Vagrant Real Estate wins SAY Award 2026 and £20,000 cash prize
The Aberdonian DJ and producer joins Nikhita, who won the Sound Of Young Scotland Award, and Boards Of Canada, who were awarded Modern Scottish Classic for their debut album
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DJ and producer Vagrant Real Estate has won this year’s Scottish Album Of The Year (SAY) Award for his debut Neither Collar Nor Crown, coming top in a shortlist of ten albums to win a bespoke trophy and a £20,000 cash prize. The coveted title was announced in a ceremony at Dundee’s Caird Hall as the award celebrates 15 years celebrating Scottish music.
As he collected his award, Nick Cronin, who uses the Vagrant Real Estate moniker, said: ‘This album is not me alone. This is 25 featured artists from all across the country. Thank you to all the artists who took the time to feature in this project.
‘To anybody who is trying to make art and they aren’t in the central belt where the industry attention is, I’m from Aberdeen and I’m right here.’
Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Nikhita picked up the Sound Of Young Scotland Award, winning a funding package worth up to £10,000 to support the creation of her debut album,. She was picked from a shortlist which included heavyskint, Jasmin Jet, LOLA and Niamh Corkey.
Meanwhile, Boards Of Canada were awarded the Modern Scottish Classic award for their forward-looking debut from 1998, Music Has The Right To Children. They join a list of other prestigious Scottish albums that have won the award, including KT Tunstall’s Eye To The Telescope, Paolo Nutini’s These Streets, Martyn Bennett’s Grit, Cocteau Twins’ Heaven Or Las Vegas, Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight. Boards’ latest album Inferno was also chosen for this year’s SAY shortlist.
The SAY Award 2026 shortlist was:
Barry Can't Swim – Loner
Boards Of Canada – Inferno
Brìghde Chaimbeul – Sunwise
Heir Of The Cursed – Heir Of The Cursed
Hen Hoose Collective – The Twelve
Michael McGovern – Thin White Road
Sonedo – From Here On Out
Swim School – Swim School
Vagrant Real Estate – Neither Collar Nor Crown
Vlure – ESCALATE
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and creative director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said: ‘Massive congratulations to Aberdonian producer and DJ Vagrant Real Estate, with Neither Collar Nor Crown claiming 2026’s coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year. Bringing together 25 Scottish artists, it’s an unapologetically Scottish record that pushes the boundaries of Scottish hip-hop while drawing deeply from our shared cultural and musical heritage. It’s visceral, powerful and a masterpiece in both collaboration and storytelling – a truly well-deserved SAY Award winner.’
A panel of judges from across the creative industries deliberated and chose the ultimate SAY Award winner, chaired by music and culture journalist Arusa Qureshi. 2026’s judging panel included, Kath M Mainland (executive director of Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre), broadcaster and singer Michelle McManus, Scotland’s Makar Peter Mackay, Highland-born music journalist and editor Robin Murray (CLASH), music journalist Tallah Brash (The Skinny), and writer and actor Sanjeev Kohli, amongst others.
Hosted by Vic Galloway and Nicola Meighan, the ceremony included a performance from Kai Reesu, who won last year’s SAY for Kompromat Vol I, and Alice Faye, who won last year’s Sound Of Young Scotland award. The Ceremony also hosted special performances recognising the winning albums from 2021–2024, performed by a five-piece house band led by Joe Rattray, honouring former winners Mogwai, Fergus McCreadie, Young Fathers and rEDOLENT.
Picture: Cameron Brisbane.