Douglas Frost, Lily Fontaine, Nicholas Eden, and Lewis Whiting, a quintet from Leeds who beat out competitors like Brat from Charli XCX, Irish singer CMAT, rapper Ghetts, emerging star Cat Burns, and indie group The Last Dinner Party, were overcome with emotion as they accepted the coveted accolade.
Because it is “purely about the quality of the music,” as stated by Fontaine, it is the prize that all British and Irish musicians aspire to win.
“For us, the process of creating an album is everything; it consumes our entire existence. For an artist, it’s incredibly concerning when [an award] is primarily focused on the caliber of what they’ve produced.
“That would be amazing” if the album moved people, she continued.
The judges found it difficult to choose amongst the 12 shortlisted CDs because they were “so reflective of our diverse and rich musical landscape,” but in the end, they all agreed that This Could Be Texas stood out “for its originality and character.”
They called it “a fresh approach to the traditional guitar band format” and “a winning lyrical mix of surrealism and social observation” with “a subtle way of wearing its musical innovations lightly.”
