Sam Fender Wins Mercury Prize, Announces Deluxe Edition Of ‘People Watching’

Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize. Fender won for People Watching, solidifying his reputation as one of Britain’s defining songwriters of the decade. The ceremony, held in Newcastle — the first time the awards have taken place outside London — saw Fender take home the honor ahead of fellow nominees including FKA twigs, Pulp, Wolf Alice, and Fontaines D.C.

Fender followed up the win with an announcement: He’ll be following up his acclaimed 2025 third album, People Watching, with an expanded deluxe edition. The updated version will arrive on December 5 via Polydor Records. The deluxe edition features eight new tracks, released on both CD and vinyl. They include four songs that originally featured on Sam’s limited edition Record Store Day vinyl-only Me and The Dog EP — “I’m Always On Stage”, “Me and The Dog”, “Tyrants”, and “Empty Spaces” — as well as “Rein Me In” with Olivia Dean for its first physical release, and three previously unheard tracks: “Fortuna’s Wheel”, “The Treadmill”, and “Talk To You” featuring Elton John.

“‘Talk to You’ was written during the People Watching sessions at British Grove. It’s a song about the end of a long relationship — about the regret, the mistakes, and the lessons that come with it. It’s that feeling of losing your best friend and coming to terms with that,” Fender said of the new tune in a statement. “I was playing around with the riff and thought what I need is a really good pianist, and then hmmm, I wonder who I can call? And of course, who better than Elton John.”

Elton John also shared his experience working with the artist: “Sam was writing and recording in a studio in West London, and called to say he’d written a song with a piano riff that he thought would sound great with me playing it. I couldn’t resist, and it was so much fun playing it for him. I truly love Sam. He’s been a friend for many, many years, and it’s incredible to see him grow into being a truly world-class artist.”

Released in February 2025, People Watching became the fastest-selling album by a British solo artist since spring 2022, selling over 100,000 copies in its first week in the UK alone. The album, which has spawned six singles (including the title track and “Wild Long Lie”), topped the UK Albums Chart and reached the top ten in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland. Fender is currently supporting People Watching with an extensive world tour, with the North American leg running through October.

Listen to Sam Fender’s “Talk To You,” featuring Elton John, now.