Dave and Little Simz win Ivor Novello Awards
London talent has once again dominated The Ivors with Dave and Little Simz picking up awards.
The event, which honours songwriters and composers with Ivor Novello awards, was initially postponed from its traditional May date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mercury Prize-winner Dave and producer Fraser T Smith won the Ivor for best contemporary song for Black, which judges described as “important, eloquent and a song that not only empowers, but is borderless in its musicality”.
Little Simz takes home the Best Album award for Grey Area, written alongside producer Inflo. Previously, she won in 2017 for co-writing Michael Kiwanuka’s ‘Black Man in a White World’.
She told the PA news agency: “It just goes to show it is all about the music but I guess it has aged pretty well. The album still feels new to me even though I wrote it in 2018 and it came out in 2019.
“I am not in the same space but some of the things I am writing about I still feel. In that sense it still feels new.”
Asked whether the album had taken on new meaning since its release, she said: “More so now than ever probably (the song) Pressure, in light of what has been happening over the past few months, like Covid and the whole Black Lives Matter movement.
“All these things, it still feels very prominent. It feels like I wrote Pressure to do with that subject matter, but I have been speaking about that for the longest.”
Meanwhile, Hackney-born Labrinth collects the gong for Best Television Soundtrack for his work on Euphoria.
Crispin Hunt, Chair of The Ivors Academy said “The Ivors 2020 is a stunning rollcall of songwriting and screen composing talent.
"I would like to congratulate every winner and nominee on their incredible achievements.
"The UK produces some of the most dynamic, creative and successful music creators in the world working across games, TV, film and recorded music.
"Their talent is the reason that the music we all love exists.
"Each Ivor Novello Award is unique as it is presented to music creators by music creators on behalf of the Academy and is an expression of our admiration.”
The 2020 Winners are:
Best AlbumGrey Area - Written by Inflo and Little SimzPerformed by Little Simz. Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing.
Best Contemporary SongBlack - Written by Dave and Fraser T SmithPerformed by Dave. Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music and Kobalt Music Publishing.Best Original Film ScoreMidsommar - Composed by Bobby KrlicPublished in the UK by A24 Music - Kobalt Music Publishing.Best Original Video Game ScoreDraugen - Composed by Simon PooleBest Song Musically and LyricallyAge of Anxiety- Written and performed by Jamie CullumPublished in the UK by Sentric Music Ltd.
Best Television SoundtrackEuphoria - Composed by LabrinthPublished in the UK by Universal Music Publishing.PRS for Music Most Performed WorkGiant - Written by Calvin Harris, Jamie Hartman, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Troy MillerPerformed by Calvin Harris and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. Published in the UK by EMI Music Publishing, Reservoir Reverb Music, Warner Chappell Music and Bucks Music Group.Rising Star Award with Apple MusicPresented to MysieSongwriter of the YearPresented to Steve MacAcademy FellowshipPresented to Joan Armatrading MBE