English Teacher Win 2024 Mercury Prize for Debut Album: This Could Be Texas

Leeds-based indie band English Teacher have taken home this year’s prestigious Mercury Music Prize Awards for their debut album, This Could Be Texas. Formed in 2020 at Leeds Conservatoire, the four-piece band has captured the attention of critics and fans alike with their distinct sound. In a glowing 9/10 review, The Line of Best Fit described their style as standing out from other post-punk bands due to their “northern charm”.

As the band accepted the £25,000 award on Thursday night, they were visibly surprised. “We just thought we’d make a band,” said frontwoman Lily Fontaine, with her bandmates equally stunned. “What do we do now?” she added with disbelief.

English Teacher — consisting of Lily, Nicholas Eden, Lewis Whiting and Douglas Frost — released the band’s first LP on 12 April 2024 via Island Records.

This year’s Mercury Prize was aimed at celebrating the album format as an art form, as highlighted by DJ Jamz Supernova, who presented the award. The judges praised This Could Be Texas for its originality, calling it a “fresh approach to the traditional guitar band format”. They also noted how the album’s blend of surrealism and social observation reveals “new depths on every listen”.

While English Teacher’s win came as a bit of a surprise, many expected Charli xcx to take the prize for her album Brat, which dominated the summer charts. However, Charli wasn’t at the ceremony, with producers AG Cook and Easyfun representing her.

English Teacher recently announced that they had to cancel their US tour due to health concerns, and they’ve spoken about the financial struggles many musicians face. “It’s normal for all of these achievements to coexist alongside being on Universal Credit, living at home or sofa surfing,” Fontaine explained.

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This year’s ceremony was notably smaller due to the Mercury Prize’s failure to secure a sponsor after the end of their partnership with Freenow. The usual live performances were replaced by a more stripped-back event at Abbey Road Studios, broadcast by the BBC. Jo Twist, chief executive of the BPI, admitted that they couldn’t find a suitable sponsor, which resulted in a more modest production.

Ezra Collective, who won last year for their jazz album Where I’m Meant to Be, saw a massive 859% boost in streaming figures following their win. This year’s nominees included heavyweights such as rapper Ghetts, Corinne Bailey Rae, and jungle producer Nia Archives, alongside first-timers like baroque-pop band The Last Dinner Party.

Since its inception in 1992, the Mercury Prize, awarded to only the artists from the British subcontinent, has aimed to highlight artistic merit over commercial success. Previous winners include Suede, Arctic Monkeys, Skepta, Arlo Parks, and Little Simz.

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An entity of flesh and bones in pursuit of becoming a higher being. A connoisseur of the mystic arts and everything musical. His origins are unknown, and so are his true motives.