Nordoff and Robbins has revealed the first round of artists to win this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards.
They will all receive their accolades in person at a music industry lunch and awards ceremony to be held on Friday, July 5 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane.
In the first of two winners’ announcements for the O2 Silver Clef Awards 2024, Nordoff and Robbins has honoured Jessie Ware with Best Female, The 1975 with Best Group and Texas with the Outstanding Achievement award.
Cat Burns will receive the New Music Award, while Ezra Collective are to be presented with the Contemporary Music Award.
Winners of the O2 Silver Clef, Icon, Best Male, Best Live Act, Innovation and Global Impact awards will be announced ahead of the ceremony.
Since 1976 the awards have raised nearly £13 million for Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapy services. They have honoured some of the greatest names in music including David Bowie, Ed Sheeran, Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Annie Lennox, Dame Shirley Bassey, Kylie Minogue, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, Coldplay and Stormzy.
Last year’s event raised more than £530,000 for Nordoff and Robbins, supporting its work with some of the most vulnerable people in society.
In 2023, Nordoff and Robbins held nearly 50,000 music therapy sessions across the UK. The charity works with children and adults affected by life limiting illness such as dementia, learning disabilities including autism, physical disability and mental health issues at over 380 schools, hospitals, hospices and care homes, as well as providing sessions from its centres nationwide.
Hosted with O2 for the last 23 years, the annual lunch is Nordoff and Robbins’ biggest fundraising event of the year. Edith Bowman will host the ceremony for the sixth year running, with Peter Andre returning to cover the blue carpet celebrity arrivals.
Table table tickets can be purchased here.
Jessie Ware said: “It’s a total honour to have been selected to receive the Best Female award at this year’s ceremony. Nordoff and Robbins do such important work. Music therapy is a real necessity for those who receive it and there is more demand for it now than ever before. I’ve also seen music as a fantastic form of self-expression, and so can understand the life changing nature of music therapy. I’m so pleased to be a part of an event that supports Nordoff and Robbins’ important work so thank you so, so much.”
We are thankful to be able to play our part in celebrating the valuable work Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapists do
The 1975
The 1975 said: “We’re so grateful to have been chosen to receive the Best Group award and thankful to be able to play our part in celebrating the valuable work Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapists do.”
Texas’ Sharleen Spiteri said: “The band and I are absolutely thrilled to receive the award for Outstanding Achievement. We’ve been lucky enough to share our music with fans for over 30 years, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the past, present, and future of British and International music at this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards. I’ve been a supporter of this amazing charity for years now, words can’t begin to say how much their work impacts people of all ages through the power of music.”
Cat Burns said: “I’m honoured to receive the award for Best New Music. In what has been a whirlwind few years for me, these moments are absolute dreams come true. The work of Nordoff and Robbins is truly inspiring; it really enables people who are otherwise isolated from society to experience the joy that music brings.”
Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective said: “The Ezra Collective first got together when we met in a youth club, so we really understand the value music has when it’s put into the hands of young people. Music therapy is an important part of this, as the work that Nordoff and Robbins does with children can change lives. It’s a really beautiful thing that we’re going to be supporting this work. Thanks to everyone that’s helped us get to where we are; this Contemporary Music Award means so much to us.”
Gareth Griffiths, director, partnerships and sponsorship, O2, said: “It looks set to be another incredible O2 Silver Clef Awards this summer, recognising brilliant artists and songwriters. O2 has been a very proud partner of Nordoff and Robbins for 23 years, and we’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary work the charity does using the power of music therapy. It’s a privilege for us to be involved on this magical day of fundraising.”
Sandra Schembri, CEO of Nordoff and Robbins, said: “The O2 Silver Clef Awards is incredibly special to us, and we simply couldn’t provide the number of music therapy sessions that we need to without the support of the music industry. Every penny raised from the O2 Silver Clef Awards brings the power of music to the children and adults that Nordoff and Robbins support, helping them to break through the barriers caused by life-limiting illness, mental health challenges, disability and social isolation. Music therapy is about making a connection, whether for a non-verbal child or a person living with dementia – where words fail, music speaks.”
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