Mercury Prize: Sadiq Khan and JME lead congratulations for Little Simz as rapper wins award

Rapper beat the likes of Harry Styles and Sam Fender to the music prize

Sadiq Khan has led celebrations for Little Simz after she won the 2022 Mercury Prize.

On Tuesday (18 October), the rapper was named the winner of the prestigious award for her album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. The album was The Independent’s Album of the Year in 2021.

The 28-year-old beat out competition from the likes of Harry Styles, Sam Fender, Self Esteem and Joy Crookes.

London mayor Khan, rapper JME and music fans took to Twitter to congratulate the Simz on her win.

Khan wrote: “Huge congratulations to the inspiring and incredible Little Simz on winning the Mercury Prize! Doing London proud.”

“Lil Simz won the Mercury Prize. That’s a good thing. If you haven’t already go and check the album out for yourself,” wrote JME.

Singer Laura Mvula tweeted: “Congratulations Little Simz on your Mercury Prize win!!!!!”

Music fans also shared messages of support Simz – born Simbiatu Ajikawoor – on Twitter.

“The UK took a HUGE WIN by rewarding Little Simz with a Mercury Prize for Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. An actual brilliant album receiving prestigious accolades will always make me happy,” wrote one fan.

“I want you all to know that if Little Simz didn’t win, the riot I would have rioted tomorrow would have been written in the history books,” one commenter tweeted.

“There was no one else who deserved to win that award more than her. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert was the best album of 2021.”

Little Simz also received the award for Best New Artist at the Brit Awards 2022 (REUTERS)

“Nobody deserves the Mercury Prize more, I’m too gassed Little Simz won it. There’s so much more to come for her,” another Twitter user wrote.

Upon accepting her award, Simz said: “Wow, I’m very overwhelmed, I’m very grateful, glory to God, thank you so much.

“To my family over here, my loved ones right here. I want to say a huge thank you to the Mercury for this incredible prize.”

To her fellow nominees, Simz added: “All of you guys are incredible. We all made incredible albums, we all changed peoples lives with our music and that’s the most important thing. So, this is for us.”

In The Independent’s five-star review of Simz’s album, critic Helen Brown called it “the most thrilling album of the year”.