CMAT aims to become Mercury’s first Irish winnerpublished at 20:33 BST
20:33 BST
Colin Paterson
Entertainment Correspondent, reporting from the Mercury Prize
Image source, Euan Cherry/Getty Images
CMAT has emerged as the bookie’s favourite to win tonight. She’s been on a big upwards trajectory, having been nominated for the Mercury Prize in two consecutive years, touring her third album Euro-Country across the world.
I asked her how significant it is to be up for the prize once again in such quick succession.
“I was a bit like maybe I shouldn’t release the two records close together, but I think it’s testament to how they’re not really looking at anything other than records and albums”, she says.
She describes her ability to talk as “a bit gobbledygook-y”, with the amount of antibiotics she’s on because her wisdom teeth have been removed.
“I was supposed to do Paris fashion week and my entire cheek was connected to my neck, it was so swollen,” she says.
I teased her about how difficult it must have been for her to keep her mouth shut for a week, “Wow – I mean rude but accurate to be fair, very, very accurate,” she joked.
Alongside post-punk sensation Fontaines DC, she has the opportunity tonight to become the first Irish winner of the Mercury Prize.
“I think it would be really nice for a record that is predominantly about Ireland to be the first Irish winner.”