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Charli XCX is riding high following the triumph of her culturally relevant 2024 album, Brat, where she secured the title of Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello awards, which celebrate the finest in British and Irish songwriting and screen composition.
Brat represents a peak in the career of the British pop star, reaching the top of the UK charts and hitting No. 3 in the US, garnering widespread acclaim for Charli’s wry yet deeply personal lyrics. Earlier this year, she bagged five Brit awards, marking the second-highest number of accolades in a single night in the event’s history, alongside three Grammys.
While Brat was also nominated for the Mercury Prize and for Best Album at the Ivor Novellos, the latter honor went to Berwyn for his work, Who Am I.
Berwyn has experienced an incredible journey: emigrating from Trinidad as a child and settling in Romford, he has turned his life around from a past of drug dealing and alcoholism to produce a series of raw, heartfelt works that explore themes of Black British identity, love, masculinity, and immigration, having obtained his right to remain in the UK in 2021. His debut mixtape Demotape/Vega was nominated for the Mercury Prize, and his debut album Who Am I features collaborations with artists like Fred Again.
Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland took home the award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for her stark ballad Mine, a brutally honest exploration of lasting trauma and how Gartland has learned to rebuild intimacy.
She triumphed over one of the year’s standout British songs, Messy by Lola Young, along with competition from Raye, Laura Marling, and Fontaines DC. Young, however, secured the Rising Star Award after her poignant and candid Messy ruled the UK No. 1 spot for four weeks and became a global hit.
The award for Best Contemporary Song went to the lesser-known Circumnavigating Georgia by Sans Soucis, who outperformed Jade’s pop hit Angel of My Dreams as well as rap entries by Pa Salieu, Ghetts, and Bashy.
Sans Soucis is the stage name of Giulia Grispino, an Italian-Congolese artist who moved to London as a young adult. Circumnavigating Georgia, the title track of her second album, is a dreamy yet poignant ballad with ambient backing, exploring themes of love and the evolution of self-identity.
In the screen composition categories, Raffertie claimed the award for Best Original Film Score for his work on Demi Moore’s body horror film, The Substance, while Vince Pope won Best Television Soundtrack for True Detective: Night Country.
An indie victory in the Best Original Video Game Score category went to John Konsolakis for his symphonic score for the homegrown Scottish game Farewell North, where players experience the journey of a border collie navigating a Scottish Highlands-inspired landscape.
The Most Performed Work award was presented to Myles Smith for his massive, heartfelt hit Stargazing, a staple on radio and streaming services.
The Ivors Academy also bestowed a selection of honorary awards. U2 became the first Irish acts to receive the distinction of Academy Fellows, while Robbie Williams was awarded the Icon Award in the week he announced his latest album, Britpop. The Visionary Award was presented to Self Esteem, following the launch of her third studio album, A Complicated Woman, and Brandon Flowers, the frontman of the Killers, received the Special International Award.
The classic lineup of British indie band Bloc Party—Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Gordon Moakes, and Matt Tong—was honored with the Outstanding Song Collection award, acknowledging a career that dates back to their iconic 2005 debut album, Silent Alarm.
Roberto Neri, chief executive of the Ivors Academy, recognized the difficulties faced by songwriters while celebrating the winners. “Be it equal pay, safe working conditions, or ensuring meaningful opt-in consent in the era of AI, the Ivors Academy is dedicated to safeguarding, empowering, and honoring the essential creative force in the music industry,” he stated.
2025 Ivor Novello winners in full
Best album: Who Am I, written and performed by Berwyn
Best contemporary song: Circumnavigating Georgia, written and performed by Sans Soucis
Best song musically and lyrically: Mine, written and performed by Orla Gartland
Most performed work: Stargazing, written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink, and Myles Smith, and performed by Myles Smith
Rising star award: Lola Young
Best original film score: The Substance, composed by Raffertie
Best original video game score: Farewell North, composed by John Konsolakis
Best television soundtrack: True Detective: Night Country, composed by Vince Pope
Academy fellowship: Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr for U2
Outstanding song collection: Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Gordon Moakes, and Matt Tong for Bloc Party
Icon award: Robbie Williams
Songwriter of the year: Charli XCX
Special international award: Brandon Flowers
Visionary award: Self Esteem
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