Charli XCX's latest album, 'Brat', has earned her a nomination for the 2024 Mercury Prize, making it her second nomination after 'How I’m Feeling Now' in 2020. The shortlist features a record high of eight women or female-fronted acts among the 12 nominees, including Beth Gibbons, who is nominated for her first solo album 'Lives Outgrown', nearly 30 years after winning with Portishead. Other notable nominees include Corinne Bailey Rae for 'Black Rainbows', rapper Ghetts for 'On Purpose, With Purpose', and the indie band The Last Dinner Party for their debut 'Prelude to Ecstasy'. The prize, which recognizes the best British or Irish album released in the past year, will be decided by an independent judging panel, with the winner announced in September. This year's nominations highlight a significant presence of debut albums, with two-thirds of the shortlisted records being first-time releases. The omission of high-profile albums like Blur's 'The Ballad Of Darren' and Dua Lipa's 'Radical Optimism' has drawn attention to the competitiveness of this year's selection.