Lola Young leads nominations for top songwriting awards

Ian Youngs

Culture reporter

Pop singer-songwriter Lola Young leads the nominations for this year’s prestigious Ivor Novello Awards, with Charli XCX, Ghetts and Jade among the other stars in contention.

Young has three nominations including best song musically and lyrically for her breakthrough hit Messy, which spent a month at number one in the UK earlier this year.

She is also shortlisted in the best album category, where she will go up against Charli XCX’s Brat, which became a cultural phenomenon last summer.

The Ivor Novello Awards are coveted in the UK music industry because they specifically celebrate songwriting.

Charli, rapper Ghetts and singer Raye all have two nominations each, as has Young’s co-writer Conor Dickinson.

Other contenders include Fontaines DC, Harry Styles, Laura Marling, Bashy and Pa Salieu.

Former Little Mix star Jade is nominated for best contemporary song for her first solo single Angel of My Dreams.

And 40 years after its release, Wham!’s Last Christmas is nominated for the prize for most performed work, which is based on airplay.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on 22 May.

Judges have already announced that U2 will be named Academy Fellows, the Ivors’ highest honorary accolade.

Best album

• Charli XCX – Brat
• Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose
• Jordan Rakei – The Loop
• Lola Young – This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway
• Berwyn – Who Am I

Best contemporary song

• Pa Salieu – Allergy
• Jade – Angel of My Dreams
• Sans Soucis – Circumnavigating Georgia
• Ghetts ft Sampha – Double Standards
• Bashy – How Black Men Lose Their Smile

Best song musically and lyrically

• Laura Marling – Child of Mine
• Raye – Genesis
• Fontaines DC – In the Modern World
• Lola Young – Messy
• Orla Gartland – Mine

Most performed work

• Harry Styles – As It Was
• Dua Lipa – Houdini
• Wham! – Last Christmas
• Cassö, Raye and D-Block Europe – Prada
• Myles Smith – Stargazing

Rising star

• Bea and her Business
• Liang Lawrence
• Lola Young
• LULU.
• Nia Smith

Best original film score

• Fly Me To the Moon – Daniel Pemberton
• Hard Truths – Gary Yershon
• Kneecap – Michael ‘Mickey J’ Asante
• The Substance – Raffertie
• The Zone of Interest – Mica Levi

Best original video game score

• Empire of the Ants – Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi
• Farewell North – John Konsolakis
• Flock – Eli Rainsberry
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – David Garcia Diaz
• The Casting of Frank Stone – Boxed Ape

Best television soundtrack

• Black Doves – Martin Phipps
• Mary & George – Oliver Coates
• Rivals – Jack Halama and Natalie Holt
• True Detective: Night Country – Vince Pope
• Until I Kill You – Carly Paradis