Speech Debelle has won Mercury Prize 2009

Mercury Prize winner was announced yesterday, on September 8, during the special ceremony in London. The award was given to British female rapper Speech Debelle for her album Speech Therapy. After receiving the award, she said: «Thank you to the panellists, to my band, thank you so much to my mum, to my fans. Thank you to whoever's name's on the cheque».

Mercury Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland. It has a reputation for being awarded to outside chances rather than the favorites. However, it is often observed that bands who are nominated for, or win the prize, experience a large increase in album sales.

Earlier, bookmakers named Kasabian as the main favorites to win Mercury Prize 2009. William Hill has placed the band at 5-1, as well as Florence And The Machine and their debut record Lungs (while Kasabian were nominated for the third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum).

The full list of nominees was:
Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
Florence And The Machine – Lungs
Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires'
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
The Horrors – Primary Colours
La Roux – La Roux
Led Bib – Sensible Shoes
The Invisible - The Invisible
Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Speech Debelle – Speech Therapy
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Twice Born Men