We are pleased to announce we will be awarding an 'Outstanding Contribution to Music' again this year. It will be presented to Mr Steve Strange.

Steve Strange, will be presented with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award at the NI Music Prize in the Ulster Hall, Belfast, on November 7th. Steve is the second recipient of this special award that recognises the role that an individual from Northern Ireland has played in the world of music.

Steve Strange was raised in Carrickfergus. He is one of the most influential agents in the music industry and one of the co-founders of X-Ray Touring. His clients include Eminem, Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Queens of The Stone Age to name a few. He is also a champion of emerging acts and has provided many homegrown bands with opportunities on stages at national and international level.

Steve first started out playing the drums in the early ’80s with No Hot Ashes and then with Fastway featuring Fast Eddie Clarke. He began his career as an agent with Prestige in 1991, returning to Belfast to be a promoter at the Limelight then moving back to London to build his roster and network, working with a run of successful agencies including FAB, Solo, Fair Warning/Wasted Talent, which became Helter Skelter. In 2005 Steve co-founded and launched X-ray Touring where today the agency works with over 500 international acts and plays a pivotal role across the industry.

The ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ presentation will take place during the evening of the NI Music Prize, an awards evening coordinated by the Oh Yeah Music Centre and featuring four categories including Best Single, Best Album, Best Live Act, The Oh Yeah Contender Award and Oh Yeah Legend Award. There will be performances from four of the nominees on the night, including Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra, Jordan Adetunji, Strange New Places, Saint Sister and Oh Yeah Legend Award recipients Snow Patrol.

The announcement of winners and all presentations will take place throughout the evening.
This event is part of a wider programme, Sound of Belfast that will take place on November 1-10th Nov.
The NI Music Prize is supported by Belfast City Council, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Bushmills Irish Whiskey PPL, PRS for Music, Help Musicians, and in association with BBC Music Introducing Across The Line.