Winners of Mercury Prize in style at the 2026 event
In one of the most unexpected moments in recent British music history, South Korean group aespa have become the first K-pop act ever to win the prestigious Mercury Prize for their critically acclaimed album Glass Algorithm.
The announcement came during a packed ceremony at London’s Eventim Apollo, where audible gasps spread through the crowd as presenter Olivia Colman revealed the winner. The quartet — Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning — appeared momentarily stunned before embracing on stage while flashes erupted across the theatre.
“We made this album while feeling very far from home,” leader Karina told the audience. “To be recognised here, by people who care deeply about music and artistry, means everything to us.”
The Mercury judges described Glass Algorithm as “a bold collision of experimental pop, industrial electronica and emotional storytelling,” praising its “fearless production and visual imagination.” Several critics had tipped more traditional British acts for the prize, making aespa’s victory all the more dramatic.
The album, released earlier this year, drew attention for blending hyperpop textures with stripped-back songwriting and unusually introspective lyrics about identity, technology and isolation. Tracks such as “Ghost Frequency” and “Blue Neon Heart” became streaming hits in both Asia and Europe, while the accompanying visuals — inspired by brutalist architecture and early internet aesthetics — earned praise from the design world.
Outside the venue, hundreds of fans gathered waving lightsticks and singing snippets of the group’s songs despite heavy rain. One fan, 22-year-old university student Hannah Reed from Manchester, called the win “a genuine turning point.”
“For years people treated K-pop like a novelty,” she said. “This feels like the moment it got recognised as art on equal footing.”
Industry reaction was swift. Charli xcx posted simply: “aespa deserved.” Meanwhile producer Fred again.. called the album “one of the most sonically adventurous records of the year.”
The victory is already being described as a watershed moment for the Mercury Prize, which has occasionally faced criticism for conservatism in its selections. Music journalist Daniel Everett wrote in The Observer that the decision signalled “a recognition that the future of pop music is global, collaborative and impossible to neatly categorise.”
As the ceremony ended, aespa closed the night with a striking live performance featuring mirrored staging, live strings and a full choir. By the time confetti fell from the ceiling, even sceptics in the room appeared won over. Backstage, when asked whether they expected to win, Winter laughed.
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- National and international media relations
- Artist and management liaison
- Media accreditation and press office management
- Red carpet and backstage communications