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Terri Walker chats to I Like Music

ILM: Four Mobo nominations, a Mercury Prize shortlist, and collaboration with hot producers, what has been the highlight so far?

TERRI: Doing the Mercury awards was great because it was my debut album, so I'd come out the first time and they were saying this girl has one of the best albums of the year (one of twelve)… and I was like, wow I've just come out and I then four nominations and I was like, no this is crazy! But then all these award ceremonies I don't think it's right because it spurs the whole competition thing. And I really believe that with music, there is not only one person that does it, there are so many different genres and awards are like, you make people feel like, she didn't win it, that means she's not as good. But it's not like that. It just means, you might have preferred that but there is so much more out there. There are so many different genres or RnB and soul and Motown you can't put them all in one bracket to compete, but they do they tend to do that. It's a compliment to be nominated for these things, of course, but, at the same time… some say awards, like the Mercury's are curse.

ILM: Although I think the Mercury's are one of the more credible awards. The winner isn't basically the one who's had the most radio airplay or biggest marketing campaign.

TERRI: Yeah totally, I mean, you look at the Cheeky Girls, nothing against them, but they were actually number one at one point, and the Crazy Frog and stuff, it's a joke!

Then you hear a Gnarls Barkley and you're like, that's a brilliant song. I remember when I was coming out first and Beverley Knight might be coming out the same week and they'd be like, 'We can't play your music because we're already playing Beverley Knight.' And it's so dum.

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Related links:

1. Hugo Urban Rules
2. Terri Walker Biography
3. Terri Walker - Whoopsie Daisy