Mayo musicians among favourites for RTÉ Choice Music Prize

Dublin-based rockers Fontaines D.C., with two members from Mayo, are among the favourites for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize. The winners will be announced on Thursday.

Fontaines D.C., who are also among the nominations for this month’s Grammys, features Conor Deegan (bass) and Tom Coll (drums), both from Castlebar, as well as Grian Chatten (vocals), Carlos O'Connell (guitar) and Conor Curley (guitar).

According to BoyleSports, Fontaines D.C. were the original favourites for the Album of the Year prize but have been eased to 11/4 from 2/1 for their second long-player, A Hero’s Death.

Up and coming Galway singer-songwriter Niamh Regan has been strongly backed lately to pick up the award for the best album of 2020 with her debut, Hemet, but the frontrunner is Denise Chaila, the Limerick-raised rapper who performed in Ballina just over a year ago at Other Voices.

Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, commented: “There have been two localised gambles now for the RTÉ Choice Music Album of the Year Award. The first one from Limerick made Denise Chaila our hot favourite but the natives in Galway seem very confident that Niamh Regan is going to get the nod and we’ve moved her into 3/1 from 9/1, making it a very close contest.”

The nominees (and their albums) are: Denise Chaila (Go Bravely), Fontaines D.C. (A Hero’s Death), Niamh Regan (Hemet), Pillow Queens (In Waiting), Silverbacks (Fad), Roisin Murphy (Roisin Machine), Ailbhe Reddy (Personal History), JyellowL (2020 Division), Nealo (All The Leaves Are Falling) and Bitch Falcon (Staring At Clocks).

This year’s live show on Thursday (March 4) will be a little different than normal. RTÉ will be broadcasting exclusive performances by the shortlisted acts and there will be a live announcement of the 2020 winners on a special edition of the Tracy Clifford Show. The event can also be watched live on the RTÉ Player.