UK Music Video Awards 2021: The winners

Dua Lipa, Pa Salieu, Joy Crookes, Little Simz, Celeste and Bicep were among the British artists who were honoured at the UK Music Video Awards 2021, held at The Roundhouse in London this evening, November 4th.

Dua, Salieu and Crookes claimed two awards apiece at this year’s UKMVAs - the awards show that celebrates the creativity that goes into the making of music videos and music film, both in the UK and beyond. International artists whose videos took prizes at this year’s UKMVAs include Lil Nas X, Normani, Megan Thee Stallion, Salvatore Ganacci, Biting Elbows and Duck Sauce.

The 14th annual running of the UKMVAs saw the awards ceremony return to The Roundhouse for the first time in two years. With Covid protocols in place for an audience of over 800 music video-making professionals, the show was hosted for the first time by comedian Maisie Adam. Forty awards were handed out to directors, producers and other creatives who work behind the camera to create the music videos that millions enjoy every day on YouTube and elsewhere.

Ukranian director Tanu Muino became the first female to win the coveted Best Director award at the UKMVAs, for her work on hugely popular videos in the past year for Lil Nas X, Cardi B and Normani ft Cardi B – the latter also winning the award for Best R&B/Soul Video (International).

It was the video for Duck Sauce’s Mesmerize, directed by Keith Schofield, which took the big prize of the night. Created by Schofield during lockdown last year, employing basic animation and editing tools to realise his scurrilous vision of a celeb-filled nightclub, the video won Best Dance/Electronic Video (International), and then anointed as Video of the Year at the end of the show.

Among British winners, Dua Lipa’s video for Love Again, directed by Lope Serrano at CANADA, won Best Pop Video UK, while her longform concert film Studio 2054, directed by Liz Clare, won Best Music Film. Pa Salieu’s exceptional visual output over the past year was also recognised with two awards: the music video for My Family, featuring Backroad Gee, directed by Femi Ladi, won Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Video UK, and his performance of Frontline for Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, directed by TAWBOX, won Best Live Video.

Joy Crookes’s video for Feet Don’t Fail Me Now, which celebrates Indian culture in London, won two craft awards on the night, for Best Wardrobe Styling and the UKMVAs’ inaugural Best Hair & Makeup award. Bicep’s video for Saku, featuring Clara La San, won the Best Visual Effects award, while Little Simz’s video for Introvert, won Best Editing in a Video.

Swedish/Bosnian dance producer Salvatore Ganacci won the inaugural Best Performance In A Video prize at the UKMVAs for his hilariously deadpan turn in the video for Step-Grandma, directed by his regular collaborator Vedran Rupic.

Celeste’s video for Tonight Tonight, directed by Noah Lee, won Best R&B Soul Video UK, while James Blake’s Say What You Will, directed by Bear Damon (and co-starring Finneas) won Best Alternative Video UK. Beabadoobee’s Last Day On Earth, directed by Arnaud Bresson, won Best Rock Video UK.

At the climax of the evening, Agile Films’s Precious Mahaga won the Best Producer award, and Sony Music video commissioner Kat Cattaneo won the Best Commissioner award – both for the first time.

There was also a special presentation of the UKMVAs’ Outstanding Achievement Award to Juliette Larthe for her longstanding contribution to UK music videos, as a producer, executive producer and co-founder of Prettybird, the UK and US-based production company. Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie presented the award to Larthe, and a filmed tribute and celebration of her career included messages from actress/director Samantha Morton, supermodel Naomi Campbell, photographer/director Nick Knight, and artists Gilbert & George.

The winners are:

Best Pop Video – UK in association with Cinelab Film & Digital

Winner:

Dua Lipa – Love Again

director: Lope Serrano aka CANADA producers: Karen Saurí, Oscar Romagosa prod co: CANADA
commissioner: Katie Dolan for Warner Records

Best R&B / Soul Video – UK

Winner:

Celeste – Tonight Tonight

director: Noah Lee
producers: Kate Brady, Suzan Mustafa
prod co: Riff Raff Films
commissioner: Marco Grey for Polydor Records

Best Dance / Electronic Video – UK

Winner:

Hot Chip, Jarvis Cocker – Straight To The Morning

director: RÉALITÉ
producer: Karen Saurí
prod co: CANADA
commissioner: John Moule for Domino Recording Co

Best Rock Video – UK

Winner:

Beabadoobee – Last Day On Earth

director: Arnaud Bresson
producer: Théo Gall
prod co: DIVISION
commissioner: Chris Melian for Dirty Hit Records

Best Alternative Video – UK

Winner:

James Blake – Say What You Will

director: Bear Damen
producer: Salim El Arja
prod co: Couscous
commissioner: Semera Khan for Polydor Records

Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – UK

Winner:

Pa Salieu ft Backroad Gee – My Family

director: Femi Ladi
producer: Mathias Gilay
prod co: Untold Studios
commissioner: Oksi Odedina for Warner Records

Best Pop Video – International

Winner:

Lil Nas X ft Jack Harlow – Industry Baby

director: Christian Breslauer
producers: Andrew Lerios, Luga Podesta, Saul Levitz, Brandon Bonfiglio prod co: London Alley
commissioner: Saul Levitz for Columbia Records

Best R&B / Soul Video – International

Winner:

Normani x Cardi B – Wild Side

director: Tanu Muino
producer: Jack Winter
prod co: UnderWonder Content
commissioners: Camille Yorrick & Chris Clavadetscher for RCA Records

Best Dance / Electronic Video – International

Winner:

Duck Sauce – Mesmerize

director: Keith Schofield
repped by Caviar
commissioner: Katy Eggleton for Duck Sauce

Best Rock Video – International

Winner:

Biting Elbows – Boy Is Dead

director: Ilya Naishuller prod co: Versus Pictures commissioner: MTS

Best Alternative Video – International

Winner:

Sansara – We Will Become Better

director: Andzej Gavriss
producers: Egor Solomatin, Mikhail Marizov, Evgeny Primachenko, Andrei Gubaidullin, Alexandra Galius prod co: Daddy's Film
commissioner: Egor Solomatin for Nepokoi

Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – International

Winner:

Megan Thee Stallion – Thot Shit

director: Aube Perrie
exec producer: Boris Labourguigne
producer: Sarah Park & Nick Callais
prod co: Left Productions
commissioner: Lucas Prevost for 300 Entertainment

Best Pop Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Drew Sycamore – 45 Fahrenheit Girl

director: Jonatan Egholm Keis
producer: Jonatan Egholm Keis
prod co: New Land
commissioner: Jan-Erik Stig for Warner Music Denmark

Best R&B / Soul Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Bamao Yendé & Le Diouck – Marvin Gueye

director: Vincent Catel
producer: Roman Pichon Herrera & Pierre-Edouard Sigwalt

prod co: Diplomats
commissioner: Max Le Disez for Boukan Records

Best Dance / Electronic Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Modeselektor – Mean Friend

director: Abigail Wilson
producer: Paulien Voorkamp
prod co: Bwgtbld
commissioner: Matthias Klein / C/O Magick for Sony Music

Best Rock Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Jeremy Ivey – Someone Else's Problem

director: Kimberly Stuckwisch
producer: Ian Blair
prod co: Invisible Inc
commissioner: Ryan Marian for Anti Records

Best Alternative Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Audiobooks – Lalala It's The Good Life

director: Rottingdean Bazaar
producer: Rosie Brear
prod co: Blink Productions
commissioner: Danny Mitchell & Jeff Barrett for Heavenly Recordings

Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – Newcomer

Winner:

Homeboy Sandman – Monument

director: Pavel Buryak
producers: Gretta Wilson, Pavel Buryak
rod co: Rafesthetic.tv
commissioner: Angel Del Villar for Mello Music Group

Best Performance in a Video

Winner:

Salvatore Ganacci – Step-Grandma

performer: Salvatore Ganacci director: Vedran Rupic
prod co: Business Club Royale record co: Zatara Recordings

Best Production Design in a Video

Winner:

DJ Snake & Selena Gomez – Selfish Love

production designer: Taísa Malouf director: Rodrigo Saavedra
prod co: The Directors Bureau & LANDIA record co: Interscope

Best Wardrobe Styling in a Video in association with i-D

Winner:

Joy Crookes – Feet Don't Fail Me Now

stylists: Matthew Josephs (Joy Crookes) Natalie Roar (cast) director: Taz Tron Delix
prod co: COMPULSORY
record co: Sony Music Entertainment

Best Hair & Make-Up in a Video in association with Loop Talent

Winner:

Joy Crookes – Feet Don't Fail Me Now

stylist: Mata Marielle (MUA), Issac Poleon (Hair) director: Taz Tron Delix
prod co: COMPULSORY
record co: Sony Music Entertainment

Best Choreography in a Video

Winner:

Purple Disco Machine ft Moss Kena & The Knocks – Fireworks

choreographer: Adam Beta
director: Greg Barth
prod co: Common People Films & Rekorder record co: Sony Music Entertainment

Best Cinematography in a Video in association with Panalux

Winner:

Califato 3⁄4 – Fandangô de carmen porter

dop: Michal Babinec
director: Nono Ayuso
prod co: Landia & Dude Originals record co: Breaking Bass Records

Best Colour Grading in a Video in association with CHEAT

winner:

Bastille – Distorted Light Beam

colourist: Alex Gregory director: Jak Payne
prod co: Blink Productions record co: Virgin Records

Best Editing in a Video in association with Homespun

Winner:

Little Simz – Introvert

editor: Elise Butt at Trim Editing director: Salomon Lighthelm prod co: Prettybird UK
record co: AWAL

record co: Animal 63

Best Visual Effects in a Video in association with LEAP

Winner:

Bicep ft Clara La San – Saku

vfx artist: Alexis Baillia at Firm Studio director: David Betram
prod co: Diplomats
record co: Ninja Tune

Best Animation in a Video

Winner:

L'Impératrice – Hématome

animators: Roxane Lumeret, Jocelyn Charles, Chloé Farr director: Roxane Lumeret & Jocelyn Charles
prod co: Studio Remembers
record co: Microqlima

Best Special Video Project

Winner:

Topaz Jones – Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma

directors: rubberband., Topaz Jones

producer: Luigi Rossi
prod co: SMUGGLER
record co: New Funk Academy / Black Canopy

Best Live Video

Winner:

Pa Salieu – Frontline (live on Jimmy Fallon)

director: TAWBOX
producer: Ghandi El-Chamaa prod co: Film Band
record co: Atlantic Records

Best Music Film in association with Anna Valley

Winner:

Dua Lipa – Studio 2054

director: Liz Clare producer: Peter Abbott prod co: Ceremony London record co: Warner Records

Best Commissioner

Winner:

Kat Cattaneo

Best Agent

Winner:

Sam Davey (OB Management)

Best Producer in association with WPA UK

Winner:

Precious Mahaga

Best Production Company

Winner:

CANADA

Best Post Production Company in association with Studio RM

Winner:

Electric Theatre Collective

Best New Director in association with Time Based Arts

Winner:

Aube Perrie

Best Director in association with Electric Theatre Collective

Winner:

Tanu Muino

The Outstanding Achievement Award

Recipient:

Juliette Larthe

Video of the Year

Winner:

Duck Sauce – Mesmerize

director: Keith Schofield
repped by Caviar
commissioner: Katy Eggleton for Duck Sauce