Cat Power Is First Female Shortlist Winner
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Singer-songwriter Cat Power was named the winner of the 6th annual Shortlist Music Prize, the Shortlist Organization announced yesterday. The singer, also known as Chan Marshall, is the first woman to win the prize.
A panel of musicians — including the bands Franz Ferdinand and Panic! At the Disco, singer Sufjan Stevens, and members of the Flaming Lips — selected her 2006 album, “The Greatest,” as the best by an emerging artist from a list that included artists like Girl Talk, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Tom Waits. The prize, founded in 2001, honors lesser-known albums not certified as “gold” by the Recording Industry Association of America.
“Cat Power’s album quickly got under my skin,” singer-songwriter and panelist KT Tunstall said in a statement. “She has one of the most beguiling voices around. ‘The Greatest’ is an immediate classic that will never age.”
Ms. Tunstall’s appraisal mostly echoed the critical acclaim Ms. Power’s album received when it was released in January 2006 by indie label Matador Records. “The Greatest,” Ms. Power’s 7th studio recording, debuted 34th on the Billboard 200 list and is her most popular album to date. Her previous effort, “You Are Free,” was a finalist for the Shortlist Prize in 2003.
