SAY Award 2025 Shortlist announced
The ten albums shortlisted for this year's Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award have been revealed, plus KT Tunstall’s debut album Eye to the Telescope has been awarded this year's Modern Scottish Classic Award
The shortlist for this year’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has been announced. After much deliberation, The SAY Award judges narrowed down their top nine albums from the 20-strong longlist. Among the shortlist you’ll find past winners Kathryn Joseph, previous nominees like Cloth, TAAHLIAH and The Joy Hotel, and several artists nominated for the first time, like Jacob Alon, Kai Reesu and Zoe Graham. The tenth place on the shortlist was decided by a public vote – that went to Brooke Combe’s Dancing at the Edge of the World. Among the artists from the longlist that didn't make the cut are previous winners Mogwai, Glasgow jazz artist corto.alto, and pop artists Be Charlotte. The full shortlist is below, listed in alphabetical order:
Brooke Combe – Dancing At the Edge of the World
Cloth – Pink Silence
Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand
Jacob Alon – In Limerence
Kai Reesu – KOMPROMAT vol. I
Kathryn Joseph – WE WERE MADE PREY.
Matt Carmichael – Dancing with Embers
TAAHLIAH – Gramarye
The Joy Hotel – Ceremony
Zoe Graham – TENT
As well as championing new music, The SAY Award organisers, the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), also celebrate a great Scottish album from the past with the Modern Scottish Classic Award, and this year that goes to KT Tunstall’s 2004 debut Eye to the Telescope. “I am so grateful these deeply personal songs that I recorded and shaped with Steve Osborne in such a stripped back, blues-inspired way still resonate with people 20 years later,” says the singer-songwriter. Following a run of out-stores celebrating the album's 20th anniversary re-issue at the end of October, Tunstall will receive her award at The SAY Award Ceremony at Dundee’s Caird Hall on 6 November, and will celebrate the win with a special live performance on the night. Tickets for the ceremony are on sale now at sayaward.com.
Also announced today are the five finalists for the Sound of Young Scotland Award. They are: Aleena, Alice Faye, GAÏA, Rahul.mp3 and Tarran. The award aims to stimulate and support the future of Scottish music, and the winning artist receives a package worth up to £10,000 to assist in creating their debut album.
“As we now quickly approach next month’s Ceremony at Dundee’s Caird Hall, we’re looking forward to celebrating Scottish music’s bright future, rich past and invaluable present,” says Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the SMIA. “We couldn’t be more delighted to have KT Tunstall join a stellar bill of performing artists, including 2024 SAY Award winners rEDOLENT, plus Brooke Combe, corto.alto and Dillon Barrie.”
The 2025 SAY Award ceremony takes place at Caird Hall, Dundee, 6 Nov – tickets available now via sayaward.com
Stream the shortlisted albums here