Music
James Blake wins 2013 Mercury Prize
James Blake has won the 2013 Mercury Prize with his second album, Overgrown.
The result came as a surprise to many – including Blake, who said “Well, I lost the bet”.
Laura Mvula, David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys were amongst the bookies favourites to win the £20,000 prize, while Blake was considered an outsider at 25/1.
Blake was first nominated for the award in 2011 for his eponymous debut album, but lost out to PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake.
The classical pianist turned electronic producer said of winning this year’s award: “I feel jubilant and confused, wonderful. It’s a moment you don’t expect to happen to you, in fact you might even bet against it if you’re British.”
Other artists nominated for the prize, which honours the best British album of the past year, include Foals, Rudimental, Disclosure, Jon Hopkins and Laura Marling.
The 2013 Mercury Prize was handed out at ceremony presented by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, which took place at the Roundhouse in North London.
