BandLab NME Awards 2022: FKA Twigs Announced as Winner of the Godlike Genius Award, Bring Me the Horizon to Close the Awards With Five-Song Set
Today, NME has announced further details of the BandLab NME Awards 2022, including the unveiling of the winner of the coveted Godlike Genius Award, and another exciting performer for the show at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Wednesday 2 March 2022. More prestigious honorary award winners will be announced in the weeks to come, including the Icon and NME Radar Awards.
FKA twigs will be honoured with the Godlike Genius Award, the youngest solo artist to ever receive it, at this year’s event, following the likes of Massive Attack, Liam Gallagher, Primal Scream and 2020’s winner Glastonbury Festival co-organiser Emily Eavis. NME are thrilled to honour twigs for her outstanding contributions to music, as an artist without whom the world of music would not be the same.
Heavy rock titans Bring Me The Horizon are one of the latest names announced to perform at the ceremony. The band will be closing 2022’s Awards with a five-song set as their only UK show ahead of their huge Reading & Leeds headline slot this summer. They join an already stacked line-up of performers, including the previously announced BERWYN, CHVRCHES & Robert Smith, Griff, Sam Fender and Rina Sawayama.
Celebrating the most brilliant people in music and pop culture right now, the BandLab NME Awards 2022 will be presented by the UK’s hottest comedian, actress and writer Daisy May Cooper and rapper, presenter and BBC Radio 1Xtra host Lady Leshurr, feature performances from some of the most thrilling musical acts around, big-name guests, and a raft of epic unpredictable moments. Fans have the chance to be in the thick of the action, with tickets on sale now via nme.com.
As FKA twigs, singer/songwriter/producer/dancer/filmmaker Tahliah Barnett has proved to be a true Godlike Genius. Beginning with her early EPs and Mercury Prize-nominated debut full-length LP1, the multi-hyphenate has continued to push boundaries over the years. She followed 2019’s deeply candid second album Magdalene with the comparatively bright and star-studded mixtape Caprisongs earlier this year, confirming she is one of the most accomplished artists of her generation along the way.
On receiving the Godlike Genius Award, twigs says: “What an absolute honour to have won the NME Godlike Genius Award. To see my name amongst the iconic likes of The Clash, The Cure and Blondie is unreal! I am so proud to be the first Black female artist to have been honoured, still baby faced, and inspired as hell…Here’s to the next decade of making art and music. Thank you to the heavens and back to everyone who has helped me make my dreams come true.”
Previous Innovation Award winners Bring Me The Horizon are one of the most electrifying and successful rock bands to emerge from the UK. They released their last project, Post Human: Survival Horror, in 2020 to critical acclaim and commercial success, becoming their second UK Number One album in as many years and named one of the best EPs of the year by NME. Six years since they infamously hijacked Coldplay’s table for their raucous first NME Awards performance, the band will return to close the night themselves – and it’s certain they will bring a welcome dose of chaos on the Brixton Academy stage.
Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes says: “To be honest we’re surprised we’ve even been asked back at all! What a huge honour it is to be asked to close the prestigious NME Awards show, we’re literally buzzing.”
The full list of nominations can be found below, including the previously announced winners Halsey and Jack Antonoff, who will be taking home the Innovation Award and Songwriter Award, respectively. 2022’s Awards sees the introduction of award categories that champion Southeast Asian talent, following 2020’s Australian categories and furthering NME’s global approach with dedicated editions in Australia and Asia. NME recently announced the winners of the Australia- and Asia-exclusive categories, who will go on to compete in the equivalent global categories at 2022’s Awards.
The NME Awards are shortlisted, debated and decided by the core NME team staking a claim for curation, critical voice and an immutable belief in the greatest artists in the world. A select number of awards will be voted for by the fans, including Hero Of The Year and Villain Of The Year. Fans can cast their votes now at nme.com/awards.
This year’s official charity partner will be Music Venue Trust, continuing NME’s long-standing relationship and work with the charity. Created in 2014 to protect, secure and improve the UK’s vital grassroots music venues, they represent over 900 venues across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What you need to know:
Where? O2 Academy Brixton
When? March 2, 2022
Why? You don’t want to miss out on the wildest night of the year.
How do I get in? Tickets available via nme.com
Visit nme.com/awards for more.
BANDLAB NME AWARDS 2022 NOMINATIONS
GODLIKE GENIUS AWARD
FKA twigs
INNOVATION AWARD
Halsey
SONGWRITER AWARD
Jack Antonoff
BEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD
Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’
Ghetts – ‘Conflict Of Interest’
Halsey – ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’
Lana Del Rey – ‘Blue Banisters’
Little Simz – ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’
Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’
Self Esteem – ‘Prioritise Pleasure’
Subsonic Eye – ‘Nature Of Things’
Tyler, The Creator – ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’
Wolf Alice – ‘Blue Weekend’
BEST ALBUM BY A UK ARTIST
Ghetts – ‘Conflict Of Interest’
Little Simz – ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’
Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’
Self Esteem – ‘Prioritise Pleasure’
Wolf Alice – ‘Blue Weekend’
BEST SONG IN THE WORLD
BTS – ‘Butter’
Charli XCX – ‘Good Ones’
CHVRCHES & Robert Smith – ‘How Not To Drown’
Lorde – ‘Solar Power’
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Good 4 U’
PinkPantheress – ‘Just For Me’
Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’
Warren Hue – ‘Omomo Punk’
Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’
BEST SONG BY A UK ARTIST
Charli XCX – ‘Good Ones’
CHVRCHES & Robert Smith – ‘How Not To Drown’
PinkPantheress – ‘Just For Me’
Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’
Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’
BEST LIVE ACT: SUPPORTED BY GROLSCH
Bleachers
Bring Me The Horizon
IDLES
Little Simz
Megan Thee Stallion
Rina Sawayama
Self Esteem
Tomorrow x Together
Wizkid
Yungblud
BEST FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD
All Points East
Austin City Limits
Fuji Rock
Exit Festival
Green Man
Life Is Beautiful
Reading & Leeds
Riot Fest
TRNSMT
Wireless
BEST FESTIVAL IN THE UK: SUPPORTED BY WHITE CLAW
All Points East
Green Man
Reading & Leeds
TRNSMT
Wireless
BEST SMALL FESTIVAL
End Of The Road
Live At Leeds
Lost Village
Mighty Hoopla
Wide Awake
BEST FESTIVAL HEADLINER
Billie Eilish
Liam Gallagher
Megan Thee Stallion
Tyler, The Creator
Wolf Alice
BEST BAND IN THE WORLD
Amyl & The Sniffers
Ben&Ben
Bring Me The Horizon
CHVRCHES
Fontaines DC
Glass Animals
HAIM
Måneskin
Nova Twins
Wolf Alice
BEST BAND FROM THE UK: SUPPORTED BY PIZZA EXPRESS
Bring Me The Horizon
CHVRCHES
Glass Animals
Nova Twins
Wolf Alice
BEST SOLO ACT IN THE WORLD
Arlo Parks
Billie Eilish
Burna Boy
Dave
Little Simz
Pyra
Rina Sawayama
Sam Fender
Tkay Maidza
The Weeknd
BEST SOLO ACT FROM THE UK
Arlo Parks
Dave
Little Simz
Rina Sawayama
Sam Fender
BEST NEW ACT IN THE WORLD: SUPPORTED BY CANO WATER
Bad Boy Chiller Crew
BERWYN
Bree Runway
Inhaler
King Stingray
Olivia Rodrigo
Shye
Tems
Wet Leg
Yard Act
BEST NEW ACT FROM THE UK: SUPPORTED BY MUSIC VENUE TRUST
Bad Boy Chiller Crew
BERWYN
Bree Runway
Wet Leg
Yard Act
BEST MIXTAPE
BERWYN – ‘Tape 2/Fomalhaut’
Central Cee – ‘Wild West’
FKA twigs – ‘Caprisongs’
Holly Humberstone – ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’
PinkPantheress – ‘To hell with it’
BEST COLLABORATION
Baby Keem x Kendrick Lamar – ‘Family Ties’
Coldplay x BTS – ‘My Universe’
FKA twigs x The Weeknd – ‘Tears In The Club’
Griff x Sigrid – ‘Head On Fire’
Rina Sawayama x Elton John – ‘Chosen Family’
BEST PRODUCER: SUPPORTED BY BANDLAB
Arca
Fred again..
India Jordan
Nia Archives
Travis Barker
BEST FILM
Last Night In Soho
Licorice Pizza
Promising Young Woman
Sound Of Metal
The Harder They Fall
BEST TV SERIES
Feel Good
It’s A Sin
Sex Education
Stath Lets Flats
We Are Lady Parts
BEST FILM ACTOR
Alana Haim
Benedict Cumberbatch
Jonathan Majors
Riz Ahmed
Thomasin McKenzie
BEST TV ACTOR
Aisling Bea
Mae Martin
Ncuti Gatwa
Olly Alexander
Zendaya
BEST REISSUE
The Beatles – ‘Let It Be’
Nirvana – ‘Nevermind’
OutKast – ‘ATLiens’
Radiohead – ‘Kid Amnesiae’
Taylor Swift – ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’
BEST MUSIC FILM
Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
The Sparks Brothers
Summer Of Soul
Oasis Knebworth 1996
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Billie Eilish – ‘Happier Than Ever’
Foals – ‘Wake Me Up’
Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’
Taylor Swift – ‘All Too Well The Short Film’
Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’
BEST MUSIC BOOK
Bobby Gillespie – Tenement Kid
Dave Grohl – The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music
Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) – Crying In H Mart
Questlove – Music Is History
Paul McCartney – The Lyrics
BEST PODCAST
Disgraceland
Grounded With Louis Theroux
Songs To Live By
Table Manners
Wheel Of Misfortune
GAME OF THE YEAR
Deathloop
Halo Infinite
Hitman 3
Metroid Dread
Unpacking
INDIE GAME OF THE YEAR
The Artful Escape
Cruelty Squad
The Forgotten City
Overboard!
Unpacking
BEST GAME DEVELOPMENT STUDIO
Arkane Studios
Black Matter
Double Fine
IO Interactive
Xbox Game Studios
BEST ONGOING GAME
Apex Legends
Escape From Tarkov
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Genshin Impact
BEST AUDIO IN A VIDEO GAME
The Artful Escape
Deathloop
Forza Horizon 5
Guardians of the Galaxy
Psychonauts 2
BEST ALBUM BY AN AUSTRALIAN ARTIST
Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’
BEST ALBUM BY AN ASIAN ARTIST
Subsonic Eye – ‘Nature Of Things’
BEST SONG BY AN AUSTRALIAN ARTIST
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’
BEST SONG BY AN ASIAN ARTIST
Warren Hue – ‘Omomo Punk’
BEST BAND FROM AUSTRALIA
Amyl & The Sniffers
BEST BAND FROM ASIA
Ben&Ben
BEST SOLO ACT FROM AUSTRALIA
Tkay Maidza
BEST SOLO ACT FROM ASIA
Pyra
BEST NEW ACT FROM AUSTRALIA
King Stingray
BEST NEW ACT FROM ASIA
Shye
About the BandLab NME Awards 2022:
Our award categories are designed to celebrate the best in music, entertainment and pop culture today. To reflect NME’s global reach and to champion artists from all around the world, we have divided the categories into two broad bands: Global and Regional. Artists who are nationals of Southeast Asian countries, Australia and the UK will be nominated in categories under their respective regions (Asia, Australia and the UK), and artists from outside the aforementioned regions will be nominated in the Global categories. Artists who are nominated for the Regional categories may also appear additionally in the Global categories. The editors and the management of NME Networks reserve the right to amend any categories and/or nominees, or remove any nominees and/or categories in light of new developments.
About NME:
Launched in London, UK, in 1952 as the New Musical Express, NME has grown into a global media powerhouse that creates and curates content, products and experiences essential to fans of music and pop culture today. NME brings together the best writers and photographers to provide a multi-platform editorial offering that is at the bleeding edge of what matters most across the globe — be it music, film, TV or gaming. Intent on shining a spotlight on the artists and stories coming out of the world’s most compelling music scenes via NME.com, NME also has dedicated editions for Australia and Asia, using its distinctive voice and point of view to champion and celebrate established and emerging homegrown talent.
About BandLab:
BandLab’s vision is simple: A future where there are no boundaries to making and sharing music. BandLab is the next-generation social music platform with over 40 million users on a mission to break down the technical, geographic, and creative barriers for musicians and fans. Free-to-use, the mobile-first cross-platform DAW and social network, unites the entire creator journey into one place, boasting a suite of features and tools for creators to make their music, earn a living and grow their audience.
About Music Venue Trust:
Music Venue Trust is a UK registered charity which acts to protect, secure and improve Grassroots Music Venues. Created in January 2014, Music Venue Trust aims to secure the long-term future of iconic Grassroots Music Venues such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, Southampton Joiners, The 100 Club, Band on the Wall, Tunbridge Wells Forum etc. These venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills. The charity works to gain recognition of the essential role these venues fulfil, not only for artist development but also for the cultural and music industries, the economy and local communities. Music Venue Trust aims to preserve and improve venues, making them more efficient and improving the experience for performers and audiences. Long-term, it plans to acquire the freeholds of as many of these vital venues as possible.
For more information please contact:
NMEawards@insideout.agency