The RTÉ Choice Music Awards will return to Vicar Street this year on March 9.

The inaugural “Breakthrough Irish Artist of the Year” award nominees have been announced for the 2022 RTÉ Choice Music Awards.

Belters Only, CMAT, Cian Ducrot, Lea Heart and SELLÓ have all been shortlisted for the new category of “Breakthrough Irish Artist of the Year”.

This marks the third nomination for CMAT at this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Awards. The country-pop star was also nominated for Album of the Year and Irish Artist of the Year.

SELLÓ was also nominated for Irish Artist of the Year.

The nominees for Classic Irish Album will be announced on Thursday. The shortlist for Irish Song of the Year will be announced on Friday, January 13.

RTÉ Choice Music Awards 2022

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize Event will return to Vicar Street on March 9. The act behind the winning album of the year will receive a 10,000 euro prize funded by The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).

RTÉ will also host RTÉ Choice Music Prize Conversations at the BIMM Institute on March 8. Conversations is an international music forum designed to encourage frank exchanges amongst panellists, discussing the biggest prevailing issues confronting artists and industry professionals.

RTÉ announced the introduction of three new categories at this year’s award: Irish Artist of the Year, Irish Breakthrough Artist and Classic Irish Album.

Head of RTÉ 2FM Dan Healy said, “This has been another year of incredible music and performances from Irish artists and musicians which we have continued to celebrate across 2FM.”

“We are looking forward to giving all this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize shortlisted songs and artists the support they truly deserve and to getting behind the three new categories which will make a welcome addition to this important celebration of the very best in Irish music.”

Click here to get tickets to this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize at Vicar Street.

Elsewhere on District: How a fan convinced Loyle Carner to keep making music