Arlo Parks wins the 2021 Mercury Prize for her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams

Arlo Parks has won the 2021 Mercury Prize for her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams.

The London singer, songwriter and poet picked up the prestigious prize at the Eventim Apollo in the first ceremony to feature an audience in two years. The evening was once more hosted by Lauren Laverne.

Annie Mac announced Arlo as the winner, describing her album as 'displaying a lyrical wisdom that belied her 21 years that has captured the spirit of the year in a positive, forward thinking fashion'.

MORE: View all the past Mercury Prize winners

Arlo is the first solo female winner in 10 years following PJ Harvey's historic second win for Let England Shake in 2011.

Collapsed In Sunbeams peaked at Number 3 on the Official Albums Chart on release, the same week that fellow Mercury nominee Celeste debuted at Number 1 with her debut Not Your Muse. Collapsed In Sunbeams also earned Arlo the BRIT Award for Best New Artist.

Other nominees for the 2021 Mercury Prize included: Berwyn; Black Country, New Road; Celeste; Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra; Ghetts; Hannah Peel; Laura Mvula; Mogwai; Nubya Garcia; Sault; and Wolf Alice.

Image: John Marshall