REDOLENT have won this year’s SAY Award for their album dinny greet, picking up the winning prize of £20,000 at a glitzy ceremony at Stirling’s Albert Halls tonight. 

The winner was selected from a shortlist of ten acts including Arab Strap, Becky Sikasa, Barry Can’t Swim, corto.alto, Dead Pony, Lucia & The Best Boys, Rachel Sermanni, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, and Theo Bleak.

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, 'Tonight, rEDOLENT’s debut album dinny greet claims Scotland’s national music prize with a powerful and resonant body of work. The album’s experimental indie pop sound draws on both sharp social commentary and inventive electronic textures, firmly establishing them as a unique and important voice in Scottish music. By writing and singing in their own demotic, dinny greet carries an unmistakable self-assurance, reflecting not just the band’s journey, but where we are culturally as a nation in 2024.

 'rEDOLENT’s win is a testament to the importance of recognising and investing in Scotland’s diverse creative talent. The band’s distinct sound and voice, honed over a decade, speaks to the power of DIY ethos and creative evolution, showing us the impact of emerging artists in shaping our ever-evolving cultural identity.'

Alongside the SAY award itself, Dillon Barrie picked up the Sound Of Young Scotland Award while Martyn Bennett (who passed away in 2005 at the age of 33 from Hodgkin's Lymphoma) received The Modern Scottish Classic Album Award for his final studio album Grit. 

This year’s Ceremony was opened by No Windows, 2023’s Sound of Young Scotland winners, before three-time SAY Award nominee Bemz took to the stage for a special set. Each year, the Ceremony honours the Modern Scottish Classic Award winner with a celebratory set and tonight Greg Lawson, founder of the Grit Orchestra and Martyn Bennett’s close friend, curated a performance with Croft No.Five and Fiona Hunter. 

Chaired by Arusa Qureshi, the judging panel were Alistair Braidwood (owner and host of Scots Whay Hae!), Briana Pegado (author and founder of Good Trouble Co.), David Pollock (journalist), Doug Johnstone (author), Hazel Berry (artist relations and Amazon Originals lead at Amazon Music), Karen Dunbar (comedian, actor and entertainer), KevTame (music industry professional and Welsh Music Prize organiser), Leonie Bell (director of V&A Dundee), Paul Bonham (professional development director of Music Manager’s Forum), Sabrina Henry (head of programme at CCA) and Stephanie Cheape (singer/songwriter and BBC Introducing presenter for BBC Radio Scotland).

Now in its 13th year, previous SAY Awards winners include Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat’s Everything’s Getting Older, Kathryn Joseph’s Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled, Anna Meredith’s Varmints, and Mogwai’s As The Love Continues. Last year’s winner was Young Fathers for their blockbuster musical mash-up Heavy Heavy. 

Check out our Blagger’s Guide to this year’s SAY Award here (shamefully, we didn't predict this year's winner).