Worldwide sensations have been made by her albums 19 and 21, with her second record staying in the British charts for 18 consecutive weeks.
However, Adele faced a snub at the Barclaycard Mercury Prize ceremony, even though she was a frontrunner for the prestigious award.
Instead, the winner announced at the event held at London’s Grosvenor House was singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, who had previously won the award a decade ago, for her album Let England Shake.
It’s commendable of Mercury to acknowledge PJ Harvey’s significance as an artist. Although Adele possesses a good voice and her popular song is omnipresent, she simply lacks the talent and coolness of Polly.
If Mercury compromises its integrity by giving awards to every fleeting trend, their credibility will diminish…because frankly, we do not want Mercury to be as overrated as the BRIT awards.
My first encounter with PJ Harvey was at Glastonbury in 1993 when she had just released her fantastic album, Dry. This was during a period when The Pixies showcased their dynamic genius. While Polly was clearly inspired by this influence, she consistently showcased her unique style. As the years have passed, her talent continues to flourish.
Adele, the new artist in question, simply can’t measure up to Polly. Sure, she’s entertaining and appears on popular shows, but she lacks musical sophistication. And because of her need to promote herself like many artists do for sales…she will never match the class of PJ Harvey.
PJ Harvey is entirely focused on art, music, and expression.
Conversely, Adele seems more concerned with…the X-Factor.
Thus, I’m glad she didn’t win anything. She needs to genuinely show that she cares…at least appear to do so. She should elevate herself beyond the Graham Norton Show and prioritize the music over showbiz antics.
Upon receiving her award from fellow musician Jools Holland, PJ Harvey stated, “Thank you for recognizing the work I’ve done on this album. It’s wonderful to be here today because, the last time I won, I was watching the Pentagon burning from my hotel. So much has changed since then. This album took me a considerable amount of time to write. It carried great importance for me. I aimed to create something meaningful that would resonate not only with myself but with others, and hopefully something that would endure.”
Polly Jean Harvey, known professionally as PJ Harvey, donned a full-length white dress that resembled a straitjacket, accessorizing it with shiny black boots that complemented her jet black hair adorned with a feathered headpiece.
Earlier on the red carpet, Adele appeared calm and confident regarding her chances of winning as she posed with her nominee trophy.
Her typical ensemble consisted of a black dress, tights, and shoes, complemented by her signature beehive hairstyle to complete the look.
On the other hand, fellow nominee Katy B chose a more vibrant outfit, featuring a grey letter print dress paired with bold red heels, a pink bag, and oversized gold hoop earrings.
The BRIT School graduate had been hoping to win the award for her debut album, “On A Mission.”
However, the competition wasn’t only amongst themselves, as a total of 12 acts were revealed as nominees on July 19.
Other female contenders who showed up to represent included Jezebel singer Anna Calvi, whose self-titled album earned her a nomination.
Anna opted for a striking look with a bright red shirt featuring gold-studded shoulder pad details, completing her ensemble with slicked back hair and red lipstick.
Though it wasn’t only the ladies who embraced the postbox red theme, as male nominee Tine Tempah also opted to blend in with the decor.
The 22-year-old rapper, known for the hit “Pass Out,” sported a stylish red velvet blazer and black wayfarers, appearing pleased to be a contender following the tremendous success of his debut album, “Disc-Overy.”
In contrast, other male nominees took a more conservative approach, such as British pianist Gwilym Simcock, who chose a dark grey suit and white pinstripe shirt. To be honest…I’m not keen on listening to anything by someone named Gwilym.
The 30-year-old composer, straddling jazz and classical genres, received a nomination for his album “Good Days At Schloss Elmau.”
The two men also found themselves competing against prior winners, Elbow.
The British rock band arrived together, presenting a varied attire ranging from dark jeans and blazers to tweed waistcoats and ties.
Previously victorious at the Mercury Prize in 2008 for their fourth album, “The Seldom Seen Kid,” the band aimed to win again for their March 2011 release, “Build A Rocket Boys!”
Another group vying for the award was Metronomy.The four-member band received a nomination for their third album, “The English Riviera.”
They were up against the British indie band Everything Everything, whose debut album “Man Alive,” released in 2010, secured them a nomination.
This left three solo artists making up the final nominations in the 12 albums contending for the award.
Ghostpoet, known as 28-year-old Obaro Ejimiwe, garnered praise for his uniquely titled album, “Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam.”
During the event, he performed his debut single, “Cash and Carry Me Home,” in front of a nervous audience, but ultimately, the judges did not choose his album as the winner.
Finally, the duo King Creosote & Jon Hopkins were in the mix for the Mercury Prize.
Their collaborative studio album, titled “Diamond Mine,” received positive reviews upon its release in March, but it wasn’t sufficient to secure them the prestigious award.
For me, though, on that night, PJ Harvey stood out as the clear favorite… without even trying.
by Wallace McTavish
