Jamie Woon talks Mercury Prize nods: “I feel really happy to be here”

There seems to be a reoccurring theme on this year’s Mercury Prize shortlist; it’s given a lot of attention to complex albums which clearly took a great deal of time and experimentation. Jamie Woon - nominated for his 2015 record ‘Making Time - is one such nominee, and stopping by for a chat with DIY’s Jamie Milton on the, er, blue carpet, he’s dead chuffed to be on the shortlist.

“It’s really cool,” he said of the list of shortlisters this year; a list which includes the likes of Kano, Laura Mvula, The 1975, and Skepta. “It definitely represents a lot of different scenes. You can never represent them all, but I feel really happy to be here.”

‘Making Time’ - as the name perhaps suggests - is a record Woon took his time over, and it’s how he’s always wanted to approach his music. “I’ve always wanted to make a record in that way,” he agrees, “but it was about finding the people to do it, and the different techniques. That’s me really, that’s where i’m most at home. That’s kind of why I got into music really.”

The Mercury Prize has turned Jamie Woon onto new discoveries, too, and this year he’s got his eyes on space-jazzers The Comet Is Coming. “I didn’t know their record, and I really like it. Really good shirts as well. I’m very jealous. I wish I’d worn something a bit cooler.”

In fairness, the cosy-looking padded jacket Jamie Woon’s picked out for today’s fairly heated ceremony is probably the opposite of cool. It’s probably feeling a bit muggy for him right now, tbh.