Academy Fellowship Joan Armatrading

Academy Fellowship

Everybody loves Joan Armatrading. The only question is, which era is your favourite?

As you might expect of a singer and songwriter who’s not far off racking up 50 incredible years in the business, Armatrading has covered a lot of ground in a career for which the word ‘trailblazing’ is barely adequate.

But whether your favourite Armatrading places involve visiting the irresistible power pop of 1983’s Drop The Pilot; the smouldering balladry of 1976’s Love And Affection; the raw soul of 2003’s Lovers Speak album; the feisty new wave of 1980’s Me Myself I; the gritty blues of 2007’s Into The Blues; the unapologetic intensity of her latest record, 2018’s Not Too Far Away; or any of the points in between, all the manifestations of Joan Armatrading have one thing in common. Amazing songwriting.

That is why, this year, Armatrading – already the recipient of an Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection Ivor – has been selected to become an Ivors Academy Fellow, the latest honour in a career strewn with the likes of an MBE, a BASCA Gold Badge and the Radio 2 Folk Awards Lifetime Achievement gong.

Her career began in 1972 with debut album Whatever’s For Us and has taken in many a genre and style since, across more than 20 albums and millions of record sales. Throughout it all though, we’ve been blessed with Armatrading’s unique voice and disarming style, in which she articulates complex human emotions with beautiful simplicity.

That skillset has taken her around the world and also into places where few others have been granted access. She was the first ever British female artist to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the blues categories, the first non-jazz artist to play Ronnie Scott’s main room and was handpicked to play her tribute song, The Messenger, to its subject, Nelson Mandela, in 2001.

Somehow, along the way, she has also found time to gain a BA Hons in History, do tireless work for charity and even run marathons.

Today, however, it’s to be hoped she slows down slightly, as we celebrate one of the UK’s most remarkable songwriters, in all her many guises.

MARK SUTHERLAND