be chaired by Jeff Smith.

Addison Rae invited Charli XCX to join her on stage during her show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles last night. Charli appeared alongside Rae for two of their previous collaborations, performing “Von Dutch Remix,” from Charli’s 2024 project Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat, as well as Rae’s 2023 single “2 Die 4.”

For the closing number, Rae came back on stage for a surprise encore of “Nothing On (But the Radio),” a song that usually isn’t part of her set list. The performance began with Rae appearing on the big screens backstage while removing her clothes, and as the lights went down, she reemerged to deliver the fan-favorite track. Many saw the moment as a nod to Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball, where Gaga ends each show with “How Bad Do U Want Me.” Gaga originally recorded “Nothing On” as a demo in 2010.

“2 Die 4” was featured on Rae’s EP AR and marked the pair’s first collaboration. They went on to work together again for “Von Dutch” with A. G. Cook, as well as on Cook’s “Lucifer.” Earlier this year, Charli expressed her admiration for Rae in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying, “It’s been fun to watch her evolve. Everything she does relates back to her art — every item of clothing she wears, everything she says in a red-carpet interview, everything she tweets — it all is a part of the world-building.”

Rae released her latest album, Addison, in June and has spent the late summer and fall performing across multiple cities. Her next shows are set for Australia in November, followed by appearances at music festivals in South America next year, including Lollapalooza Chile and Lollapalooza Brazil. She will also perform at Coachella in April and Primavera Sound in Barcelona in June.

Charli XCX has been dividing her time between music and acting, as her film career continues to grow. She joined Lorde on stage at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles last year to perform their version of “Girl, So Confusing.” The two also performed the remix during Charli’s Sweat Tour with Troye Sivan in 2024, and again at Coachella earlier this year.

It was revealed earlier this week that Dakota Johnson is considering Charli XCX for a role in her directorial debut, A Tree Is Blue. Charli’s upcoming acting projects include Cathy Yan’s The Gallerist, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, Julia Jackson’s 100 Nights of Hero, and The Moment, a film directed by Aidan Zamiri based on her original story.

“I am really enjoying my acting journey,” Charli told Variety earlier this year. “I feel very, very inspired at the moment in that field, I feel unbelievably creative, and I only ever want to do things that inspire me and make me feel energized.”

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