Damien Rice wins Shortlist Music Prize

Damien Rice is sleeping soundly (or partying loudly) in Los Angeles right now, having picked up the Shortlist Award in Los Angeles last night.

Having received the award ahead of such big names as The Streets, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and 2001 winners Sigur Ros, it is a most prestigious honour for Rice’s debut album, O, which was recorded in his Dublin bedroom. Having given an impressive live performance earlier in the night, Rice was presented with a gold statuette and a US$5,000 cash prize.

The prize can be expected to have a major impact on record sales over the next week, with industry insiders monitoring the chart movements of O, currently lingering in the lower reaches of the Billboard Top 200.

The Shortlist, which would be regarded as the US equivalent of the Mercury, was established in 2001 to honour artists whose artistic merits outweigh commercial popularity. Rice was among ten finalists, and was selected by a panel of musicians and creative types, which this year included the Chemical Brothers, Chris Martin, Dave Matthews, Erykah Badu, Tori Amos, Flea, The Neptunes, Cameron Crowe, and Spike Jonze among others.

The former Hot Press coverboy has just completed a month’s touring in the US and begins his UK jaunt later this week. Tickets for his December 15 Vicar St. gig are on sale now.