Paolo Nutini, Bemz and Juliette Lemoine longlisted for Scottish Album of the Year Award

Paolo Nutini is among those in the running to be named Scottish Album of the Year at an awards ceremony next month.

Nutini released his fourth album Last Night In The Bittersweet in July 2022 after an eight-year break from the music industry. Much of the album was recorded in the Southside of Glasgow.

He broke a record at the OVO Hydro when he became the first musical artist to sell out five shows at the venue last year.

The Paisley singer was shortlisted for his third album Caustic Love in 2015.

He said: “Thank you for the kind nomination. It feels nice to know the record is resonating out there and to be in the company of some of my favourite records to come out this year. It means a lot. Thank you and much love.”

Glasgow acts on the list are Bemz, Joesef, Cloth, Comfort, Free Love, Juliette Lemoine and Kapil Seshasayee.

They join other acts including West Lothian band The Snuts, based in Glasgow, who have been longlisted with their second album Burn The Empire and Edinburgh band Young Fathers with Heavy Heavy. They won the award back in 2018.

Young Fathers said: “The three of us are extremely humbled by this nomination.

“It’s no secret we’re proud Scots and even prouder representing Scotland, so to be recognised with this nomination is a true honour.

“Thank you everyone who chose us to be included.”

The longlist will be whittled down to a shortlist of 10 artists, with the public being able to choose one in an online vote between October 2 and 4 and judges picking one other album.

Judges will then reconvene and the overall winner will be announced at the Scottish Album of the Year awards ceremony at the Albert Halls in Stirling on October 26.

Robert Kilpatrick, interim chief executive and creative director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said, “Each year, artists, industry professionals and music fans alike eagerly anticipate which 20 outstanding Scottish albums will make up The SAY Award longlist.

“The unifying platform that SAY offers compiled with the egalitarian nature of both our submissions and nominations process is, what I believe, makes the longlist stand up as important, credible and authentic.

“Scotland’s cultural identity is shared; it belongs to and is influenced by everyone that calls Scotland home. In a music context, it’s the SMIA’s job to make sure that the full spectrum of Scotland’s music industry is reflected in our work, and with The SAY Award longlist being determined by 100 impartial industry nominators – comprising individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and genre specialisms from right across the country – this means it’s much more than a list of 20 great records; it’s the soundtrack of life in Scotland.

“A massive congratulations to each of this year’s nominees. With 2023 seeing a record-breaking 437 eligible albums submitted, it’s an amazing achievement and a testament to the strength and diversity of Scotland’s recorded output.”

Alan Morrison, head of music at Creative Scotland said: “The album is an anchor in the choppy seas of random playlists. It’s a personal statement of intent, a self-contained body of work that lets listeners know how an artist is feeling at a precise moment in time.

“The 20 nominees on this year’s SAY Award longlist celebrate friendship and fatherhood, confront anxiety and identity, and sometimes just revel in the unbridled joy of good music. This is a fantastic snapshot of Scotland in all its creative glory.”

Stirling Council leader Chris Kane said, “This is an exciting milestone in the countdown to this year’s SAY Award ceremony at Stirling’s Albert Halls and a fantastic list of artists who have made the longlist this year.

“I’m proud that a number of the nominated acts may be familiar to Stirling audiences through having performed at the Tolbooth, one of the best live-music venues in the country.”

The full list of longlisted albums are:

Andrew Wasylyk – Hearing The Water Before Seeing The Falls

Becky Sikasa – Twelve Wooden Boxes

Bemz – Nova’s Dad

Brighde Chaimbeul – Carry Them With Us

Brooke Combe – Black Is the New Gold

Brownbear – Demons

Cloth Secret – Measure

Comfort – What’s Bad Enough?

Eyes of Others – Eyes of Others

Free Love – Inside

Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers

Joesef – Permanent Damage

Juliette – Lemoine Soaring

Kapil Seshasayee – Laal

LVRA – Soft Like Steel

Paolo Nutini – Last Night In The Bittersweet

Scott William Urquhart & Constant Follower – Even Days Dissolve

The Snuts – Burn The Empire

Su-a Lee – Dialogues

Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy