The O2 Silver Clef Awards have revealed this year’s first honorees: Lily Allen, Sam Fender, Max Richter and Ludovico Einaudi.
Put on by Nordoff and Robbins, the U.K.’s largest music therapy charity, the 2026 ceremony will bestow Allen with the Icon Award (sponsored by Barclays), Fender with the Best Live Act Award (sponsored by Uber Eats Music Hall), “Hamnet” composer Richter with the Contemporary Music Award (sponsored by PPL) and Italian pianist Einaudi with the Innovation in Music Award (sponsored by Oak View Group).
This year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards will take place at London’s Royal Albert Hall on July 9. It is consistently Nordoff and Robbins’ biggest fundraising event and has raised over £17 million ($22.7 million) since 1976.
As a press release states: “Funds raised from the event have played a key part in fueling the charity’s growth from a London-based operation delivering music therapy to hundreds of people, to a nationwide organization that supported 15,500 people through 48,000 music therapy sessions in 2025, partnering with over 300 organizations including schools, hospitals and care homes across the U.K.”
Past recipients of the O2 Silver Clef Awards include David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Kylie Minogue, the Rolling Stones, Oasis and Coldplay.
“I’m honored to receive the Icon Award at the O2 Silver Clef Awards, especially as it marks their 50th anniversary,” Allen said in a statement. “Music therapy is such an essential resource and I’m proud to support something that has such a profound impact on people’s lives.”
Added Fender: “It’s an honor to receive the Best Live Act Award at this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards. I’m so lucky to do this as a job. This award is especially meaningful because of the incredible work in music that Nordoff and Robbins do.”
Sandra Schembri, CEO of Nordoff and Robbins, said: “It is a real honor to have such an eclectic mix of talented artists receiving O2 Silver Clef Awards in this special anniversary year. Right now, with rising costs and a difficult fundraising landscape, the O2 Silver Clef Awards are more important than ever for us. Through the support of these amazing artists and our music industry peers, we can keep raising awareness of our mission and hope to raise as much money as possible, helping us continue training music therapists and supporting people through music therapy. We look forward to seeing you all at the Royal Albert Hall this July.”
Source: variety.com
