Debut singersongwriter wins Mercury Music Prize

Singer-songwriter Sampha has been announced as the winner of the UK’S most prestigious music award, the Mercury Prize, for his album Process.

He had been a 3-1 shot to pick up the prize for his debut album, and was up against the likes of Ed Sheeran and Stormzy.

The 28-year-old, who was born in South London to Sierra Leonean parents, is known for widely for his collaborative work with Beyonce and Kanye West among others.

Sheeran’s record-breaking third album Divide and grime star Stormzy’s debut record Gang Signs And Prayers were named on the 12-strong shortlist for the prestigious prize.

It marked Sheeran’s first appearance on the shortlist and comes after a record-breaking year for the 26-year-old, which has seen him dominate the UK charts.

The xx and Alt-j had also been hoping to collect their second Mercury crown after previous successes in 2010 and 2012 respectively while the inclusion of spoken word poet Kate Tempest’s Let Them Eat Chaos marked her second time on the shortlist.