Indie band English Teacher has taken home the prestigious Mercury Prize for their debut album, This Could Be Texas. The Leeds-based quartet, who came together in 2020 while studying at Leeds Conservatoire, are the first band outside London to win the award since Young Fathers in 2014.
The Mercury Prize judges praised the album’s “originality and character,” applauding the band’s fresh spin on the classic guitar band format. Lead singer Lily Fontaine, visibly emotional, thanked her mother for creating the album’s artwork during the acceptance speech. Otherwise, the band appeared overwhelmed by the win, with Fontaine humorously admitting, “We didn’t really plan this far… What do we do now?”
English Teacher was one of three Leeds acts on this year’s shortlist, alongside jungle artist Nia Archives and singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Fontaine credited the band’s success to the vibrant music scene in Leeds and the support of local venues like the Hyde Park Book Club and the Brudenell Social Club. “Without the support of the people in that scene, we wouldn’t be here,” added guitarist Lewis Whiting.
Commenting on the nine-year streak of London-based winners, Whiting said, “It’s kind of ridiculous… there’s so much going on outside London.” Fontaine echoed the sentiment, noting that Yorkshire has produced some of the UK’s most influential songwriters.
The prize-winning album, This Could Be Texas, draws on Fontaine’s upbringing in East Lancashire, tackling themes of social deprivation, political mismanagement, and identity, while also weaving in stories of love, loss, and celebrity. Musically, the album is a playful blend of spoken vocals, dreamy guitar melodies, and intricate rhythms, with tracks like The Best Tears of Your Life culminating in a powerful wall of sound.
The Mercury Prize judges lauded the record for its “winning lyrical mix of surrealism and social observation” and predicted it could become a future classic. They also highlighted the album’s ability to “reveal new depths on every listen.”
The Mercury Prize, awarded annually to the best British or Irish album, comes with a £25,000 cash prize. This year’s nominees included pop sensation Charli XCX, Scottish dance act Barry Can’t Swim, and East London rapper Ghetts. Notably, eight of the shortlisted albums were debuts, including one from Beth Gibbons, a previous Mercury Prize winner with Portishead.
The ceremony, typically a star-studded live concert, was scaled back this year after the prize lost its sponsor, taxi company Freenow. Held at the iconic Abbey Road Studios and broadcast live on BBC Four and Radio 6 Music, the event celebrated a new wave of talent, with hopes that next year’s event will return in full.
Despite some notable absences—such as Blur’s The Ballad Of Darren and PinkPantheress’s Heaven Knows—English Teacher’s win signals the continued rise of fresh, boundary-pushing talent in the UK music scene.
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