Sam Fender, Dave and Little Simz were among the winners at The Ivors 2022, which took place at London’s Grovesnor House tonight (May 19).

The annual award ceremony celebrates songwriting and composing in both popular music and in film, TV and video game scores.

Fender took him the trophy for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for ‘Seventeen Going Under’, the title track from his second album, which was released last year. The win marks his first Ivors victory.

Dave was named Songwriter of the Year for his work on the Top 10 single ‘Titanium’ and his chart-topping second album ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’, as well as collaborations with Fredo. The award is his fourth Ivor Novello, following three wins for Best Contemporary Song in 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Simz, meanwhile, picked up the award for Best Contemporary Song for ‘I Love You, I Hate You’, honoured for the track alongside her co-writer Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover.

Other winners included Peter Gabriel, Shakira and Paul Heaton, while The Cure’s Robert Smith and Simon Gallup were given the PRS For Music Icon Award.

“It is a strange one,” Smith told NME backstage at the event. “I was thinking about it when we were walking up to collect the award – it felt strange to be leaving the other three at the table. We got an NME Award a couple of years back for Best Festival Headliner. That meant a lot because we don’t often get recognised for that side of what we do live, but this is completely different.

“For me, it’s really lovely that Simon is up there with me. It’s criminal really, because he’s been there all the time.”

The full winners from The Ivors 2022 are as follows: 

Academy Fellowship 

Peter Gabriel

Best Album 

‘Pink Noise’ – written by Dann Hume and Laura Mvula; performed by Laura Mvula

Best Contemporary Song 

‘I Love You, I Hate You’ – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover and Little Simz; performed by Little Simz

Best Original Film Score

The World To Come – composed by Daniel Blumberg

Best Original Video Game Score 

Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy – composed by Richard Jacques

Best Song Musically and Lyrically 

‘Seventeen Going Under’ – written and performed by Sam Fender

Best Television Soundtrack 

Landscapers – composed by Arthur Sharpe

Outstanding Song Collection 

Paul Heaton

PRS For Music Most Performed Work 

‘Bad Habits’ – written by Fred again.., Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran; performed by Ed Sheeran

PRS For Music Icon Award 

Robert Smith and Simon Gallup

Rising Star Award with Apple Music

Naomi Kimpenu

Songwriter of the Year 

Dave

Special International Award with Apple Music 

Shakira

Visionary Award 

Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde

Earlier today, the Ivors Academy announced the launch of a new creative entrepreneurship course for students aged 19 and over, called TheWRD. It will kick off in September and offer students the opportunity to study for a pre-degree diploma in Creative Entrepreneurship, with the programme aiming to offer young people “the chance of building a career in this highly competitive industry”.

Students will be taught and mentored by an array of “top music artists, publishers, producers, composers, technicians, marketeers, business executives, lawyers, accountants, graphic designers, publicists and agents”, according to a press release.