singer—songwriter anna calvi has now been nominated for her first three albums, equalling coldplay‘ske me, to kind of get your music out there, for other people to hear about you and to be among such amazing talent. among much of that amazing talent there is a particular theme — politics. idles aren't the first band to marry music and political protest. # my blood brother is an immigrant...# but they've done it with a fresh power and energy. the whole point of us as a band is that we're trying to articulate the personal and the political as the same thing. everything isjust a heightened vision of welfare and well—being in politics, and we just wanted to try and marry that and get people to kind of feel they have a voice, even through listening. # water it down like evian # think that tyron's naive...# while rapper slowthai has used his experiences growing up in northampton for his nominated album nothing great about britain. i'm not trying to say i hate this country. i love this country, i'm proud... i've got more pride in my heart for it than anything. ijust feel we've lost value of

on the shortlist are bands including idles and the 1975, singer—songwriter anna calvi and northamptonper slowthai. the mercury prize prides itself on recognising an impressive breadth of musical styles with its nominations. this year, there is the more commercial sound of the 1975... and the band foals. as well as the more reflective melodies of cate le bon. and ten piece jazz collective seed ensemble. singer—songwriter anna calvi has now been nominated for her first three albums, equalling coldplay‘s record. it means the world for an artist like me, to kind of get your music out there, for other people to hear about you and to be among such amazing talent. among much of that amazing talent there is a particular theme — politics. idles aren't the first band to marry music and political protest. # my blood brother is an immigrant...# but they've done it with a fresh power and energy. the whole point of us as a band is that we're trying to articulate the personal and the political as the same thing. everything isjust a heightened vision of welfare and well—being in politics, and we just

singer—songwriter anna calvi has now been nominated for her first three albums, equalling coldplay‘s me, to kind of get your music out there, for other people to hear about you and to be among such amazing talent. among much of that amazing talent there is a particular theme — politics. idols aren't the first band to marry music and political protest. # my blood brother is an immigrant... but they've done it with a fresh power and energy. the whole point of us as a band is that we're trying to articulate the personal and the political as the same thing. everything isjust a heightened vision of welfare and well—being in politics, and we just wanted to try and marry that and get people to kind of feel they have a voice, even through listening. # water it down like evian # think that tyron's naive... while rapper slowthai has used his experiences growing up in northampton for his nominated album nothing great about britain. i'm not trying to say i hate this country. i love this country, i'm proud... i've got more pride in my heart for it than anything. i just feel we've lost value of wh