Songwriter award honour for chart star

The rapper-turned-soul singer – real name Ben Drew – was named songwriter of the year at the event. The Defamation Of Strickland Banks was named best album and his single She Said was the year’s most-performed track. Irish act Villagers took the prized “best song musically and lyrically” award for Becoming A Jackal, a song which failed to even chart when it was released.

The Mercury Prize-nominated act, essentially musician Conor O’Brien, gained wider exposure for the song with an appearance on BBC2’s Later With Jools Holland a year ago.

Best contemporary song went to double Brit-winner Tinie Tempah for his chart-topping single Pass Out.

The awards, now in their 56th year, are highly prized because they are voted for by songwriters and composers themselves.