The show featured live performances from 10 of the 12 nominees, with only ambient jazz collective Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra, nominated for “Promises,” and mysterious R&B/house project Sault, up for “Untitled (Rise),” sitting it out. It also represented the return of live music for many, and this year’s Mercury show, after last year’s virtual event, served up a suitably eclectic mix. And the room was filled with unusually unjaded executives with most people still working from home, this was the first time many teams had seen each other in person for 18 long months. finally emerged from its lockdown in July. The Mercury Prize - run by the BPI, held at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, West London and hosted with aplomb by BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Lauren Laverne - was the first major awards ceremony to be held without any restrictions since the U.K. In truth, Parks’ uplifting indie-soul was probably the perfect feel-good winner to ease the industry back into normality. “There were moments when I wasn’t sure if I would make it through, but I’m here today.” “It took a lot of sacrifice and hard work to get here,” Parks added when she regained her composure, thanking Transgressive, PIAS and her management company, Beatnik.