The NI Music Prize is going ahead through an online broadcast tonight, November 12. The event, taking place at the Oh Yeah Music Centre as a virtual show, due to Covid-19 restrictions, will stream live on YouTube at 8pm.

The show plans to bring as much live experience as possible to audiences watching at home – with brand new performances from shortlisted acts including Arborist, Careerist, Joshua Burnside, Kitt Philippa, Phil Kieran and Sasha Samara.

DJ and broadcaster Rigsy and BBC ATL Introducing presenter Gemma Bradley will present the show, and you can also expect guest contributors, with live announcements and presentations, as well as some previously unseen footage – including the Snow Patrol performance from last year’s event at the Ulster Hall.

Best Single, the Oh Yeah Contender Award and Best Live Act are decided by public voting, with the winner of those categories taking home a cash prize of £1,000. The winner of Best Album, meanwhile, is decided by a panel, and will be awarded £3,000.

“It has been an incredibly difficult year for music, musicians and live music, but we were determined to make sure that the show will go on," Charlotte Dryden from Oh Yeah said. "We need to have a moment for our community to come together to say we are still here, we will get through this and we matter. We have an incredible amount of talent to celebrate here and while we normally get together under one roof for this annual celebration, this is an opportunity to showcase our music in a new way. We’re urging everyone to join us, tune in, get involved, organise watch parties and support local music. It will be different, but we think it will be great.”

Watch the NI Music Prize below at 8pm:

Shortlist:

Best Album
Arborist - A Northern View
Arvo Party - Love Above All
Careerist - Weird Hill
Ciaran Lavery - Plz Stay, bb
Joel Harkin - Never Happy
Junk Drawer - Ready For The House
Kitt Philippa - Human
Malojian - Humm
Our Krypton Son - Modern Ruins
Phil Kieran - Life Cycling
The Darkling Air - Ancestor
The Lost Brothers - After the Fire After the Rain

Best Single:
Arborist - Here Comes The Devil
Bicep - Atlas
Cherym - Abigail
Joshua Burnside - The Only Thing I Fear
New Pagans - Charlie Has The Face Of A Saint
Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra – Love

Oh Yeah Contender Award:
Gender Chores
Jordan Adetunji
Problem Patterns
Sasha Samara

Best Live Act:
And So I Watch You From Afar
New Pagans
Problem Patterns
Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra