Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Wet Leg, Stormzy and Little Simz are among the artists nominated for this year’s Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting.
Other artists on the shortlist include Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, and Cleo Sol and Inflo – as well as Kate Bush,whose 1980s hit Running Up That Hill is shortlisted as one of the top five most performed songs of 2022 thanks to its revival in sci-fi series Stranger Things.
Raye is also nominated for best contemporary song for Escapism – the hit thatstormed the charts after she cut ties with her record label and went independent. The track is up against songs including Hide And Seek by Stormzy, and Payback by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks.
Image: Little Simz. Pic: Ivor Novello Awards
Styles and his songwriting partner Kid Harpoon have three nominations, including for songwriter of the year – up against Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers (Wet Leg), George Daniel and Matty Healy (The 1975), and Central Cee and Young Chencs.
Cleopatra Nikolic (Cleo Sol) and Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover are also up for three awards together.
Arctic Monkeys, Little Simz, Fontaines DC, SAULT and Obongjayar are the five artists shortlisted for best album, while Cat Burns, Ines Dunn, tendai, venbee and Victoria Canal are up for the rising star prize.
The Ivor Novello Awards recognise creative musical achievement in songwriting and composition, and also celebrate a number of singer-songwriters and groups for their wider contribution to UK music.
In total, some 72 individual songwriters and composers have been recognised, with more than half (54%) receiving a nomination for the very first time.
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Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing. It’s a superlative list and on behalf of The Ivors Academy I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”
Image: Rhian Teasdale, left, and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Pic: AP
This year, as previously announced, Sting is expected to become a fellow of the Ivors Academy, its highest honour – following in the footsteps of artists including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Joan Armatrading.
Other special awards to be announced include prizes for outstanding song collection and an icon award.
The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on Thursday 18 May.
The full list of nominees
Image: Stormzy on stage at Reading Festival in 2021
BEST ALBUM 11 – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Jamar McNaughton, Cleopatra Nikolic and Jack Peñate, performed by SAULT
No Thank You –written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Little Simz and Cleopatra Nikolic, performed by Little Simz
Skinty Fia – written by Grian Chatten, Thomas Coll, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan and Carlos O’Connell, performed by Fontaines DC
Some Nights I Dream Of Doors – written by Barney Lister and Obongjayar, performed by Obongjayar
The Car – written by Alex Turner, performed by Arctic Monkeys
BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG Cold Summer – written by Wesley Joseph and Leon Vynehall, performed by Wesley Joseph
Escapism – written by 070 Shake, Raye and Mike Sabath, performed by Raye & 070 Shake
Hide & Seek – written by Owen Cutts, P2J, PRGRSHN and Stormzy, performed by Stormzy
Leon The Professional – written by Knucks, Venna and Toshifumi Hinata, performed by Knucks
Payback – written by Knucks, Kojey Radical and Swindle, performed by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks
Image: Sigourney Weaver in Avatar: The Way Of Water. Pic: 20th Century Studios
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE Avatar: The Way Of Water – composed by Simon Franglen
Death On The Nile – composed by Patrick Doyle
Don’t Worry Darling – composed by John Powell
Mrs Harris Goes To Paris – composed by Rael Jones
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – composed by Arthur Sharpe
BEST ORIGINAL VIDEO GAME SCORE Gotham Knights – composed by The Flight
Horizon Forbidden West – composed by Joris de Man, Oleksa Lozowchuk and The Flight
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope – composed by Gareth Coker, Grant Kirkhope and Yoko Shimomura
The Israeli embassy has said it’s “deeply disturbed” by chants of “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury – as police also investigate the incident.
Video shows one of the members of Bob Vylan shouting the slogan into the mic and some of the crowd joining in.
The duo were performing ahead of a performance by Kneecap, the Irish act who the prime minister said should be ditched from the line-up.
“The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival,” a statement said.
It said slogans like Saturday’s chant “advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel”.
Image: The BBC said some of the comments by Bob Vylan were ‘deeply offensive’. Pic: PA
The post on X added: “When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence.”
Avon and Somerset Police said they are looking at whether a criminal offence was committed.
Bob Vylan also performed in front of a screen quoting a claim that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has spoken to BBC boss Tim Davie for an “urgent explanation” about what due diligence it carried out into Bob Vylan.
Image: Thousands watched the set on the West Holts stage. Pic: PA
A spokesman said the government strongly condemned the “threatening comments” by the group, whose X bio describes them as a “punk/rap/alt thing”.
A BBC statement said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.
“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language.
“We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch re-posted a clip of the incident and called it “grotesque”.
“Violence against Jews isn’t edgy. The West is playing with fire if we allow this sort of behaviour to go unchecked,” she said on X.
A statement from Glastonbury Festival said it “does not condone hate speech or incitement to violence of any kind from its performers”.
Image: Kneecap also performed – with the BBC not showing them live. Pic: Reuters
Irish group Kneecap followed Bob Vylan – with the broadcaster not carrying their performance live amid concern over what they might do or say.
However, it’s understood their show will be made available on demand after a review.
One of its members, Liam Og O hAnnaidh, was charged with a terror offence in May after being accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror group Hezbollah at a gig.
Image: Pic: Reuters
Image: There were Palestinian flags among the crowd for Kneecap’s show. Pic: Reuters
Bandmate Naoise O Caireallain told the packed Glastonbury crowd they should “start a riot outside the courts”, before clarifying: “No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine.”
O hAnnaidh – also known as Mo Chara – wore a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf for Saturday’s set and told fans he was a “free man”.
There was a moment in Calum Scott’s life when he found himself contemplating taking his own life.
The 36-year-old singer-songwriter tells Sky News: “I did get to a point where I had a very low self-esteem, very low self-worth… I thought, ‘I can’t see how my life will get any better from this moment’.”
He says it was only the thought of the “shattering” impact his death would have on his mum Debbie that pulled him back from the edge and gave him the momentum to reach out for help.
“What I thought was my lowest moment was probably my most defining moment in terms of being able to pick myself up… and to walk away, albeit with lots of tears and a lot of emotion.
“That was the moment that I needed to pursue better mental health.”
Image: Calum Scott has achieved a billion streams of his music. Pic: Tom Cockram
He’s since racked up a billion streams of his music, joining the likes of The Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston and ABBA in his achievement.
His biggest UK chart hit – a cover of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own – reached number two in the singles chart, with the video having been viewed more than half a billion times on YouTube.
It’s a future he would have found hard to comprehend just a decade ago.
Scott was working in the HR department of Hull City Council when Britain’s Got Talent made him an overnight star after receiving a “golden buzzer” (an automatic pass into the semi-finals) from judge Simon Cowell.
Scott reached the final – which was won by Jules O’Dwyer and her dog Matisse – and the singer’s success was the things dreams are made of. But he admits, it wasn’t all roses.
Image: Calum performing with Take That at the King’s coronation. Pic: PA
“That was when I first started having panic attacks,” he says. “For me to suddenly start down that road was scary.
“There’s no handbook on how to deal with fame. That doesn’t exist, as far as I know.”
A notoriously tough business, Scott says the music scene is one where “people constantly want something from you”.
The death of One Direction star Liam Payne – who rose to fame on talent show X Factor – last year was a stark reminder of the pressure on those in the public eye.
Image: Liam Payne died last year. Pic: Reuters
Scott says Payne’s death could be the “wake-up call that the industry needs” to highlight “the pressure, the expectation (and) the workload” on young artists.
“You need that balance to be able to be creative, and the industry is where art meets consumerism,” he says.
“I think you’ve got to be careful that that line doesn’t start to impose on your soul and in your heart.”
‘A prisoner in your own body’
For Scott, his desire to perform in front of thousands has lived alongside his battle with the debilitating mental health condition, body dysmorphia.
“It’s an industry where people are not only listening to the music, but they’re looking at you and scrutinising you, and it’s difficult to put yourself out there – to be enjoyed and to entertain people – but also to be criticised,” he says.
Estimated to affect up to 2% of the adult population in the UK, according to the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, sufferers spend hours worrying about perceived flaws in their appearance, which can severely impact work, social life and relationships.
Scott says: “For me, growing up, I had a few issues with my sexuality and my dad leaving when I was young and losing all my friends. A lot of reasons compounded down as to why I ended up with body dysmorphia.”
Image: Pic: Tom Cockram
At his worst, obsessively documenting his perceived flaws, Scott says: “For anybody who’s suffering with body dysmorphia, you feel a prisoner in your own body, and it’s awful.
“With social media, it’s difficult because every facet of every part of our life is documented on Instagram in the perfect way. And that’s just not how life works.
“People aren’t putting their worst parts on social media. Somebody wakes up at six in the morning, they’re beautiful and their hair’s done, but somebody set that camera up to record that moment. It’s not real.”
‘The favourite part of my job’
One thing that is real is Scott’s connection to his fans.
Image: Calum at this year’s Brit Awards. Pic: Reuters
“My favourite part of my job is going to a gig and performing the songs that have resonated with people in such different, vast ways, and watching it happen in real time,” he says.
“It’s like magic, you know? Like the stuff you used to watch – Paul Daniels on the TV, and my god, it just used to buzz you. It’s the same thing.”
With a new album and a 48-city world tour ahead of him, Scott’s story is an inspiring one.
A mental health advocate, his message of hope is one he hopes to share with his fans and beyond: “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t give myself the opportunity to. It’s important to just stay headstrong, believe in yourself. Anything’s possible.”
Calum Scott’s third studio album, Avenoir, is out on 12 September, followed by his world tour, which kicks off on 12 October in Porto, Portugal.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Declaring a ‘Pulp Summer’ on the screen behind them, the band appeared on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage for another of the festival’s “surprise” performances.
A group of people mysteriously walked on to the stage in waterproof ponchos before the “secret” was revealed and the Pulp homage to fellow Saturday night performer Charli XCX’s Brat Summer appeared on screen.
Like Lewis Capaldi’s unannounced set on Friday, everyone at Glastonbury knew who to expect by the time Jarvis Cocker and co began at 6.15pm, thanks to the bookies’ odds, “secret” sources and whispers around the festival.
The Sheffield band were welcomed with a huge turnout at the festival’s biggest stage.
Image: Jarvis Cocker was welcomed with a huge turnout at the festival’s biggest stage. Pic: PA
In tribute to their headline performance in 1995, when they famously took over from The Stone Roses at short notice, Pulp started with Sorted For E’s And Whizz and then straight into Disco 2000 – two songs played live for the first time on this same stage 30 years ago.
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“It was the very, very first time they were played – you could say they were born in Glastonbury,” Cocker told the crowd.
From the Mercury Prize-winning Different Class, the album that propelled Pulp to topping the charts and platinum sales, and one of the most critically acclaimed records of the 1990s, the songs prompted a mass sing-along – and jump-along from an enthusiastic crowd who knew every word.
“My name’s Jarvis, this is Pulp,” Cocker announced, just in case anyone was in any doubt. “Sorry for people who were expecting Patchwork. Did you know that we were going to play?”
Image: Cocker mischievously asked crowds: ‘Did you know that we were going to play?’ Pic: PA
After their 1990s hits, the band launched into Spike Island, the lead single from More – their first album in 24 years, released earlier this month.
It was a set full of memorable moments – including the Red Arrows flying over – and Cocker picking up an acoustic guitar for the poignant Something Changed.
Do You Remember The First Time? And Babies also featured, before the band of course ended on their biggest hit – Common People.
Pulp’s appearance came after keyboard player Candida Doyle appeared to confirm the band would not perform at the festival in a BBC interview beforehand, despite much speculation that they would fill one of the unannounced slots.
Image: Pulp performed songs including Sorted For E’s And Whizz, Disco 2000 and Common People. Pic: PA
“We wanted to, just because it’s the 30th anniversary and that kind of thing, and they weren’t interested,” she said. “And then we were thinking maybe next year, and then they’re not doing it next year.”
Along with the headliners and the Sunday afternoon “legends slots”, unannounced sets from the likes of the Foo Fighters, The Killers, and Radiohead have become some of the most talked-about performances at Glastonbury in recent years.
As well as Capaldi and Pulp, acts including Lorde and Haim have also popped up as “secrets” this year.
Pulp have a history of surprises at the festival, having performed a secret set on the Park Stage in 2011 following their first hiatus.
Formed in 1978, they released three albums in the 1980s and early ’90s before finding mainstream success with 1994’s His And Hers.
Different Class came 18 months later in October 1995 and Pulp became huge, helped in no small part by their memorable performance at Glastonbury earlier in the year.
Thirty years later, they have entered the festival’s history books once again.