PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey is the only artist to have won the Mercury Prize twice, receiving the award for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea in 2001 and Let England Shake in 2011. Born Polly Jean Harvey in Bridport, England, on 9 October 1969, she is known primarily as a vocalist and guitarist, while also playing bass, keyboards, saxophone, violin, cello and drums.

Harvey began her musical career in 1988 with the local band Automatic Dlamini, where she sang and played guitar and saxophone. The group's frontman, John Parish, became a long-term collaborator. In 1991 she formed the PJ Harvey trio, launching the project under the name she would retain as a solo artist. The trio released Dry in 1992 and Rid of Me in 1993 before disbanding.

After the trio split, Harvey continued alone, releasing ten further studio albums from 1995 onward. Her recordings have involved recurring collaborators including Parish, former PJ Harvey member Rob Ellis, Mick Harvey and Eric Drew Feldman, as well as extensive work with producer Flood. Her music moves through alternative and indie rock, art rock, folk rock, chamber folk and art pop, with her writing and voice at the center of the work.

Her honors also include a BAFTA Award, eight Brit Award nominations, eight Grammy Award nominations and two additional Mercury Prize nominations. Rolling Stone named her Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter in 1992, then Artist of the Year in 1995. She later received the NME Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In the 2013 Birthday Honours, Harvey was appointed an MBE for services to music.