SAM Fender was the pick of the bunch at the NME Awards — and it looked like he had even more success at the afterparty.
After sticking one of the finger-shaped gongs up his nose the double winner flirted with Norwegian singer Sigrid at a bash then disappeared with her.
The pair were spotted deep in conversation at Fontaines DC’s party at Oscars Mayfair in central London.
After a one-on-one chat they moved to a private booth in the corner of the venue out of sight of the rest of the room.
Fifteen minutes later he walked out of the club, followed by Sigrid moments later at 2.20am.
Music insiders yesterday insisted they were actually plotting to team up in the studio on a new song.
A source said: “Sam and Sigrid both won big and performed, so they had reasons to celebrate.
“They’ve met each other a few times and have always got on, so it was no wonder they looked chuffed to bump into each other.
“He was clearly really keen and was turning on the charm, but she seemed more interested in talking about the music.
“They had this really deep conversation for ages and then went to a private booth so they wouldn’t be bothered by anyone and could speak properly.
“After chatting for quite a while he headed out and then a few minutes later she left too. Who knows what happened after that?”
It’s not the first time that the Geordie charmer has set tongues wagging at a bash.
Last month our sister column Biz on Sunday revealed Sam had been on a string of dates with singer Raye after they were spotted getting cosy at a Brits after-party.
Sigrid, gearing up to release her single It Gets Dark next week, performed her latest tune Head On Fire with Griff at the ceremony in South London’s Brixton Academy.
The song won them the Best Collaboration award — and if she manages to pull off a duet with Sam, she could scoop the same gong next year.
But for now she is splitting her time between London and her native Norway, so they may have trouble booking studio time.
Asked on the red carpet whether she had a place in the UK yet, she said: “I don’t. I should, probably. I’m in hotels and AirBnBs.”
Sam took home the prizes for Best Album By A UK Artist and Best Album In The World for his second record, Seventeen Going Under.
He was in high spirits as he accepted one of his awards, saying: “Loads of Geordie passion in the house tonight. Scream if you wanna go faster!”
Then, looking at Fontaines DC, he added: “I’m gonna come and neck on with the f***ing lot of you.”
The band were up for a good time too and made a jibe at Boris Johnson, saying: “We’re going to party like No10 tonight.”
BRING Me The Horizon are teaming up with Ed Sheeran again after joining him on a version of his song Bad Habits at the Brit Awards, which was later given a proper release.
The band have revealed they are now in touch with him about teaming up on an original song.
Frontman Oli Sykes said at the awards: “We are talking about it. It’s one of those things that you never really know when people say it’s true.
“But he’s been so enthusiastic about the band and he really wants to do something together which, after the way that the cover went down, we feel like it’s worth exploring. It would be really cool.”
It could just as well be a spooky tune for Halloween, after Oli revealed he now has fanged teeth.
Flashing a sharp smile he explained: “They’re real and they’re permanent.
“I was getting my teeth fixed at the dentist and I said, ‘Can you make these any shape?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah’.
“I said, ‘Can you make them vampire fangs?’
And he said, ‘I could do’. I was like, ‘Do it, man’.”
Asked if his singing voice has been affected by his changed gnashers, he added: “No, I hope not. I think it’s fine.”
Fangs of the band will be happy, then . . .
LOTTIE Moss was out enjoying herself in this strapless dress following her stint in rehab last month.
The model half-sister of Kate Moss, seemed to take inspiration from the rude awards trophy as she left in a cab – by sticking up her middle finger for the camera.
She looked like she was having more fun on the way home than she did inside the venue though, as she spent ages getting her mates to take photos of her sitting at her table as she tried to get the best shot for her Instagram.
Lottie must have been glad she was looking good for the occasion though.
She was on a table just metres away from her ex-boyfriend, Tristan Evans from The Vamps.
Awkward.
NENEH Cherry won the Icon Award and it is going to kick off a whole resurgence of her career.
I can reveal it marks a comeback for the 1980s singer – mum to new superstar Mabel – with a huge covers album planned celebrating her incredible back catalogue.
Neneh was born in Stockholm and fellow Swede Robyn is the first to release a tune from it, a cover of her massive 1988 song Buffalo Stance, featuring Mapei.
Other big acts are being lined up to cover Neneh’s best-known hits for the rest of the album.
Buffalo Stance premiered yesterday and I’m told it is the first of many tracks heralding the return of Neneh, whose most recent album, Broken Politics came out in 2018.
Presenting Neneh with her award at the ceremony on Wednesday, Mabel said: “I’m so blessed to have you as a mum. And you’ll always probably be that tiny bit cooler than me. You’re a role model to so many, and my biggest inspiration.”
Neneh then hinted that there is much more to come from her as she accepted the prize.
She told the crowd: “I’m wondering how I can bribe my family with this.
Like, ‘Don’t f**k with me, I’m an icon! Do the bloody washing up, girl’.
“I always hoped I would be in this for the long-term . . . we’re not done yet.”
COMEDIAN Aisling Bea gave a bit too much detail while collecting her Best TV Actor award.
Referencing the shape of the trophy, a hand giving the middle finger, The 8 Out Of 10 Cats telly regular said on stage: “I will use this tonight in my own special way.”
FOALS frontman Yannis Philippakis is desperate for an invite to play Glasto this year.
The band will release their seventh album, Life Is Yours, a week before the festival in June, and the singer said: “We’d love to be there.
“We’re headlining Latitude, that’s going to be awesome for us. That’s about a month after.
“We’d be at Glastonbury every year if you asked us. We absolutely love it.
“The last time we played we did a secret show on the Park Stage, so I feel like there’s some unfinished business.”
The group’s keyboard player Edwin Congreave quit last year, leaving them as a trio, so things will be different if they do perform.
Yannis joked: “There’s constant bickering. All the soft edges of the band have been removed and there’s three hard corners of a table. No, it’s great. Writing this record was a dream.”
CHAMPIONING pop star Rina Sawayama has paid off for Sir Elton John, who had an exclusive first listen of her upcoming album.
They teamed up for a version of her song Chosen Family last year and she has since played him her new record, even before officially announcing it.
Rina who won Best Live Act, said: “I wrote a record during lockdown, which was really difficult.
“I felt I just didn’t have anything to write about because, like a lot of people, I wasn’t doing anything. But I managed to do it and it is coming out this year.”
She said Elton had “heard all of it”, adding: “We spent some time in the summer together and he has this humongous boombox which he listens to music on. I played him my songs and he loved them.”
Rina said her award was poignant because NME helped get her career off the ground.
She recalled: “I posted an ad in NME when I was younger to find bandmates.”
FKA Twigs won the Godlike Genius gong but on the red carpet she bowed down to another artist.
She said of Levitating singer Dua Lipa: “She is testament to hard work and grind and I really respect her for that.
“We’re all here to learn and observe and improve ourselves and Dua has developed into a well-rounded and really cool artist. I’m really happy for her.”
The pair played a snippet of a collaboration during Dua’s Studio 2054 livestream show in 2020 but the song hasn’t been finished.
FKA Twigs said: “Oh my gosh, there’s still no update. I’m sorry. I’m so bad, there’s not even a reason for it. I need to get it together.”
DAISY May Cooper looked pleased as punch to be joined by a new mystery man on the red carpet.
The This Country actor dumped her husband Will Weston last summer.
She hosted the evening with rapper Lady Leshurr but had her latest someone special by her side as she posed for photos and he gave her a peck on the cheek in front of photographers.
The comedy star stopped short of revealing her new bloke’s identity.
It’s good to see her out there smiling again.
