Fontaines D.C. asked Irish-Palestine artist Róisín El Cherif to accept their Choice Music Prize Irish album of the year award
Fontaines D.C. won the annual Choice Music Prize Irish album of the year in their fourth time of being nominated as a band.
Romance was the eventual winner as decided by 12 judges (including myself), who were deliberating in a room away from the live event in Vicar Street last night.
The band’s fourth album marked a change in production and scope, with a larger sonic imprint and a varied collection of songs drawing on more diverse influences of shoegaze and artists like Lana Del Rey, Echo And The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Stone Roses and The Cure.
As the band are touring in Australia at the moment, they asked the Galway-Palestinian musician Róisín El Cherif to accept the award on their behalf.
El Cherif recited part of a poem from Palestinian poet Samih al-Qasim written in 1971 called Enemy of the Sun which speaks of Palestinian resistance against Israel.
You may put out the light in my eyes.
You may deprive me of my mother’s kisses.
You may curse my father, my people.
You may distort my history,
You may deprive my children of a smile
And of life’s necessities.
You may fool my friends with a borrowed face.
You may build walls of hatred around me.
You may glue my eyes to humiliations,
O enemy of the sun,
ButI shall not compromise
And to the last pulse in my veins
I shall resist.Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Fontaines D.C received a cheque for €10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), as well as a specially commissioned award.
Lankum, last year’s winners also showed solidarity with Palestine in their acceptance speech.
Also on the night, the Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew – “The Spark” won Irish Song of the year in a public vote, Jordan Adetunji won Irish artist of the year for his breakout and Kneecap won the Irish Breakthrough Artist of the year.
As previously announced: Enya’s watermark was announced as the Classic Irish Album. Enya did not accept the award in person but a thank you speech was read out by Warner Music Ireland’s Priscilla Kotey.
RTÉ2 will broadcast a one-hour TV programme of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize, featuring performances from the eight acts and hosted by Tracy Clifford on Thursday 13th March at 22.35.
