Album Of The Year: Judging Panel
Phil Nelson
Panel Chair
Phil Nelson has been an Artist Manager since 1988 managing first The Levellers who achieved one Platinum, five Gold records with Phil. During Phil’s tenure the band headlined the Glastonbury Festival before starting their own 15,000 capacity Festival Beautiful Days Festival. He went on to manage The Longpigs (one Gold record and Brit Award Nomination), and current clients include 2019 Grammy-nominated Matt Hales, Aqualung, Soren Lorensen (one Gold record) and Duke Special (one Platinum record), Sweet Billy Pilgrim (one Mercury music prize Nomination).
Phil was the Vice Chair of the Music Managers’ Forum from 1997-2007. He co-founded The Great Escape Festival and now runs Pathways Into Music with Chris Cooke. Pathways is a not-for-profit organisation launched to support music educators and music talent development programmes around the UK and beyond, and to help early-career music-makers plan their personal pathways into music. Pathways has its MIME (Music Industry + Music Education) conference in Manchester on November 23. Phil is Principal Lecturer for the MA in Popular Music Practice at BIMM University, London.
Catherine Grimes
Broadcast music rights and music supervisor
Catherine Grimes has over 30 years experience in the field of broadcast music rights and music supervision, managing the BBC’s sync team and creating a commercial strategy for content for BBC Studios. She is now a freelance music supervisor for Television productions with credits spanning shows such as Blue Lights, Good Omens, Trying, We Are Lady Parts.
Darren Brown
MSE Business Management & former Tour Manager and Sound Engineer
Darren Brown represents a new generation of Northern Ireland's music industry professionals, offering world-class services to artists, labels, and creatives globally. As Business Manager, Darren guides clients through the financial intricacies of the creative industry, covering areas such as accounts, taxation, touring, and business strategy.
With over decades of experience in the music scene, Darren began his career in the 2000s, playing in bands during Belfast's thriving rock era, cutting his teeth in iconic venues including The Limelight, The Belfast Empire, Mandela Hall, and Auntie Annies.
His extensive industry knowledge led to him being sought after as a Tour Manager and Sound Engineer for acts including General Fiasco, Ash, and Pale Waves from 2006 to 2019. This global touring experience gives him a unique understanding of the music business worldwide.
Darren’s comprehensive insight into the industry now underpins his role at MSE Business Management, which has offices in London, Brighton, and Belfast. His leadership in establishing a Belfast office reflects his enduring passion for the local music scene.
David O’Reilly
Broadcaster, producer, DJ, writer, author, promoter
Manager OFFSHOOT TV, University of Ulster
David O'Reilly, known to many as Rigsy, presented BBC Radio Ulster's specialist music show Across the Line for 17 years, focusing almost primarily on platforming Irish talent. He has also presented or produced numerous other radio and TV shows focused on local music, most recently working with the likes of Neil Hannon, Gary Lightbody, Cara Dillon and Hannah Peel. David is also a music writer, DJ and promoter and currently manages OFFSHOOT TV, a new streaming service and content production hub based at Ulster University. He presented the NI Music Prize since it's inception before standing down in 2023.
Domhnall McDermott
Music Journalist
Domhnall is a music journalist who has been writing for the Derry News for the past three years. In that time he has spoken to such names as CHERYM, Parker, TRAMP, Saint Sister and many more. A lifelong music lover, he is a near-constant presence at gigs in Derry and beyond and has covered events including Rock for Choice and multiple Gigs For Gaza.
His knowledge of the local music scene in Derry and further afield is unsurpassed. As well as local artists, he has interviewed such internationally acclaimed artists as Kiki Dee, Ralph McTell, Crash Test Dummies and Britpop PR icon Jane Savings.
His columns attract wide interest on social media and he has been contacted by artists everywhere from Belfast to Texas. On top of this, he has also been a judge at various local talent competitions in Derry.
Gemma Cropper
Senior Events Manager
BPI
Gemma is the Senior Manager for The BRIT Awards and the Mercury Music Prize. Previously, she spearheaded partnerships with the British music industry at Google, collaborating closely with the Oh Yeah Centre, Music Managers Forum, and PRS Foundation. Before that, she served as Managing Director at the purpose-driven consultancy Skating Panda, where she led campaigns and strategies for clients including BSKYB, BT, UNICEF, Comic Relief, and NHS Charities Together. Gemma has extensive experience in PR, artist management, and events, having worked with notable organisations such as Warner Music, Virgin Records, EMI Music, Anglo Plugging, and 19 Entertainment. Outside of her professional commitments, she is a Trustee for the charity Music Works and is dedicated to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion within the creative industries.
India Gilmore
BBC Music Introducing
India is a part of the BBC Introducing management team that oversees all the 24 regional and 6 national Introducing Radio shows and festival stages across the UK and Internationally. India also sits on the BBC Radio 1 Playlist Team.
BBC Introducing is the BBC’s unique new music discovery initiative. Through a network of influential regional radio shows, the best new music is sourced from local scenes and broadcast to millions via Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, 6Music, Asian Network, and Radio 3. BBC Introducing not only features prominently on the airwaves but also curates stages at major festivals such as Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Latitude, and The Great Escape, and champions British talent at international events like South By South West and Eurosonic. Florence and the Machine, Raye, Olivia Dean, Arlo Parks, Tom Grennan & Sam Fender all received Introducing support at the start of their careers.
Jayne Trimble
CEO & Founder
World Peach Records
Jayne Trimble is the CEO and Founder of World Peach Records, a boutique record label and publishing company for women out of Venice, CA. Founded in 2015 in response to the overwhelming lack of female energy in the music industry, her artists have appeared at SXSW, Folk Alliance International, Canadian Music Week, and many more. She is a proud voting member of The Recording Academy GRAMMY's ®, Association of Independent Music Publishers, Guild Of Music Supervisors and Women In Music. Artists on her roster have been heard on CBC, BBC, and iHeart Radio, CTV, WDTV, and KOIN TV channels, and toured internationally throughout Canada, the US, UK & Ireland. Jayne is also an artist in her own right- a Canadian Folk Music Awards Nominee, toured with JUNO nominated Canadian Alt-Country band The Deep Dark Woods, signed with Garment District Records in Toronto, had National sync placements on NBC, MTV, CW and Oxygen Networks, and work produced by the Indie icon Damien Jurado. She is the doting mom to her fur baby Toby and thanks her lucky stars everyday for the extraordinary life she gets to lead.
Jenn Crothers
Assistant Producer, BBC Radio 1, 2 & 6 Music
Co-Founder, Boogaloo Radio
Jenn Crothers is a radio presenter, Assistant Producer for BBC 6 Music, Radio 1 and Radio 2, Co-Founder of London's community station Boogaloo Radio, and a DJ across London.
John Nolan
Senior Communications Manager
PPL
John is Senior Communications Manager at music licensing company PPL, a position he took on in January 2024. In his role, John is focused on building PPL’s media profile as a leader in advocating for and collecting public performance royalties on behalf of PPL’s 140,000 members, made up of performers and recording rightsholders.
Prior to working at PPL, John handled advertising communications at Meta for nearly four years, at times working with the music team to promote artist campaigns. He’s previously held communications roles in technology, advertising and broadcast working for Yahoo, AOL and ITN. He started out his career as a radio plugger in New York, promoting records to specialist mix shows across the USA. He lives in London and originally hails from County Kilkenny.
Liam McMahon
Senior Communcations Manager
PRS Foundation
Liam McMahon is the Senior Communications Manager at PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development. Liam leads the organisation’s communication strategy and is part of the senior management team. Before joining PRS Foundation in 2014, Liam worked in music PR at various agencies and for music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins. He studied at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (now Buckinghamshire New University) and graduated with a degree in Music Industry Management & Live Production.
Mark Davyd
Founder & CEO, Music Venue Trust
co-owner, Tunbridge Wells Forum
Mark is the founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust and co-owner of Tunbridge Wells Forum, a venue founded in a toilet over 25 years ago. He leads the charity and its fundraising, its relationships with governments, media, major cultural institutions and the music industry.
Niall Byrne
Founder, Nialler9
DJ, event curator, creative producer, podcaster
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-read Irish music site Nialler9, where he writes about new music and hosts the Nialler9 Podcast.
Niall is a music event curator and producer who hosts and consults on gigs, parties & events. Niall has curated once-off music events at SXSW in Austin, Texas & Camden Crawl in London as well as nationally for Musictown, Dublin Theatre Festival, Cork’s Sounds From A Safe Harbour and Happenings among others. Most recently, Niall co-produced Night Moves a DJ-lead event at the Fruit & Veg Market off Capel Street as part of Culture Night Dublin.
Niall promotes club nights like his popular Indie Sleaze Club, monthly Listening Parties along with the long running Lumo Club, a monthly "house party in a club" night in Dublin and also DJs around Ireland and at festivals like Electric Picnic, All Together Now, Other Voices and Body&Soul.
Niall is also an artist manager for alternative rock artist Skinner.
Niall has worked as a music supervisor and sync licensing consultant known for curating music for digital media, ads, TV, films and in-flight entertainment with an emphasis on emerging Irish music. He lives in Dublin, Ireland
Rebecca Swarray
Senior Policy Officer in Creative Culture and Night Time Economy team, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Freelance event curator, DJ and artist (Mix-Stress), community connector, producer, and programmer
Rebecca Swarray is a Senior Policy Officer in Creative Culture and Nighttime Economy team at Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
A freelance event curator, DJ, community connector, producer, and programmer working on various creative projects, city partnerships, and events across Greater Manchester: she is passionate about connecting communities and creating opportunities for others within the creative industries.
As DJ Mix-Stress she is no stranger to captivating a crowd and a dance floor. She has graced many spaces and places around the UK which include The Warehouse Project, Printworks London, ParkLife, Creamfields, Gaydio, London Pride, Manchester Pride, The National Theatre, La Discotheque, Eurovision, Glitterbox, Defected, Factory International, Manchester International Festival, and BlueDot Festival, to name a few.
Consistently highlighting her eclectic and vibrant vibes with monthly residencies at Manchester establishments such as Ducie Street Warehouse and Albert Schloss. She also enjoys monthly national radio shows residencies on Gaydio Radio and Reform Radio.
Recent brand collaborations and campaigns include Nike, Sephora, and Size. More recently playing internationally at SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas and Pikes, Ibiza over the summer.
Mix-Stress is certainly a certified and respected favourite amongst the northern bustling music scene and beyond.