James Blake can add Mercury Music Prize winner to his credits.
Blake’s ‘Overgrown’ has won the The Mercury Music Prize, for the best British album of the year at London’s Roundhouse.
The unexpected result was delivered to a packed Roundhouse in London’s Chalk Farm by Lauren Laverne, herself a judge.
Asked how he felt straight after the win James said “I feel totally different to how I thought I would. I feel totally emotional and overcome.”
Accepting his award he thanked his parents and left the stage forgetting the award that had just been handed to him. At 25/1 he was a great bet on the night. Favourite Laura Mvula at 4/6 was smiling but inside must be crushed.
The judges called it “an inventive, poetic and poignant album of great beauty.”
James Blake’s ‘Overgrown’ peaked at No. 8 in the UK and to date has only sold 27,700 copies, we can expect that to rise significantly now. Only John Hopkins, Savages and Villagers sold less.
He walks away with a £20,000 prize but more importantly the honour of being the 2013 award winner.
For the last three years, the bookmaker’s favourite has won with trophies going to The xx, PJ Harvey and Alt-J.
Too late now, but the latest Mercury Prize odds were:
Laura Mvula – Sing to the Moon 4/6
Disclosure -‘ Settle 5/1
David Bowie – The Next Day 6/1
Foals -‘ Holy Fire 6/1
Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle 12/1
Savages -‘ Silence Yourself 16/1
Arctic Monkeys -‘ AM 16/1
Jon Hopkins -‘ Immunity 18/1
James Blake -‘ Overgrown 25/1
Jake Bugg ‘- Jake Bugg 28/1
Rudimental -‘ Home 28/1
Villagers -‘ Awayland 33/1
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