Announcing the line up for our 2025 Northern Music Awards in Liverpool
Blossoms, Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds, The Zutons, Luvcat and Chiedu Oraka to perform at the Liverpool Olympia on Thursday 27 March.
The line-up
We’re delighted to announce an unmissable performance packed line-up for our second Northern Music Awards, sponsored by Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The awards will be held at Liverpool Olympia on Thursday 27 March. The performance line-up will feature:
Blossoms
Following an astounding year, Stockport-bred, acclaimed indie-pop band, Blossoms, will perform a special acoustic set featuring hits from the five-piece’s multiple hit number one albums which include Foolish Loving Spaces, Ribbon Around the Bomb and Gary.
Chiedu Oraka
Lyrical artist and leading figure in Northern rap, Chiedu Oraka, from Hull, will bring his high-octane performance, genre-defying talent and impactful social poetry to the Northern Music Awards stage. Chiedu is also shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year Award alongside Luvcat, Beth McCarthy, The KTNA, Pixey and Seb Lowe.
Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie, legendary singer, songwriter, producer and frontman of indie-pop royalty, Lightning Seeds, will be honoured with the prestigious Special Recognition Award sponsored by SJM Concerts at the event, and the band will be taking to the stage for a special live performance.
Ian Broudie formed the Lightning Seeds in 1989 and enjoyed prolific success with a string of hits throughout the 90s and beyond, including The Life of Riley, Lucky You, Three Lions and Pure. The proud Liverpudlian’s multi-decade spanning career has also included production for the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and fellow Northern Music Awards performers, The Zutons.
Ian Broudie said: “It’s a huge honour to receive this award, particularly in the year that the Northern Music Awards comes to Liverpool, a city I’m very proud to call my hometown. I’m excited to perform at the Liverpool Olympia and to celebrate the immense talent that we continue to see thriving in the North. The feeling and emotion that we all get from music is incredibly powerful, and you see that so clearly in the life-changing music therapy that Nordoff and Robbins delivers, so I’m very proud to be raising funds for their work to help people connect and communicate across society.”
Luvcat
Rapidly rising artist Luvcat, shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year Award, will share her unique brand of jazz influenced romantic rock with ticketholders. The Liverpudlian singer-songwriter’s recent releases including He’s My Man and Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel have catapulted her to star-status and earned a devoted fanbase of ‘Kittens’.
The Zutons
Eclectic indie rockers The Zutons. Best known for their hit singles Valerie and Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?, the Liverpool band released their long-awaited fourth studio album The Big Decider in 2024, and will take to the stage for a memorable live performance, kicking off a series of live dates.
Recognising outstanding live music events in the region
As well as honouring the North’s incredible artists, the Northern Music Awards celebrate outstanding live music events in the region, that provide a platform for diverse talent to perform. The Festival of the Year shortlist for the 2025 Northern Music Awards is:
- Kendal Calling (Lake District)
- Tramlines (Sheffield)
- Neighbourhood (Manchester)
- TK Maxx presents Lytham Festival (Lytham Saint Annes)
- Parklife (Manchester)
- Sound City (Liverpool)
The winner of the Festival of the Year category will be decided by public vote. Cast your vote now, via The Guide Liverpool, and you’ll have the chance to win two tickets to the 2025 Northern Music Awards. Voting closes on Friday 7 February.
Championing the Northern venues that nurture developing artists and showcase global superstars, winners for the Inspirational Venue of the Year Under 2,000 and over 2,000 Capacity categories, sponsored by Seat Unique, will be announced soon, with a percentage of the sponsorship fee being shared with the Music Venue Trust.
About the Northern Music Awards
Taking place this year at the historic Liverpool Olympia, the Northern Music Awards sponsored by Ticketmaster and Live Nation honour the very best artists, festivals, venues and industry figures from across the North. Held for the first time in Manchester in April 2024, the Northern Music Awards are the only awards set up specifically to recognise and celebrate the breadth of musical talent across the North of England.
Hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Chris Hawkins, with specially commissioned awards designed by contemporary British artist Thomas Wolski, the Northern Music Awards take place in a different Northern city every year to ensure every corner of the region is celebrated. Money raised from the event will go towards increasing our music therapy provision in the North of England, using music as a creative health intervention to enhance connection, reduce social isolation, and improve mental health and well-being for diverse local communities across the region.
The North of England is our largest service area, with 55 music therapists and 164 partner organisations providing over 23,500 music therapy sessions in 2024, transforming the lives of more than 6,500 people in the region.
Nordoff and Robbins CEO, Sandra Schembri said: “We’re beyond thrilled to announce the spectacular performance line-up for this year’s Northern Music Awards. The North’s music scene is a vibrant, diverse force, and these artists are shining examples of the exceptional talent that continues to emerge from the region. From iconic names to rising stars, this is going to be a celebration of everything that makes Northern music so special and we can’t wait to celebrate in Liverpool, a city with a rich musical heritage that is admired around the world.
“Not only are we looking forward to honouring brilliant musicians and industry talent at this year’s Northern Music Awards, but we’re also raising vital funds to support our music therapy work. With costs rising and demand for our services increasing, every pound raised at the event will help us deliver more transformational music therapy sessions to people across the North, from care homes to hospitals and schools to community centres. Music truly has the power to change lives.”
A total of 16 awards will be given out on the night, including – new for 2025 – Album of the Year and Industry Rising Star:
- The Northern Music Award 2025, sponsored by Live Nation
- Special Recognition Award, sponsored by SJM Concerts
- Artist of the Year, sponsored by Ticketmaster
- Band of the Year, sponsored by Legends and ASM Global
- Album of the Year
- Music Moment of the Year, sponsored by American Express
- Disruptor in Music
- Newcomer of the Year
- Breakthrough Act of the Year
- DJ of the Year
- Music and Culture for Wellbeing
- Festival of the Year, voted for by readers of The Guide Liverpool
- Inspirational Venue of the Year Under 2,000 Capacity, sponsored by Seat Unique
- Inspirational Venue of the Year Over 2,000 Capacity, sponsored by Seat Unique
- Industry Icon, sponsored by Tysers Live
- Industry Rising Star