English Teacher have won the Mercury Prize 2024 for their acclaimed debut album ‘This Could Be Texas‘.
The Leeds four-piece were among the favourites to win in tonight’s ceremony (September 5), behind Charli XCX with ‘Brat’. The Last Dinner Party were also considered to be one of the front-runners with their album, ‘Prelude To Ecstasy‘.
The band members embraced Jamz Supernova, who handed them the award at the iconic Abbey Road studios in London. Vocalist Lily Fontaine then said, “Look, mum,” and explained that they didn’t expect to win: “We didn’t really plan this far.”
Guitarist Lewis Whiting thanked “everyone in Leeds,” while the members all thanked their friends and parents. ”My mum did the artwork [for the album] so I want to give a special thanks to her,” added Fontaine, who also thanked the music scene in their home city, including live venue Brudenell Social Club.
The judging team said: “This has been a really tough year for the Mercury Prize judges, with the final 12 albums being so reflective of our diverse & rich musical landscape. There was so much passion and enthusiasm for each one.
“In the end, though, we did agree that ‘This Could Be Texas’ by English Teacher stands out for its originality & character. A winning lyrical mix of surrealism and social observation, alongside a subtle way of wearing its musical innovations lightly, displays a fresh approach to the traditional guitar band format. ‘This Could Be Texas’ reveals new depths on every listen; the mark of a future classic.”
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Speaking to NME in 2023, Whiting described the band as “swirling in the cauldron of the music industry,” while Fontaine explained of her lyrics, “My music isn’t observational comedy, or solely about everyday life. I spend a lot of time thinking about conveying how I feel.”
Whiting said of the songs on the album: “I feel like the next set of songs will truly reflect where we are now,” he continues. “We don’t want to sit within one sound; there’s some huge-sounding ballads coming up. We’ve got a point to prove.”
In a five-star review of the album, NME concluded: “What you have in ‘This Could Be Texas’ is everything you want from a debut; a truly original effort from start to finish, an adventure in sound and words, and a landmark statement. Poised for big things? Who knows if this industry even allows that anymore. Here are a band already dealing in brilliance, though – who dare to dream and have it pay off. Not everyone gets to go to space, but at least English Teacher make it a damn site more interesting being stuck down here.”
English Teacher are rounding off a busy year with a series of tour dates. From September 11, they’re playing a series of North American dates, while they’re back in Europe from October, finishing off with a run of UK tour dates in November, taking in London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Newcastle and Bristol. You can find tickets to their UK dates here, and tickets to their US dates here.
In winning the Mercury Prize, the band follow on from last year’s winners Ezra Collective, who became the first jazz group to win the award. Little Simz won in 2022, while Arlo Parks and Michael Kiwanuka round off the most recent five.
Other acts to have won previously include Alt-J, Primal Scream, Wolf Alice, Dave, and Arctic Monkeys.