UK: Edith Weutonga nominated for 2025 Folk Album of the Year Award

By thebritishblacklist.co.uk

UK-based Zimbabwean musician has become one of nine artists recognised in the inaugural edition of the prize.

Her forthcoming album Varipasi, due for release on 9th December, earned her a place on a list that spans multiple generations, traditions and stylistic approaches across Britain and Ireland.

WeUtonga is a vocalist, bassist and composer known for blending Afro-jazz with traditional Zimbabwean influences.

From Harare’s biggest festival stages to performances across Africa, Europe and Asia, she has established herself as one of the most powerful musical exports from the Southern African nation.

Her band Utonga, formed in 2010, deploys a bold fusion of Jiti, Chimurenga, Shona folk, jazz and world music.

In Varipasi, her first album since 2018, she channels the intimate grief of losing her grandmother during the pandemic into a universal expression of remembrance and emotional liberation.

The Folk Album Of The Year Award, created by Sound Roots and the award-winning podcast Folk on Foot hosted by broadcaster Matthew Bannister, has been launched to celebrate the most artistically acclaimed folk, roots and acoustic albums in Britain and Ireland.

The Award is supported by Rochdale Development Agency and forms a key part of Rochdale’s 2026 Town of Culture celebrations.

It also complements the Sound Roots-commissioned Official Folk Albums Chart, which was launched in 2020 in collaboration with the Official Charts Company and provides monthly charts highlighting around 120 new folk releases each year.

“In our inaugural year, we’ve been bowled over by the incredible breadth of submissions from across Britain and Ireland,” said David Agnew, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sound Roots.

“As we look ahead, we’re already planning how to celebrate even more exceptional folk releases.

“For now, we’re excited to present these outstanding works to the world and to gather in Rochdale Town Hall this March to celebrate the vibrant folk community.”

Kellie While, Chair of the Sound Roots Board and Jury Chair, added: “We are so grateful to our jury who have worked tirelessly and with passion over the last two weeks.

“It was an incredibly difficult job as there were a huge number of albums considered that very much deserve recognition.

“The nine albums show how vibrant and exciting this year has been for folk music in Britain and Ireland and we cannot wait for new audiences to discover these brilliant releases.”

The overall winner will be unveiled at an inaugural ceremony featuring live performances from nominated artists. The event will take place at Rochdale Town Hall on Tuesday 17th March 2026 and will be available to live stream.

The nine nominated albums

All Smiles Tonight – Poor Creature
Dublin trio Poor Creature earn a place on the shortlist with their debut album All Smiles Tonight. Released on Rough Trade’s River Lea imprint, the record blends spectral textures and subtle electronics, forging bold new possibilities for Irish traditional music.

Teleology – Peggy Seeger
At 90 years old, iconic folk musician Peggy Seeger is shortlisted for Teleology — a philosophical, spirited and deeply personal album widely considered her final solo release. It stands as both a reflection on her seven-decade career and a powerful work in its own right.

Auchies Spikkin´ Auchie – Grace Stewart Skinner
Highland clàrsach player Grace Stewart-Skinner is recognised for her extraordinary debut Auchies Spikkin´ Auchie, weaving conversations from her Avoch fishing community with newly composed material to create a vivid musical portrait of place, language and tradition.

Curlew’s Cry – Barry Kerr
Barry Kerr’s Curlew’s Cry is celebrated for its powerful blend of original and traditional content rooted in Irish folklore, memory and the natural world. The multi-instrumentalist and composer continues to push the expressive boundaries of Irish trad.

Teeth of Time – Joshua Burnside
East Belfast songwriter Joshua Burnside is shortlisted for Teeth of Time, a boundary-stretching exploration of family, trauma and existence shaped through electronica, found-sound collage and distinctive folk songwriting.

Shimli – Cynefin
Owen Shiers, working under the name Cynefin, earns recognition for Shimli. Drawing from centuries-old Welsh-language songs, stories and poems, the album revives the farmer traditions of Ceredigion with great care and research.

Tomorrow Held – Spafford Campbell
London-based instrumental duo Spafford Campbell — violinist Owen Spafford and guitarist Louis Campbell — are shortlisted for their debut Tomorrow Held. Released on Real World Records, it blends chamber, jazz and folk influences with striking finesse.

Turnstone – Gigspanner Big Band
The accomplished six-piece Gigspanner Big Band receive a nomination for Turnstone, a richly textured and inventive album combining deep roots knowledge with technical brilliance and bold reinterpretation.

Varipasi – Edith WeUtonga
Zimbabwean-born, UK-based vocalist, bassist and composer Edith WeUtonga rounds out the shortlist with Varipasi (out 9 December). Her fusion of Afro-jazz and traditional Zimbabwean roots adds a powerful international dimension to the line-up.