Edith WeUtonga’s ‘Varipasi’ album lands spot on inaugural Folk Album of the Year shortlist in the UK

ZIMSPHERE

UK-based Zimbabwean artist Edith WeUtonga has been shortlisted for the first-ever Folk Album of the Year Award, earning a coveted place among nine standout releases shaping Britain and Ireland’s contemporary folk landscape.

Varipasi – her forthcoming album set for release on 9 December – blends Afro-jazz with deep-rooted Zimbabwean traditions, marking a milestone not only for WeUtonga but for Southern African arts communities across the UK. A celebrated vocalist, bassist and composer, WeUtonga brings what organisers call a “bold and dynamic international perspective” to the field.

The newly launched Award has unveiled its inaugural shortlist: nine albums released in 2025, spanning generations, geographies and approaches to folk music – a vital snapshot of folk’s eclectic community, where traditional storytelling, contemporary composition and cross-genre experimentation sit side by side.

Originally intended to feature eight albums, the list was expanded because of the “remarkable depth in quality of the submissions.”

Inspired by the Mercury Prize format, the Folk Album of the Year Award aims to highlight the most artistically exceptional folk releases across Britain and Ireland.

The overall winner will be announced on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, during a ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall, performed before 200 invited musicians and industry figures. The event will also be livestreamed globally.

The album submission process received 146 entries. The shortlist was selected by a jury of distinguished performers, music and media professionals, chaired by English folk singer-songwriter and Executive Producer of BBC Radio 2’s ‘The Folk Show’, Kellie While. The Award has been created by music charity Sound Roots and the award-winning podcast Folk on Foot, hosted by broadcaster Matthew Bannister.

Each nominated album will be showcased in a nine-part Folk on Foot series, published daily from 3rd–11th December 2025.

David Agnew, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sound Roots, said: “In our inaugural year, we’ve been bowled over by the incredible breadth of submissions from across Britain and Ireland. As we look ahead, we're already planning how to celebrate even more exceptional folk releases. For now, we're excited to present these outstanding works to the world and to gather in Rochdale Town Hall this March to celebrate the vibrant folk community.”

Matthew Bannister, founder and host of Folk on Foot, added: “This amazing shortlist of albums by incredible musicians from such a wide range of backgrounds and ages shows just how vibrant the contemporary folk scene in Britain and Ireland is. It’s impossible not to be hugely excited, inspired and uplifted by this constellation of talent.”

Kellie While, Chair of the Sound Roots Board and Jury Chair, echoed the sentiment: “We are so grateful to our jury who have worked tirelessly and with passion over the last two weeks. It was an incredibly difficult job as there were a huge number of albums considered that very much deserve recognition. The nine albums show how vibrant and exciting this year has been for folk music in Britain and Ireland and we cannot wait for new audiences to discover these brilliant releases.”

The Folk Album of the Year Award is supported by the Rochdale Development Agency and is a key fixture in Rochdale’s 2026 Town of Culture celebrations.