English Teacher took to the stage at Mercury Fringe Week earlier this month to reflect on the support that helped spark their early career – and the turning point that led to their 2024 Mercury Prize-winning debut album ‘This Could Be Texas’.
As part of the week-long Fringe programme (co-curated by PPL Giving-supported organisation Generator) held in the run-up to this year’s Mercury Prize, the band’s singer and guitarist Lily Fontaine appeared in conversation at the Art of the Album day in Newcastle. Her appearance came almost exactly a year after the band won the Prize.
Speaking on stage with BBC Radio 1’s Jess Izatt for music interview series The Record Club, Lily described how receiving support from the PPL Momentum Accelerator fund targeted for the Yorkshire region allowed the Leeds-based band to record and release their track ‘R&B’ – a key moment in their development:
“It was the turning point for us,” she explained. “It was the first time that our song got written about in the press, which was crazy. We needed money to record that track and its B-side [‘Wallace’], and the funding that we got from the PPL Momentum Accelerator funded that recording.
“It was the spark for all of this, in a way. It was vital. That track led us on to getting picked up on radio, building a team, and all that good stuff. [It was] a massive catalyst.”
Lily also shared her advice for others applying for funding:
“If you can, get your application looked over by someone who knows about writing funding applications. It’s not always easy. I was lucky because I’d met people who ran record labels. To get to that point, just embed yourself in the music scene and it will happen naturally.”
Watch Lily in conversation live at the Mercury Fringe in full below. They discuss the PPL Momentum Accelerator Fund at 9 minutes:
The PPL Momentum Music Fund is run by PRS Foundation and supported by PPL through our charitable programme, PPL Giving. It provides grants of £5,000 – £15,000 to UK-based artists and bands at a tipping point in their careers, helping them take the next step.
The PPL Momentum Accelerator offers targeted support to those outside London who face additional barriers based on their location. The programme is currently available in Liverpool, Tees Valley, Yorkshire and Wales – find out more information and the upcoming application deadlines here.
Funding can support a wide range of activities, including touring, writing, recording, and marketing new music. Since its launch in 2013, the fund has awarded over £5.2 million to 526 artists, generating more than £22 million for the UK music industry. Previous recipients include Little Simz, Kae Tempest, Years & Years, and Public Service Broadcasting.
This year’s Mercury Prize took place in Newcastle and was the first time the awards have been hosted outside of London. The move was part of a wider push to spotlight music communities across the UK, and included the launch of Mercury Fringe, a new week-long programme of workshops, live shows and discussions held in venues across the North East.
The 2025 Mercury Prize was won by Sam Fender, marking a milestone moment in his career on home turf. Sam has received multiple forms of support over the years, including early talent development backing from Generator (a PPL Giving partner and PRS Foundation Talent Development Network), PPL Momentum Music Fund support in 2017, and a grant from the International Showcase Fund to perform at SXSW the following year.
Other artists shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize with past support through PRS Foundation and PPL were Emma Jean Thackray and Wolf Alice. Sam’s win makes him the fourth Mercury Prize winner in a row to have received PRS Foundation support, following English Teacher in 2024, Ezra Collective in 2023 and Little Simz in 2022.
