Irish folk band Lankum has won album of the year at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize awards, for their acclaimed fourth album, False Lankum.
The folk band beat CMAT, who had also been shortlisted in the category for her second album, Crazymad For Me. Other artists who had been in the running for album of the year included Kojaque, Rachael Lavelle, The Murder Capital, Soda Blonde, John Francis Flynn, Grian Chatten, The Scratch and Ezra Williams.
In comments accepting the award, members of Lankum said it was hard to see how they could celebrate “when there is an actual live genocide going on,” in reference to Israel’s war in Gaza. “Thanks for the award, free Palestine”, they said.
Dublin-born singer Jazzy was named Irish artist of the year and breakthrough artist of the year at the awards. Jazzy, from Crumlin, Dublin, who released her debut solo single, Giving Me, last March, won the award for artist of the year over CMAT, Hozier, Lankum and Cian Ducrot.
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Giving Me had been nominated for best international song at the Brit Awards, alongside songs by Billie Eilish, Noah Kahan, Olivia Rodrigo and Miley Cyrus, who took home the award on the night for her song, Flowers.
Cian Ducrot’s song Heaven was voted RTÉ Choice Music Prize song of the year, having been selected from a shortlist of ten songs by public vote. Others who had been shortlisted for breakthrough artist of the year at the awards included John Francis Flynn, The Scratch, 49th & Main and ØXN. The annual music awards, which began in 2005, were held in Vicar Street, Dublin, on Thursday.
The award for classic Irish album went to Achtung Baby, which was released by U2 in 1991. The award was collected by RTÉ 2FM host Dave Fanning, with The Edge and Adam Clayton sending a video message from Las Vegas to the awards ceremony.
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