The RTÉ Choice Music Awards took place this week, celebrating some of the best music Ireland has had to offer over the past year.
The big winner on the night was singer songwriter CMAT, who was announced as the winner of Irish Album of the Year 2022 for her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead. Sinéad O'Connor, Fontaines D.C, Moncrieff and Cian Ducrot also won prizes on the night.
CMAT received a cheque for €10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), as well as a specially-commissioned award.
Last year’s winner Dave Balfe (For Those I Love), made the announcement and Irish drag queen Lavender collected the award on her behalf as CMAT is away on tour.
https://twitter.com/cmatbaby/status/1633973212492038145
The event, hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford, took place live in Vicar St and was broadcast live on 2FM with Jenny Greene, including exclusive performances from five of the nominated artists.
Classic Irish Album
A big moment on the night came as Sinéad O'Connor was presented with the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album. Dave Fanning presented the legendary Irish musician with her award for her second record 'I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got', which released in 1990.
O'Connor received a standing ovation as she dedicated the award to "all refugees in Ireland." The judging panel called her album "a stunning body of work by an Irish artist, scorching with originality in songs that are as resonant today as they were more than 30 years ago."
Moncrieff has been voted the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year for his song 'Warm'. The track was selected from a shortlist of 10 songs by public vote. Fans were given the chance to get behind their favourite Irish song of 2022 until midnight last Sunday.
Conor Curley from Fontaines D.C. picked up their Irish Artist of the Year prize. Cian Ducrot won the Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
You can catch the full highlights show on Thursday, March 16 at 22.30 on RTÉ2. Check out the full list of winners below for this year's awards.
RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2022
CMAT – If My Wife New I’d Be Dead
RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year 2022
Moncrieff - Warm
Irish Artist of the Year 2022
Fontaines D.C.
Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year 2022
Cian Ducrot
Classic Irish Album
'I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got' by Sinéad O’ Connor
