Judging Panel · Album of the Year 2023
Phil Nelson
Panel Chair
Phil Nelson has been an Artist Manager since 1988 managing first The Levellers who achieved one Platinum, five Gold records with Phil. During Phil’s tenure the band headlined the Glastonbury Festival before starting their own 15,000 capacity Festival Beautiful Days Festival. He went on to manage The Longpigs (one Gold record and Brit Award Nomination), and current clients include 2019 Grammy-nominated Matt Hales, Aqualung, Soren Lorensen (one Gold record) and Duke Special (one Platinum record), Sweet Billy Pilgrim (one Mercury music prize Nomination).
Phil was the Vice Chair of the Music Managers’ Forum from 1997-2007. He co-founded The Great Escape Festival and now runs the Education conference at TGE and Pathways Into Music with Chris Cooke. Pathways is a not-for-profit organisation launched to support music educators and music talent development programmes around the UK and beyond, and to help early-career music-makers plan their personal pathways into music. Phil is Principal Lecturer for the MA in Popular Music Practice at BIMM University, London.
Vic Galloway
BBC Broadcaster, Author & Journalist
Vic Galloway is a broadcaster, journalist and author based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has presented weekly radio programmes for the BBC since 1999, including over 11 years for Radio 1. He continues to broadcast and champion new and classic alternative music on BBC Radio Scotland every week, alongside work for BBC 6Music and documentaries for various networks.
His television CV includes years of presenting the BBC Scotland’s coverage of ‘T in the Park’, and as a journalist he has written for The List, The Times, Sunday Herald and CLASH. He is also a musician, DJ, curator and event host at music and literature festivals. His first book ‘Songs in the Key of Fife’ was published in 2013 and was well received.
Steve Krakow
Creator, Galactic Zoo Dossier Magazine
Chicago-native Plastic Crimewave aka Steven Krakow is known for being a "psychedelic guru" of sorts, and is the creator of the Galactic Zoo Dossier, a hand-drawn magazine published by Drag City since 2001. Crimewave also: runs the Galactic Zoo Disk reissue label imprint that is manufactured/distributed by Drag City and roving label Galactic Archives, draws/writes the bi-weekly Secret History of Chicago Music comics for the Chicago Reader for over a decade, books/founded the avant/psych festival Million Tongues featuring international musicians, has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary art, and has drawn countless comics, posters, album covers, and branding art for Lush Cosmetics.
From 2001-2011, PCW headed up Plastic Crimewave Sound, legendary space-punk ensemble that recorded 5 LPs, toured nationally with Acid Mothers temple, Comets on Fire and The Ponys, and whom Julian Cope described as "outtasite." PCW currently leads Plastic Crimewave Syndicate (who have opened for Hawkwind, Keiji Haino, Chrome, Loop, Josefus, Purling Hiss, and Woods and have released 2 albums on UK labels); conducts the Plastic Crimewave Vision Celestial Guitarkestra of up to 70 guitarists (performed in NY, Hyde Park Arts Center, and yearly at the Hideout block party), plays banjo/guitar in the spacey duo Spiral Galaxy, and has DJ-ed all over the world--from London to Tokyo.
Jess Murray
Commissioning Editor, Hot Press
Starting her career in the music industry in Product Management at Cooking Vinyl Records in 2013, Jess Murray worked across dozens of successful album campaigns including The Pretty Reckless, Billy Bragg, UB40 and Richard Ashcroft. Jess was awarded a gold disc for her work on The Prodigy’s number 1 album, The Day Is My Enemy. Following a move to Vancouver she worked in Marketing & Promotions for Pacific National Exhibition, British Columbia’s longest running and best attended annual ticketed event. Returning home to Ireland she has been Commissioning Editor of Hot Press since 2020 working across projects including Irish Music Month, Uprising and Rave On Van Morrison!
Caoimhe Ní Chathail
Presenter & Producer
Originally from Donegal, Caoimhe now lives in Belfast and works as a presenter and producer for television and radio. As presenter of Thursday night's edition of BLAS on BBC Radio Ulster, Caoimhe regularly promotes new Irish music, with live interviews and sessions with musicians. She sits on the BBC Radio Ulster Where Music Matters panel. Caoimhe is also one of the organisers of the music festival, Féile na Gealaí in Co. Meath, which puts new contemporary Irish language music as well as traditional arts centre stage. Among one of the organisers of fringe festival Liú Lúnasa in Belfast every year, Caoimhe is always seeking out the best in new Irish talent. Caoimhe presents and produces the BBC2 NI investigative tv series Croí na Ceiste le Caoimhe. Caoimhe's four part sustainable fashion series Éadaí SOS aired on BBC2 NI earlier in the year and will soon start on TG4, with season three having also recently been commissioned.
Camilla Waite
General Counsel, PPL
Camilla Waite is a senior qualified solicitor with specialist legal experience in the music, media and technology sectors. Appointed General Counsel at PPL in November 2023, Camilla manages the delivery of legal support underpinning all aspects of PPL’s operations and covering a broad spectrum of commercial, litigation and regulatory matters. Alongside this, Camilla is also lead for PPL’s public affairs activity, working with government and industry partners to champion the rights of PPL members in discussions on the most pressing issues of the music community. Camilla is an active contributor to various industry legal working groups both within the UK and internationally and also acts as Company Secretary for both PPL and VPL.
Camilla joined PPL as an in-house lawyer in 2010 and was appointed as Head of Legal & Business Affairs in 2013 before becoming Deputy General Counsel in 2020. Prior to joining PPL, Camilla worked at a city law firm as an intellectual property specialist, advising clients in the media and entertainment industries on a range of commercial and contentious matters.
NI Music Prize 2023 Academy
Ben Allen
Abbazappa Records
Hannah Anderson
Sizeable Bear Promotions
Kate Barry
Co-founder, FairPlé
Stuart Bailie
Editor, Dig With It
Róisín Brophy
Neighbouring Rights Manager, Round Hill Music
Robert Brown
Editor, Chordblossom
Niall Byrne
Nialler9
John Cartwright
Stendhal Festival
Keith Cassidy
ATL Introducing & Presenter, Blast 106
Tony Clayton Lea
Irish Times' Music Critic
Brian Coney
Editor, The Thin Air
Amy Carson
Patrick Craig
Music Educator
Aaron Cunningham
Chordblossom
Melissa Darragh
Joe Dougan
Shine
Lynette Fay
BBC Radio Ulster
Michael Ferry
Journalist & DJ
Lisa Flavelle
Broadcaster & Director, Quiet Arch & Belfast 89FM
Jonah Gardner
Chordblossom Photographer, Sofar Sounds Belfast Curator
Stella Glasgow
Glasgowbury Cornstore
Sinead Green
Director, Starr Records
Fionntan Gregory
Public Academy Voter
Micky Gregory
Public Academy Voter
Linley Hamilton
Musician, Educator & Broadcaster
Nance Hall
Author, Chordblossom
Josh Henry
Journalist
Janis Leaden
Belfast Metropolitan College
Will MacAoidh
Writer, Musician & Voiceover Artist
Domhnall MacDermott
Music Columnist, The Derry News
Adam Mandeville
Dylan Manfield
Carolyn Mathers
Director, Snow Water
William Maxwell
Immortal Records
Siobhan McAndrew
Presenter, Producer & Broadcast Journalist
Cathal McBride
Music Journalist
John Cartright
Co-Founder & Director, Stendhal Festival
Since 2011 John has been a key member of the team behind the inception and growth of Limavady's Stendhal Festival. From regional curio to the largest independent camping festival in Northern Ireland, Stendhal is a firm fixture in the NI events Calendar and one of the countries most important weekend showcases of Northern Irish Music.
John leads the PR and Communications elements of the festival and has a host of other major responsibilities that include, event planning, logistics, licening and being a member of the booking committee
A journalist in a former life, John, along with fellow Directors Ross Parkhill and Colm O'Donnell have worked full time for Stendhal Since 2017.
Eleanor Gilmore
Music Journalist
Eleanor is a freelance music writer, she moved from London to Belfast in 2017 and has called it home ever since. After years of writing about her love of music for an audience of one (herself), she submitted her work for consideration to Oh Yeah Music Centre’s Carol Clerk Bursary for Music Journalism, which supports female and non-binary music writers in Northern Ireland. She became the inaugural recipient of the bursary in 2022.
Under the mentorship of Stuart Bailie (ex-NME editor and author of Trouble Songs), Eleanor has since written columns, reviews, and profiles on various bands and artists in the Northern Irish music scene. She is passionate about the wealth and breadth of music that Belfast has, and tries to capture what she hears as best she can in writing to get everyone else in the know as well.
Eleanor is also a guitarist, but has retired from public life after a stint on lead guitar in her school’s jazz band.
Michael Lambert
Director, Wide Events
Michael Lambert is a director of Wide Events, which hosts Scotland’s award-winning Music Convention Wide Days in Edinburgh each Spring. The organisation also delivers a host of export activities including the official Scottish presence at SXSW, The Great Escape and ESNS.
He is also the founder of A Modern Way management, and music marketing agency Aimless Play, working with artists including Idlewild, Fatherson, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Tom Joshua, Zoe Graham and more.
Ben Magee
Director, New Champion Management
A music enthusiast at heart, Ben’s journey in the music industry began when he established New Champion Management in late 2019, setting up a home and infrastructure for the artists and sounds that he loved. With global partners, 80+ million streams across the roster and live performances in 20+ countries, New Champion represents the best artists in Ireland with bespoke strategy and unwavering passion.
Currently, he heads up the creative, logistic and business strategy for New Champion Management from its HQ in Belfast, NI. His roster includes Joshua Burnside, Lemonade Shoelace, Chalk, Mount Palomar and Lemoncello.
Simon Winter
hmv Senior Events & Editorial Manager
Simon has worked for hmv for over 34 years, both in store and in various marketing, PR and live events roles. Career highlights include arranging a signing session with David Bowie, taking Michael Jackson shopping after hours and having Blur play live on the hmv Oxford Street roof. Often travelling for work, he has arranged live gigs all around the country, most recently with CMAT at the Oh Yeah Music Centre and also Dermot Kennedy at The Limelight in Belfast.
Ben Wynter
Director of Business Development & Partnerships, A.I.M. (Association of Independent Music) / Co-Founder, Power Up! / CEO, Unstoppable Music
Ben Wynter is a highly accomplished music and media executive based in the UK, boasting an impressive two-decade track record within the music industry. His career has encompassed key roles in management, both in Major and Independent Record Labels, and he stands as the visionary founder behind Unstoppable Music Group, a multifaceted conglomerate encompassing Management, Production, Record Label, and Cultural Marketing.
With a keen eye for innovation, Wynter spearheaded innovative initiatives during his tenure at the PRS Foundation. Among his notable achievements, he conceptualised and successfully launched the Hitmaker Fund, a much needed program that extends vital grant funding to behind-the-scenes songwriters and producers. Additionally, his forward-thinking leadership saw him launch the Future Hitmaker grant and the Momentum Accelerator grant.
In his capacity as Director of Business Development and Partnerships at A.I.M (Association of Independent Music), Wynter takes the helm in steering strategic partnerships and presenting unique business prospects to AIM. His unwavering commitment extends to guiding independent music entrepreneurs and rights holders, empowering them to navigate the intricate music and media landscape for the optimal realisation of their assets. Notably, he pioneered the ground breaking AIM Angel Investment Syndicate, a pioneering venture that introduces fresh insights into capital investment and enhances access to capital for creative entrepreneurs across the UK.
Wynter also stands as the Co-Founder of the esteemed Power Up! initiative, an award-winning endeavour that ardently combats anti-black racism while championing a more equitable and inclusive music industry in the UK.
Wynter's impact on the future of the industry is apparent through his involvement in the government's Department of Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) roundtable. This forum focuses on industry reform and the evolving landscape of streaming.