In 2020, Rina Sawayama revealed that her self-titled debut album wasn’t eligible for the two aforementioned music ceremonies due to her indefinite leave to remain visa, even though she’s lived in Britain for the past 26 years.
The terms and conditions for the Mercury Prize and the BRITs stated that solo artists must have British or Irish nationality to enter the competition, and part of the process involves sending official documentation of your citizenship to the organisers. “It was so heartbreaking,” Rina said of the moment she found out. “I rarely get upset to the level where I cry.
And I cried.” At the time, Rina’s label Dirty Hit explained her situation to the organisers, but received a “curt” email informing them that the rules