Spotlight on the Best Spoken Word Performer Shortlist

Over a week to go before voting ends, so we now turn to the Best Spoken Word Performer shortlist – have a look below and vote here.

Susan Evans

Shortlisted Best Spoken Word Performer!! WOW!! Only mentioned to a few peeps that I was getting low on gin & would appreciate support in the *Sacred Gin* sponsored Saboteur Awards for Indie Lit! Seriously, am super happy!! THANK YOU VOTERS!! Please keep voting – I want the Moon on a Stick!

Photo Credit: Andrew King
Photo Credit: Andrew King

The work this past twelve months included the privilege of being one of sixty sponsored poets to perform at Vout-O-Reenee’s, in Poem-A-Thon for Refugees; helping to raise over 20K forMédecins Sans Frontières.  A Writer for Calais Refugees: using stage & page `to express concerns that the state does not seem to share.’ A writer/performer for Anti-austerity (See Proletarian Poetry: #Irony). PLUS love injuries! (see YouTube et al)., A Socialist-feminist, forty-something, working-class, tragic-comic, confessional, conversational, lyrical, performance poet, with twenty-years background facilitating arts in mental health & social care (Rethink, Mind, NHS)., with a belief that creativity’s central to healing.

Why voters think she should win:

Susan is everywhere! Hard-working, funny, great delivery, poetry that speaks to a wide audience and who couldn’t forget her audience powered bubble swords?!

I found her work so interesting and have always been able to relate to every word she said. A true community performer and deserving of the award.

Susan Evans is a poet who doesn’t perform, she is! No masks, no acting, just a true-to-herself woman, who doesn’t flinch from confronting sensitive topics, but also always has a tongue-in-cheek approach to the realities of life!

Jemima Foxtrot

I’m chuffed as punch to be shortlisted for best spoken word performer. It’s been a busy year and I’m really happy it’s paid off, that people like what I do

Jemima Foxtrot - B&W

Jemima is a performance poet and singer who blends powerful, sonic heavy poetry with snippets of popular, self-composed and traditional songs. The uniqueness of Jemima’s work lies in her use of unusual imagery and her discussion of big issues through the minutiae of every day life. Jemima has written commissions for the BBC, the Tate Britain and Latitude Festival and she was shortlisted for the 2015 Arts Foundation Spoken Word Fellowship. Her poetry play Melody (co-written by Lucy Allan) is currently touring the UK. Jemima’s debut collection of poetry All Damn Day is out with Burning Eye Books in 2016.

Why voters think she should win:

Jemima is a natural in front of the camera.Her work illustrates flair and vivacity; the topics she chooses are cleverly put together. She has a great future as an all-round performer.

Jemima gets better and better – her original approach, combining spoken word and song, results in a spine-tingling performance every time.

An extraordinary refreshing and original young performer. People at Cafe Writers are still saying how brilliant the night was, months later.

Emily Harrison

This makes a delightful change, as I normally only get nominated for inpatient psychiatric care. It’s really amazing to be recognised alongside such talent.

EmHarriPoetry

Emily Harrison performs regularly in London and across the UK, combining precise writing and bold performance. Her poems of “wry observation betray a particular and peculiar turn of mind” and have appeared in various publications including Popshot magazine, Rising and The Morning Star. “Astute and at times painfully humorous”, her first full-length collection with Burning Eye Books is a body of work that confronts a search for love against the stark yet humanising backdrop of the psychiatric institution.

Why voters think she should win:

She combines an unflinching eye with phenomenal comic sensitivity thereby taking the audience through a range of emotions

I’ve never seen her put in a bad performance. She engages the audiences on serious issues but with non-preachy and very funny and poignant poems

Emily is an inspiring, witty and honest poet who has normalised the conversation surrounding mental health and is totally kick-ass to boot.

Sophia Walker

Okay, now I’m definitely having pizza. This is exciting! I mean the nomination is exciting, not the pizza. Though pizza is also exciting. I really like pizza

me2

Hi, I’m Sophia. I’ve got poems on youtube and on my website if you fancy checking out my work. If you’ve seen me before and like my stuff, that’s a massive honour, thank you. I don’t know what to say here. It’s a tad mindblowing to be mentioned in this category, particularly in the UK where the standard of poetry is so astonishingly high. Vote for whose poems you like. There are so many poets to like, that’s pretty badass. We’re taking over. Before they know it, us poets will be everywhere. Oh wait, we are. Excellent.

Why voters think she should win:

Poetic but not pretentious. Handles “issues” without being preachy or going for the obvious. Pretty much perfect.

She is fearless and tackles issues which need to be discussed in an inventive and engaging way.

dynamic and sincere, tremendous depth and intellect

Luke Wright

I’m delighted to be nominated as ‘best spoken word performer.’ I’m honoured to be in such illustrious company.

luke

Luke Wright has toured the world with his eight solo poetry shows. His debut play What I Learned From Johnny Bevan won The Scotman’s Fringe First award in 2015. He’s had two verse documentaries on Channel 4, is a regular contributor to various BBC radio programmes and co-curates the spoken word line-ups at Latitude, Festival Number 6 and The Edinburgh International Book Festival. His debut collections Mondeo Man receives universal acclaim. The Huffington Post gave it five stars, calling it a “riot of cheek, giggles, boobs and Facebook.

Why voters think he should win:

Cerebral, insightful views and observations delivered with fervour. For me, stole the show at John Cooper Clark gig.

Luke is an amazing poet he is a joy to listen to such clever work and beautifully performed, a true talent, has to been seen to be believed so deserves to win

Luke’s combination of character performance, sheer word play and startling flashes of heartbreaking poignancy means each time you settle in to the show he’ll turn you on your head for a tear or an out loud laugh.