It’s a tie for the top in this year’s UK Music Video Awards shortlists with 6 nominations apiece for Harry Styles, and breakthrough US artist, Mette. Styles wins 2 spots in the Best UK Pop Video category for his videos for ‘Music For a Sushi Restaurant’ and ‘Satellite’, where he’ll be attempting to fight off competition from Labrinth, Lewis Capaldi, Raye and Sam Smith. Meanwhile, newcomer to the UKMVAs, Mette (American singer, actor and dancer Mette Towley) launches herself into the spotlight with 2 videos on the Best International Pop Video list – ‘Mama’s Eyes’ and ‘Van Gogh’ – where she takes on videos by Christina Aguilera, Tove Lo, BTS star Jung Kook and Priya Ragu.
Harry Styles’ ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’ wins the most nominations for a single video in the 2023 shortlist with 5 mentions. Little Simz follows close behind with 4 nominations for her video ‘Gorilla’, helmed by renowned US director, Dave Meyers and is contending to retain her title for the Best UK Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Video. She faces competition in that category from AntsLive, J Hus, Jords, Loyle Carner and Stormzy. Meanwhile, US singer & rapper Audrey Nuna also notches up 4 nominations for her video, ‘Locket’, the creative brainchild of the late Valentin Petit, a Best Director nominee from 2022 who tragically died earlier this year, alongside The Blaze’s ‘Madly – The Poem’ directed by the artists, whose work has also previously been honoured at the ceremony.
Harry Styles and Little Simz head a list of British artists which includes Stormzy, James Blake, The 1975, The Chemical Brothers, Jungle, Royal Blood, Labrinth, Rudimental, Gorillaz, Jords, Hak Baker and AntsLive who have won multiple nominations for their visual projects at this year’s UK Music Video Awards, in the shortlists announced on 27th September, demonstrating that creativity in their videos remains an essential part of their art.
International artists Kendrick Lamar, Doja Cat, The Hives, Yves Tumor, The Blaze, Troye Sivan, Dominique Fils-Aimé and Fatoumata Diawara also receive multiple mentions alongside Mette and Audrey Nuna in this year’s list of nominations for over 30 awards, celebrating the best work in music videos in the UK and around the world, and the creative and technical talent behind them.
The winners at this year’s UKMVAs – the premier global awards programme for music video creativity – will be announced at the awards ceremony which takes place at Magazine London, a state-of-the-art events venue near The O2 in North Greenwich, on October 26th, on what is always a significant night in the calendar for the music video-making community.
In a tough year for global filmmaking, the nominations at this year’s UKMVAs reflect the enduring creativity in music video production, with both previously nominated directors and new talent breaking into the shortlist, as well as spotlighting the standout creative work in other filmmaking departments, including Cinematography, Colour grading, Production Design, Choreography, Styling, Editing, Animation and Visual Effects.
Among the directors on this year’s list, Aube Perrie, Camille Summers-Valli and Charlie di Placido score multiple mentions in the video categories. Frenchman Aube Perrie, the director behind Harry Styles’ ‘Music For a Sushi Restaurant’ and ‘Satellite’, also picks up a nomination for The Hives’ ‘Bogus Operandi’ in the Best International Rock Video category. French-Australian director Camille Summers-Valli’s collaboration with Mette sees her notch up 3 nominations in the video categories, 2 in the International Pop category and one for Best Performance in a Video. British director Charlie di Placido sees his long-term collaboration with Jungle land him 2 directing nominations for his latest set of videos for the band, one for ‘Back on 74’ in the Best Dance/Electronic Video – UK category and one for Best Special Visual Project for the visual album ‘Volcano’. All 3 are in contention for the Best Director award, up against the 2021 and 2022 winner Tanu Muino, US-based directing duo rubberband and French auteurs, The Blaze.
In the Best New Director category, AboveGround, Aidan Zamiri, Tom Emmerson, Hugh Mulhern, Kassandra Powell and Uncanny will contend for the title. In addition, young British director, Jay Green, wins 3 nominations for his work across the Newcomer categories, with videos for Kam-bu. Sans Soucis and Everyone You Know. His tally is matched by another up-and-coming British directing talent, Tyrus in the Newcomer categories with films for Artyn, Kamal and Louis Culture.
This year’s shortlist for the Best Performance in a Video category, designed to spotlight outstanding on-camera performances by artists, actors and dancers in music videos, this year features mesmerizing turns by AntsLive, Bakar, Little Simz., Mette and Truman, as well as the key role for young actor Riley Jacobs in The Blaze’s video for ‘Madly – The Poem’.
The Live Video category shortlist this year features an eclectic mix of British artists, with Berwyn, Jeshi, Gerry Cinnamon, The 1975, Last Dinner Party and Young Fathers in contention for the trophy. The. Special Visual Projects category, which celebrates film projects which extend beyond the boundaries of primary music videos, includes projects by Danish trio 802 and hotly-tipped UK artist TSHA, up against heavyweights Little Simz, Gorillaz, Kendrick Lamar and Jungle.
Since its inception in 2008, the UKMVAs has grown into the leading global awards programme for music video creativity, the most important annual event in the calendar for the world of music video production. The global reach of the competition saw entries from 30 different territories. Tickets for the awards show at Magazine, London on October 26th are on sale now at www.ukmva.com
Best Pop Video – UK in association with Cinelab Film & Digital
Raye ft 070 Shake – Escapism
Lewis Capaldi – Forget Me
Sam Smith – I’m Not Here To Make Friends
Labrinth – Kill For Your Love
Harry Styles – Music For A Sushi Restaurant
Harry Styles – Satellite
Best Dance / Electronic Video – UK
Jungle – Back on 74
James Blake – Big Hammer
Rudimental, Charlotte Plank & Vibe Chemistry – Dancing Is Healing
London Grammar ft CamelPhat – Higher
The Chemical Brothers ft Halo Maud – Live Again
Riton – Sugar
Best R&B / Soul Video – UK
Joesef – Just Come Home With Me Tonight
Ezra Collective ft Kojey Radical – No Confusion
Grace Carter – Pick Your Tears Up
Ama Lou – Silence
Stormzy ft Raye – The Weekend
Jorja Smith – Try Me
Best Rock Video – UK
Shame – Fingers of Steel
Bring Me The Horizon – LosT
Elephant Kind – Love As
Royal Blood – Pull Me Through
Squid – Swing (In a Dream)
Squid – The Blades
Best Alternative Video – UK
Bakar – Alive!
Hak Baker – Doolally
Tiberius b – HHB
Young Fathers – I Saw
L.A. Priest – It’s You
Kokoroko – Rapt
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – UK
Little Simz – Gorilla
J Hus – It’s Crazy
Stormzy – Mel Made Me Do it
Jords – Mobay / Stay Close
Loyle Carner – Nobody Knows (Ladas Road)
AntsLive – Number One Candidate
Best Pop Video – International
Priya Ragu – Adalam Va
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful (2022 Version)
Tove Lo – Borderline
Mette – Mama’s Eyes
Jung Kook ft Latto – Seven
Mette – Van Gogh
Best Dance / Electronic Video – International
Macgray – Backbone
The Blaze – Madly – The Poem
Troye Sivan – Rush
Paul Kalkbrenner – Schwer
Salvatore Ganacci – Sexy Narkoman / Your Mother
Thom Draft – Tense
Best R&B / Soul Video – International
Kelela – Enough For Love
Steve Lacy – Helmet
SZA – Kill Bill
Dominique Fils-Aimé – My Mind At Ease
Amaru – Not Different
Lil Yachty – Say Something
Best Rock Video – International
Grian Chatten – All of the People
The Hives – Bogus Operandi
Stolen Nova – Glue
Cari Cari – My Grandma Says We Have No Future
Paramore – Running Out of Time
Falling In Reverse – Watch The World Burn
Best Alternative Video – International
070 Shake – Black Dress
Paris Texas – Bulletman
Yves Tumor – Echolalia
Tshegue – MAIS
Dominic Fike – Mama’s Boy
Son Lux – Undertow
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – International
Doja Cat – Attention
Kendrick Lamar – Count Me Out
Benjamin Earl Turner- Headspace
Audrey Nuna – Locket
Travis Scott – Sirens
Biji – Zigidi
Best Pop Video – Newcomer
Kamal – Freeflow
Beabadoobee – Glue Song
Virgin Miri – Kill Me
Ariete – Mare di guai
Sila Lua – Rompe
Grentperez – Us Without Me
Best Dance / Electronic Video – Newcomer
DJ Seinfeld ft Confidence Man – Now U Do
Everyone You Know – Paper Aeroplanes
Riton ft Soaky Siren – Sugar
Ghost Gun – Venom
Fakear – Voyager
Mura Masa – Whenever I Want
Best R&B / Soul Video – Newcomer
George – Forever
Aaron Taylor – Have a Nice Day
Sans Soucis – I Know Your Present
Hendrix Harris – It’s Not You
Léa Sen – Luv Him
Konyikeh – Teenage Dreams
Best Rock Video – Newcomer
Heartworms – 24 Hours
Aliment – Com Espines
Stone – I Gotta Feeling
Stone – Left Right Forward
L Devine – Push It Down
The Academic – Pushing Up Daisies
Best Alternative Video – Newcomer
Anna B Savage – in|FLUX
Patrick Wolfe – Nowhere Game
Entely – Prosa
Hak Baker – Telephones 4 Eyes
Tsunaina – Tenderer
dné – Traps In My Feed
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – Newcomer
Ayrtn – 2 Da Max
Kam-bu – Eton Mess
Louis Culture – Grime
Big Heath – Let’s Go
Depzman – Life Cut Short
Kibo – Mr Lamborghini Deathslide
Best Live Video
Jeshi – Bad Day at the Office (live film)
The 1975 – Being Funny In A Foreign Language (Official Live Performance)
Gerry Cinnamon – Canter (Live at Hampden Park)
Young Fathers – I Saw, Rice, Geronimo
Berwyn – Path to Satisfaction (live at Niceness)
Last Dinner Party – Sinner
Best Special Visual Project
802 – A Heavy Metal Bedtime Story
Gorillaz – Gorillaz Presents… Skinny Ape
Little Simz – No Thank You
TSHA – Sister
Jungle – Volcano
Kendrick Lamar – We Cry Together
Best Performance in a Video
Bakar – Alive!
Truman – Charley Boy
Little Simz – Gorilla
The Blaze – Madly – The Poem
Mette – Mama’s eyes
AntsLive – Number One Candidate
Best Production Design in a Video
Yves Tumor – Echolalia
Rosalía, Romeo Santos – El Pañuelo
Little Simz – Gorilla
Jords – Mobay / Stay Close
Harry Styles – Music For A Sushi Restaurant
Fatoumata Diawara ft Damon Albarn – Nsera
Best Choreography in a Video
Channel Tres – 6AM
Jungle – Back on 74
The 1975 – I’m In Love With You
Mette – Mama’s Eyes
Dominique Fils-Aimé – My Mind At Ease
Mette – Van Gogh
Best Styling in a Video in association with i-D
Yves Tumor – Echolalia
Audrey Nuna – Locket
The Blaze – Madly – The Poem
Jords – Mobay / Stay Close
Fatoumata Diawara ft Damon Albarn – Nsera
Troye Sivan – Rush
Best Cinematography in a Video
The Hives – Bogus Operandi
Little Simz – Gorilla
Josman – Intro
The Blaze – Madly – The Poem
Harry Styles – Music For A Sushi Restaurant
AntsLive – Number One Candidate
Best Colour Grading in a Video in association with Studio RM
Rudimental, Charlotte Plank & Vibe Chemistry – Dancing Is Healing
Stolen Nova – Glue
Hendrix Harris – It’s Not You
Katie Melua – Love and Money
Harry Styles – Music For A Sushi Restaurant
Royal Blood – Pull Me Through
Best Editing in a Video
Doja Cat – Attention
James Blake – Big Hammer
The Hives – Bogus Operandi
Audrey Nuna – Locket
Mette – Mama’s Eyes
Harry Styles – Music For A Sushi Restaurant
Best Visual Effects in a Video
Skiifall – 2 Charming
Hak Baker – Doolally
Labrinth – Kill For Your Love
The Chemical Brothers ft Halo Maud – Live Again
Audrey Nuna – Locket
Stormzy ft Fredo – Toxic Trait
Best Animation in a Video
Hot Chip – Eleanor
Daft Punk – Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)
des hume ft (juicelover) – onetwostep
Gorillaz – Silent Running
Ashnikko – Worms
Muse – You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween
Best Director in association with Electric Theatre Collective
Aube Perrie
Camille Summers-Valli
Charlie Di Placido
rubberband.
Tanu Muino
The Blaze
Best New Director in association with LEAP
AboveGround
Aidan Zamiri
Hugh Mulhern
Kassandra Powell
Tom Emmerson
UNCANNY
Best Director of Photography
Adam Newport-Berra
Henry Gill
Jake Gabbay
Natasha Duursma
Nikita Kuzmenko
Spike Morris
Best Producer in association with WPA UK
Danny Herman
Elizabeth Doonan
Fred Bonham Carter
Maëva Tenneroni
Rik Green
Theo Hue Williams
Best Production Company in association with Kodak
CANADA
Friend London
Iconoclast
Object & Animal
Pulse Films
Smuggler
Best Commissioner
Erin Corrian-Alexis
Faye Purcell
John Moule
Kat Cattaneo
Kim Jarrett
Michael Lewin
Best Agent
Alexa Haywood, FreeAgent
André Reid-McKinley, Somesuch
Claire Stubbs & Connie Meade, Mouthpiece
Lee Fairweather, Leethal Reppin
Sam Davey & Polly Millner, OB42
Sarah Boardman, Joceline Gabriel & Camille Semprez, Hands