Mercury Prize 2021 odds and predictions: From Arlo Parks to Ghetts, who will win this year?

Arlo Parks and Laura Mvula are the bookies’ joint favourites to win

Top left clockwise: Mercury Prize-shortlisted artists Arlo Parks, Ghetts, Laura Mvula and Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice (Getty)

The Mercury Prize takes place tonight (Thursday 9 September) at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London.

Twelve albums have been chosen by a panel of fellow artists and industry experts, including Michael Kiwanuka, Annie Mac, Anna Calvi, and BBC 6 and Radio 2 head Jeff Smith.

Among the shortlisted artists are Arlo Parks with her debut, Collapsed in Sunbeams; Celeste with her debut, Not Your Muse; grime artist Ghetts with Conflict of Interest; Laura Mvula with Pink Noise, Berwyn with his mixtape DEMOTAPE/VEGA, and Scottish band Mogwai with As the Love Continues.

Bookies are currently placing Parks and Mvula as joint frontrunners to win the coveted award, with Betfair offering odds of 4/1.

You can see the full list of odds below.

Sault (Untitled (Rise): 13/8

Arlo Parks (Collapsed in Sunbeams): 4/1

Laura Mvula (Pink Noise): 4/1

Black Country, New Road (For the First Time): 11/2

Ghetts (Conflict of Interest): 7/1

Celeste (Not Your Muse): 9/1

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra (Promises): 9/1

Wolf Alice (Blue Weekend): 10/1

Nubya Garcia (Source): 10/1

Mogwai (As the Love Continues): 16/1

Berwyn (Demotape/Vega): 18/1

Hannah Peel (Fir Wave): 20/1

This year’s ceremony is being hosted by BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, while Annie Mac – who is also a member of the judging panel – will present the award.

There will also be live performances from shortlisted artists including Mvula, Parks, Berwyn, Black Country New Road, Celeste, Ghetts, Hannah Peel, Mogwai, Nubya Garcia and Wolf Alice.

Short films will be shown about albums by SAULT, Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the LSO.

The Mercury Prize takes place tonight at the Eventim Apollo. Fans can watch live from home on BBC Four and iPlayer from 9pm.

Read more about the shortlisted albums here.