THE Northern music awards have revealed their nominees for 2024, with a mix of household names and up-and-coming artists set to be celebrated, with nominees from Warrington, Widnes, Wirral, Mid Cheshire, and Birkenhead.

The Northern Music Awards will be celebrating its inaugural year, with the awards show debuting last year in 2023.

Mel C from Widnes will be honoured with a special recognition award. The Spice Girl has gone on to have a fruitful solo career, featuring in a hit song with Bryan Adams ‘When You Were Gone’, and ‘Never Be The Same Again’ from her 1999 debut solo album ‘Northern Star’.

‘Favourite festival of the year’ will be decided by a public vote, with Creamfields North from Daresbury, Neighbourhood Weekender from Warrington, and Bluedot from Mid Cheshire, among the nominees.

‘Breakthrough Act of the Year’ saw two local acts nominated – with The K’s of Newton-le-Willow being one of the nominees. The indie rock foursome has followed up a successful festival season with their debut album, set to release on March 22, ‘I Wonder if the World Knows?’

Vying with the K’s for this award will be Crawlers, the band born in Warrington who found monumental success through a mixture of TikTok and their rock-solid gigging credentials.

The four-piece band, with two members born in Warrington, will be playing the main stage at Leeds Festival – and their debut album ‘The Mess We Seem to Make’, releases tomorrow, February 16.

Rounding out the breakthrough acts nominees is The Mysterines, a Wirral alt-rock band who have teased their next upcoming album with their edgy new single ‘Begin again’.

Future Yard in Birkenhead was nominated for ‘Inspirational venue of the year. The venue opened in 2021, hot off the heels of COVID-19, have managed to not only keep their doors open, but thrive in the last three years.

Artists from across the north will be celebrated – with Sam Fender and Louis Tomlinson among those vying for artist of the year.