23-05-2025
Charli XCX, U2, Robbie Williams Win Big At 2025 Ivor Novello Awards
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The 2025 Ivor Novello Awards celebrated 22 artists across 14 categories, with many receiving the prestigious award for the first time.
The 2025 Ivor Novello Awards honoured the best songwriters and composers from the UK and Ireland. The ceremony took place on May 22 at London's Grosvenor Hotel. Among the standout winners were Charli XCX, U2 and Robbie Williams alongside rising star Lola Young. This year's ceremony celebrated 22 artists across 14 categories, with many receiving the prestigious award for the first time.
Charli XCX was named Songwriter of the Year for her album Brat, which she describes as 'chaos and emotional turmoil set to a club soundtrack." Accepting the award, she gave the audience a taste of her work by quoting lyrics from her 2024 song Club Classics: 'I wanna dance to me, me, me / When I go to the club, club, club." With a smile, she added, 'I'm sure you all agree, I am hardly Bob Dylan, but one thing I certainly do is commit to the bit."
The 32-year-old singer also shared her views on what makes songwriting stand out, saying, 'I've never particularly believed the idea that everything starts from a great song. Instead, it's a song with a distinct identity, a point of view, and above all, conviction, that can lift a songwriter from being good to globally renowned."
She was also in the running for Best Album, but the award went to BERWYN, a musician from Trinidad. He received the prize for his emotional debut album, Who Am I, which reflects his heritage and upbringing as an immigrant in Romford, UK. The album was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in September 2024.
U2 was honoured with the Academy Fellowship and became the first Irish band to join this elite group. Frontman Bono highlighted the power of music, saying, 'Songs can be arrows through time if they come from the right place. They can fly higher and farther, last longer, and hit harder. They can pierce the hardest armour of the human heart."
'I don't know if they can change the world, but they changed us," he added.
The other members of the band – The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. – also gave their own acceptance speeches.
Robbie Williams received the Music Icon Award in recognition of his remarkable 34-year career, including his solo hits like Angels and Rock DJ, as well as his work with Take That.
'It's just a hodge-podge of things coming at you from the universe. It's self-doubt and self-hatred mixed with ego and delusion, and audacity. So it's very difficult to put your finger on what it feels like, other than you're supposed to say, 'I'm very grateful.' And I am," he said backstage as quoted by the BBC.
Among the new talents recognised was Lola Young, who won the Rising Star award after her song Messy gained attention. Myles Smith, along with co-writers Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink, won Most Performed Work for their hit Stargazing.
Here is the full list of winners:
Songwriter of the Year – Charli XCX
Academy Fellowship – U2
Music Icon Award – Robbie Williams
Best Album – Berwyn – Who Am I
Best Contemporary Song – Sans Soucis – Circumnavigating Georgia
Best Song Musically and Lyrically – Orla Gartland – Mine
Most Performed Work – Myles Smith – Stargazing
Rising Star – Lola Young
Best Original Film Score – Raffertie – The Substance
Best Original Video Game Score – John Konsolakis – Farewell North
Best Television Soundtrack – Vince Pope – True Detective: Night Country
Outstanding Song Collection – Bloc Party
Special International Award – Brandon Flowers
Visionary Award – Self Esteem
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