Bjork named best live performer at independent music awards

Bjork has been named best live performer at the Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards.

The Icelandic star fought off competition from Beabadoobee and Muna, as well as Japan’s kawaii-metal girl band Babymetal to land the publicly-voted prize.

Her latest tour, named Cornucopia, kicked off in New York to stellar reviews and the shows have been hailed as a spectacle of sound and image and compared to an art installation.

The awards, which will be handed out at the Roundhouse in London next month, will see chart-topping indie-rock duo Wet Leg compete with rapper AntsLive, DJ John Summit, hip-hop and house pioneer Surya Sen and producer Vibe Chemistry for the PPL award for most played new independent artist.

Dr Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives in Music (BLiM), has been named diversity champion in recognition of her work on creating an inclusive music industry.

The outfits in the running for best independent label are Defected Records, Forever Living Originals, Hospital Records, One Little Independent and Transgressive, while the best boutique label nominees are Chess Club Records, Glasgow Underground, Houndstooth, Rough Bones, and Lime Garden’s So Young Records.

Founder of music marketing app Un:hurd Alex Brees, Young founder and label head Caius Pawson, director at Good Energy PR Jess Kangalee, founder and CEO of creative solutions company Forward Slash Keturah Cummings and founder of HQ Familia record label and studio Yasin El Ashrafi are all in the running for music entrepreneur of the year.

Silvia Montello, CEO at AIM, said: “The AIM Independent Music Awards are a night to celebrate the best of the UK’s independent music community, and to showcase its triumphs and innovations.

“We are proud to be able to honour the diversity and talent across the UK ‘s independent labels, artists, entrepreneurs and champions and it’s fantastic to see continued public recognition of Bjork’s trailblazing live shows.”