I stuck my neck out earlier yesterday but I wasn’t far off for the winner of the Choice Music Prize. The winner was my second Choice from my original prediction in fairness. SOAK ended up being the winner of the Choice Music Prize last night in Vicar Street for her album Before We Forgot How To Dream.
By my logic, SOAK was a deserved winner, yet an early in her career, also an early one. Bridie Monds Watson is a very talented young woman who is only going to get better from her already sweet perch. That still holds true, excitingly, the best of SOAK is yet to come. Adam Clayton from U2 presenting the award was a lovely touch that framed Irish music in its own history.
Also on the night, Gavin James took home the Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year prize once again. It was a public vote. Unfortunately for James, it doesn’t have the same return as an album prize, though the award looks nice.
SOAK meanwhile, won an award from RAAP along with s €10,000 fund for her efforts, as provided by Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).
RTE 2 Television will broadcast a one-hour highlights programme of the Choice Music Prize on Saturday March 12th at 11pm.
Previous winners of the Choice Music Prize
2005: Julie Feeney – 13 Songs (Julie Feeney)
2006: The Divine Comedy – Victory for the Comic Muse (Parlophone)
2007: Super Extra Bonus Party – Super Extra Bonus Party (Alphabet Set)
2008: Jape – Ritual (Co-op Records)
2009: Adrian Crowley – Season of the Sparks (Chemikal Underground)
2010: Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History (Kitsune)
2011: Jape – Ocean of Frequency (Music Is For Losers)
2012: Delorentos – Little Sparks (Delo Records)
2013: Villagers – {Awayland} (Domino)
2014: The Gloaming – The Gloaming (Real World)
2015: Soak – Before We Forgot How To Dream (Rough Trade)
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
