Following a special nominations party held in London’s Soho last night, The UMAs 2018 (Unsigned Music Awards) have announced its official shortlisted nominees.
A 100 strong voting panel cast their votes and narrowed down the initial list of 10,000 applicants to shortlist just five acts for each of the 16 categories. Some of the most notable nominees include BRITs Critics’ Choice 2018 winner Jorja Smith and BRITs British Newcomer nominee Dave.
Check out the full list of nominees below.
Best Urban Act
Dave
Raheem Bakare
Kojey Radical
Josh Barry
Tayla
Best Rock Act – Sponsored by Strange Place
The People The Poet
The Harlers
Saint Agnes
The Bay Rays
These Wicked Rivers
Best Country / Folk Act – Sponsored by Ticketmaster & Universe
Adam Beattie
Katy Hurt
Laura Oaks
Danni Nicholls
Ferris & Sylvester
Best Jazz / Blues Act
Ezra Collective
Oscar Jerome
Nerija
Ruby Rushton
Poppy Ajudha
Best Songwriter
Harry Pane
Jorja Smith
Albert Gold
Carmody
Violet Skies
Best Produced Record
Ginger Snaps – Number Crunching
Jalen N’Gonda – Why I Try
Strong Asian Mothers – Animal
Cattle & Cane – Mirrors
Le Flex – The Dancefloor Suite
Best Music Video – Sponsored by Fastrax
Dave – Question Time
Poppy Ajudha ft Kojey Radical – Spilling Into You
Femme – Fire With Fire
Foreign Beggars – Bosh
Eyre Llew – Atelo
Best International Music Video – Sponsored by YouTube
Jarami – Hear This
Gus Dapperton – Prune, You Talk Funny
Charlotte Day Wilson – Work
Fletcher – You Should Talk
Beissoul & Einius – Lion
Best Female Solo Act – Sponsored by Nasty Gal
Jorja Smith
Violet Skies
Joy Crookes
Maisie Peters
Suzi Wu
Best Male Solo Act
Kojey Radical
Rex Orange County
Bruno Major
Benny Mails
Bexey
Best International Record – Sponsored by Shazam
Stella Donnelly – Thrush Metal
Siv Jakobsen – The Nordic Mellow
Steve Lacy – Steve Lacy’s Demo
Vérité – Somewhere In Between
Gus Dapperton – Yellow and Such
Best Record – Sponsored by BIMM
Bruno Major – Song For Every Moon
Tom Misch – 5 Day Mischon
IDLES – Brutalism
Toddla T – Foreign Light
Jorja Smith – Project 11
Elder Island – Seeds In Sand
Best Electronic Act – Sponsored by Mood Media
Wide Awake
Elder Island
Catching Flies
Ellis
Kaido
Best Live Act – Sponsored by Live Nation
Stereo Honey
IDLES
Bang Bang Romeo
Sam Fender
Strange Bones
UMA Choice Award – Sponsored by UMA Music
Too Many T’s
The Kings Parade
Rina Sawayama
Kyan
Bang Bang Romeo
UMA Icon Award – TBA
The UMAs will take place at the Brighton Centre on May 16. The ceremony will kick off the 13th edition of The Great Escape Festival. Five acts have already been confirmed to perform on the night: Mullally, Newton Faulkner, Anavae, Tayla and Foreign Beggers.
Speaking about the awards, Simon O’Kelly, CEO of UMA Music Group and the Unsigned Music Award said: “We are excited to continue the growth of the UMAs as a platform to promote unsigned, self-signed and otherwise emerging artists, around the world. Opening Europe’s largest festival for new music with an award ceremony that recognises only new music makes perfect sense and we can’t think of a more suitable partner to bring this vision to life, than Live Nation.”
Tickets for The UMAs 2018 are on sale here.
