Photo credit: RAYE courtesy of Callum Walker Hutchinson
The 2023 AIM Awards nominees have been announced, including RAYE, Little Simz, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Shygirl and more.
The AIM Independent Music Awards have announced the first nominees for 2023 to celebrate the vibrant and innovative range of talent in the UK independent sector including Little Simz, RAYE, Shygirl, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. The ceremony will take place on September 26th at the Roundhouse in London.
Often highlighting the stars of the future before any other ceremony, the 2023 edition of the Tastemaker Awards show boasts an exciting array of nominations: R&B pop singer RAYE and experimental dance actress Shygirl lead the field with three nominations each, while other multiple nominations include British jazz quintet Ezra Collective, London-based Nigerian songwriter Obongjayar, futuristic genre juggernauts iger Kelela and experimental up-and-coming artist Jessica Winter, each receiving two nominations.
The coveted Best Independent Album category returns this year. The nominees include 2020 Pioneer Award winner Little Simz, who received an AIM Award for the first time in 2016. Her album subsequently won a BRIT and the 2022 Mercury Music Prize No thank you joins former AIM Awards winners Nova Twins and Rina Sawayama. Rounding out the category are Kelela, Oliver Sim, Wu-Lu, Avelino, RAYE and Shygirl.
In partnership with BBC Music Introducing, this year’s One to Watch category is filled with emerging talent such as Jessica Winter, Juice Menace, FLOWEROVLOVE, Laughta and Master Peace. 2021 One-to-Watch winner ENNY will return this year, with the south London rapper in the running for Best Independent EP/Mixtape alongside Saint Joshua, yunè pinku, Bellah and Jessica Winter.
The 2023 UK Independent Breakthrough category features nominees including electronic powerhouse duo Overmono, rapper Shygirl, alt-pop band Suki Waterhouse, producer I.Jordan and London-based jazz quintet Ezra Collective. Shygirl, RAYE and Overmono are also in the running for Best Independent Track in collaboration with Meta, along with Sudan Archives’ “Selfish Soul”, Four Tet’s “Three Drums” and the collaborative ballad “Spitting Off the Edge of the World” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Perfume Genius.
“This year’s AIM Independent Music Award nominees represent our diverse, vibrant and inclusive community and truly showcase the incredible breadth of talent across all genres in the UK music scene,” commented Silvia Montello, CEO of AIM. “As the indie sector continues to grow, we look forward to celebrating the commitment of labels, artists and their teams on September 26.”