DJ Mag’s Best of British 2021 award winners have been announced
Or:la, Overmono, Little Simz, Yung Singh, Ghetts, Joy Orbison, and Printworks London are among the winners in the 15th edition of DJ Mag’s annual UK awards
DJ Mag has announced the winners of its annual Best of British awards, during a digital rollout across its social media channels and website.
In the 15th edition of the awards, Northern Irish DJ Or:la picked up the prestigious award for Best DJ, with Yung Singh taking the Breakthrough DJ Award.
Overmono won Best Live Act. Tech-house star, and August 2021 DJ Mag cover star, PAWSA picked up the award for Best Producer, with Samurai Breaks winning the Breakthrough Producer award.
History was made in the rap categories, with female artists winning three of the four awards on offer, for the first time.
Best MC/Vocalist went to Little Simz, Nova won the award for Breakthrough MC/Vocalist and ENNY’s ‘Peng Black Girls (feat. Amia Brave)’ was voted Best Rap Track. Ghetts’ ‘Conflict of Interest’ won the award for Best Rap Album/Mixtape
Bradley Zero’s Rhythm Section International won the Best Label award, with Tim Reaper's Future Retro London bagging the Breakthrough Label award.
In the music categories, there were wins for Joy Orbison (Best Album for ‘still slipping vol.1’), Special Request (Best Compilation for Special Request 'DJ-Kicks'), Ewan McVicar (Best Track for ‘Tell Me Something Good’) and Autechre, who picked up the Best Remix/Edit award for their rework of SOPHIE’s ‘BIPP’.
It was a double-win for BBC Radio colleagues Jaguar and Mary Anne Hobbs, who picked up the Best Radio Show and Outstanding Contribution awards respectively.
In the club and event awards — reinstated in 2021 after being omitted due to the lockdown in 2020 — Printworks London won Best Large Club. Best Small Club went to fellow London venue, FOLD. Animal Crossing won Best Club Event, We Out Here picked up the award for Best Festival and Lost Village won Best Boutique Festival.
The Soldier of the Scene Award was renamed Underground Hero in 2021, with a remit to recognise the champions of grassroots UK music communities. Ben Sims became the inaugural award winner.
Young Urban Arts Foundation were presented with an award for Innovation & Excellence, in recognition of their tireless work to educate, empower and celebrate disadvantaged young people in the UK. They have done this, through music and other creative pursuits, in the wake of an 80% cut to funding for youth services over the last six years.
The winners were originally due to be announced during an awards show at London venue The Steel Yard tonight, 16th December. However DJ Mag made the difficult decision to cancel the show, citing the complexity of running an awards show/club night hybrid amidst the current escalating COVID-19 situation, which had led to a number of issues, affecting staffing, performing artists and award winners.
Read interviews with all winners and view the results here.
