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Foy Vance Announced As Winner of the inaugural Northern Ireland Music Prize

November 13, 2013

Foy Vance has been announced as winner of the inaugural Northern Ireland Music Prize for his album ‘Joy of nothing’.  Northern Ireland Music Prize is a new award aimed at recognising the great wealth of recorded music from Northern Ireland. NI music is experiencing a creative boom right now. The quality and quantity of great records from all genres enjoying an all-time high point. The NI Music Prize provides recognition of this fact.foy vance

An academy of music industry professionals connected to NI were approached to vote and to create a shortlist of albums (the full academy list is available at www.nimusicprize.com). Fourteen records comprised the final list. A diverse and exciting array, it included artists such as the world-conquering Two Door Cinema Club, esteemed troubadour Foy Vance, instrumental post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar and the electronic adventure of Space Dimension Controller.

The ultimate winner of the prize was decided on the night  by a select panel of experts and announced at the ceremony in Belfast’s Mandela Hall on November 12, 2013. A selection of shortlisted acts also played live at the event, including Girls NamesThe Bonnevilles and more.

The NI Music Prize aims to establish itself as an important annual event. Drawing attention to the local successes and providing a critical benchmark.The event took place during Belfast Music Week. Now in its fourth year, Belfast Music Week has become a focal point for the music scene in Northern Ireland and the NI Music Prize was a highlight of this year’s festivities.

Upon winning the Northern Ireland Music Prize, Foy Vance, (who couldn’t attend the awards due to USA touring schedules) said, “We are all very proud to have been nominated, let alone to have received the award for best album. I’m gutted I couldn’t be there on the night but the award has been collected by the people who made it possible – so justice has been served”

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