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

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

Dermot Kennedy, Fontaines DC, CMAT, SELLO and Talos were announced as the first nominees of the new Choice Awards category on RTÉ 2FM today.

Country-pop artist CMAT is the only female act nominated in the category.

This marks the second nomination for CMAT, Fontaines DC and Dermot Kennedy, who were all nominated for Album of the Year for 2022.

The nominees for Irish Breakthrough Artist will be announced on Wednesday, while those nominated for Classic 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