Twitter reacts to Michael Kiwanuka winning this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize

Twitter has reacted to the news that Michael Kiwanuka has won the Hyundai Mercury Prize 2020 for his album ‘KIWANUKA‘.

The most coveted prize in British and Irish music was awarded to the singer-songwriter in a live streamed ceremony on the The One Show on BBC One tonight (September 24) by Radio 1’s Annie Mac.

Speaking on the show after his victory, Kiwanuka said: “I’m over the moon. I don’t have words to say, I’m so, so excited. Like you said it’s for art, for music. This is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do so to win the Mercury is a dream come true.”

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Hundreds have since taken to Twitter to congratulate Kiwanuka and share their opinions on him scooping UK music’s top prize.

“Yes! Go on @michaelkiwanuka!” one person wrote. “Totally deserved the @MercuryPrize for his amazing album. And this reaction on @BBCTheOneShow was priceless!”

Another tweeted: “Congrats to Michael Kiwanuka on his well deserved @MercuryPrize win! A beautiful, poignant and authentic album.”

Kiwanuka, a Tottenham Hotspur football fan, even got a shout out from his favourite club, who wrote: “Congratulations to Spurs fan @michaelkiwanuka on winning the #MercuryPrize.”

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There were some who felt that even though ‘KIWANUKA’ is a “brilliant” album, the Hyundai Mercury Prize judges should have awarded the prize to an up-and-coming artist.

“#mercuryprize what a joke that is,” one person tweeted. “yes ok @michaelkiwanuka album is brilliant but really should have given the awards to a up and coming artist.”

Another person said: “#mercuryprize Kiwanuka is a great album, I absolutley love it. But personally I would have awarded the prize to a more up & coming act who need the extra publicity – my preferences were @Mosesboyd_ and @porridgeradio – two great albums.”

Instead of commenting on the win, there were those who were more concerned with voicing their confusion as to why this year’s prize was being broadcast on The One Show.

“This #MercuryPrize announcement should have it’s own show,” said one Twitter user. “I don’t want to keep harping on about it, but this is a really weird decision sticking it in The One Show – it’s just not a good fit. It’s like announcing the winner of The Booker Prize during Loose Women.”

See more tweets regarding Kiwanuka’s win below:






In a five-star review, NME‘s Elizabeth Aubrey called Michael Kiwanuka’s ‘KIWANUKA’ album “the sound of an artist examining the politics of prejudice that have led him to self-doubt and out of it again.

She added: “It’s also the sound of an artist coming into his own through brave and dizzying experimentation. “Be free,” he sings on ‘Light’. It finally sounds like he is.”

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