English singer-songwriter. Four-time Brit Award winner, Mercury nominee, chart-topping artist.
The Mercury Prize shortlist has been announced, with Olivia Dean and Nia Archives among favourites. The ceremony will be held at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on October 22, with contenders including Dave, Florence + the Machine, and Suede. Olivia Dean is the bookies’ 2/1 favourite, while Nia Archives is priced at 2/1, and Dave sits at 10/3 to win the Mercury Prize.
The Mercury Prize shortlist includes big names like Olivia Dean, Paul McCartney, Raye, and Florence + the Machine, while Lily Allen’s West End Girl is absent, prompting questions about the prize’s choices. The Independent notes the album’s critical acclaim and chart success, and the Guardian highlights the lineup’s blend of legacy acts and rising stars as the ceremony nears in Newcastle.
Sainsbury’s has agreed to sell Argos and the Habitat brand to Swift Partners, a new vehicle led by Richard Pennycook and supported by Trevor Strain and Matt Truman. The deal will see Argos, including its standalone stores and in-store outlets, transferred to Swift, enabling Sainsbury’s to concentrate on its food business. Completion is expected in February 2027 with full separation by 2029.
UK music charts have seen Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In extend its lead as the longest-running No. 1 in UK history, spending 19 non-consecutive weeks at the top. Reports from The Guardian, Reuters, Independent and BBC Business confirm the track’s record and discuss cultural implications amid streaming-driven fragmentation.
Barry Mitchell, Queen’s second bassist during the band’s formative period in 1970–1971, has died. Mitchell played 13 gigs before leaving the group and later reflected that he wasn’t enthusiastic about their music at the time. He subsequently played with Tiger and left a legacy celebrated by fans and fellow musicians.
Princess Diana’s black Christina Stambolian evening dress, worn in 1994 as a public response to Charles’s affair, is returning to Sotheby’s for auction with a conservative estimate around $200,000. The item will tour displays in London, Hong Kong, Geneva and New York ahead of a December sale, with portions of proceeds benefiting NHS Lothian Charity.
The Guardian and The Scotsman analyze the evolving role of culture and arts funding in the UK. They highlight investments like Freelands’ £1.5m over five years to nurture art education and warn that cutting arts education infrastructure risks undermining community renewal and creative opportunity.