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.
READ MORE: Scottish composer Anna Meredith shortlisted for Mercury Prize
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.
READ MORE: ‘London-centric’ Mercury Prize shortlist ignores Scottish artists
“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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