Glass Animals at the 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize: “I’d strap the award to my chest like a child and dress it up in a little outfit”

Glass Animals are the bookies’ favourites to scoop the award with their second LP ‘How To Be A Human Being’ at tonight’s 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize ceremony and they seem to be in suitably excitable spirits.

Speaking to DIY on the red carpet, singer Dave Bayley admitted that he’d “woke[n] up this morning feeling different”. “I thought, ‘this is going to be a day and a half’ - which it is, because we have a flight tomorrow so we’re gonna stay up all night through the after party. Pop a valium, then go to bed [on the flight].”

Aside from a 36-hour party, the Oxford quartet have also got big plans for the trophy itself, should it come into their possession later. “I would take such good care of it, strap it to my chest like child in a papoose and keep it safe,” said Dave. “Maybe dress it up in a little outfit.”

So there you go.

Despite admitting that they “haven’t listened to the record since [they] made it”, the band could well be walking off very happy indeed come the evening. And after that, will they be taking a well-earned break? “We’ll see what happens, there’s always stuff to do.”

Listen to the Glass Animals-curated 2017 Hyundai Mercury Prize playlist via Apple Music below