British-Japanese singer Rina Sawayama has revealed that she isn’t eligible for UK music awards.
Despite receiving critical acclaim, Sawayama’s self-titled debut album was seen by fans as a notable omission from last week’s Mercury Prize shortlist, with Elton John stating that Sawayama had been “overlooked”.
However, speaking to Vice, the “XS” singer revealed that despite having lived in the UK for 25 years and considering herself British, she is not eligible for the Mercury Prize or the Brit Awards due to her indefinite leave to remain visa.
Describing the moment she found out she wasn’t eligible as “heartbreaking”, Sawayama said: “I rarely get upset to the level where I cry. And I cried.
“All I remember is living here … I feel like I’ve contributed to the UK in a way that I think is worthy of being celebrated, or at least being eligible to be celebrated.”
She continued: “[As an immigrant], you get to a level when you don’t have to worry about your nationality and your status and whether you fit into this country. Things like that bring into sharp focus, like, whether I am even British. It’s just very upsetting.”
To be eligible for a Brit, the 29-year-old would need dual nationality, which is banned in Japan.
“What I just want is for all the awards to look into indefinite leave and change the rules to what Britishness means to them,” Sawayama said. “It’s up to the award bodies to decide what Britishness really encompasses – the very things that they celebrate, which is diversity and opportunity.”
A BPI (British Phonographic Industry) spokesperson commented: “Both The Brit Awards and the Hyundai Mercury Prize aim to be as inclusive as possible within their parameters, and their processes and eligibility criteria are constantly reviewed.”
