daylies music: Brit Music Scene

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Brit Music Scene

Speech Debelle Wins Mercury Prize 2009 – Wait, Who?

Posted: 09 Sep 2009 12:32 PM PDT

Well that was a shocker. I know the Mercury Prize has always focused on emerging acts, artists who haven’t yet gone mainstream in a big way, but I have at least usually heard of the act that wins. This year, I hadn’t, and I’m the first to admit I’m playing catch-up in learning about Speech Debelle.

The Klaxons won the Mercury Prize in 2007, with Elbow following in their footsteps last year. Both of whom I knew of, had heard their latest albums, and instantly knew were worthy winners. This year, the Mercury Prize has been given to an artist unknown to many and a complete outsider.

The nominees were announced back in July and at that point my money was on either Glasvegas or Florence and The Machine to walk away with the prize. But the judges had other ideas, picking Speech Debelle ahead of all the competition.

Since the result was announced last night I’ve made it my mission to find out more about Speech Debelle and listen to some of the album, Speech Therapy, that she won the Mercury Prize 2009 for. And I have to say I’m not overly impressed.

She doesn’t even seem the best candidate from the British hip-hop scene, which is emerging as quite a force. So I don’t agree with this decision and really can’t see Speech Debelle going on to greater things over the next few years.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene