Jamal Edwards to receive posthumous award for contribution to music industry as Ed Sheeran pays tribute

metro.co.uk:

Jamal Edwards has been announced as the first person to posthumously receive the Music Industry Trusts (Mits) Award in recognition of his contribution to the sector.The entrepreneur, best-known for establishing music platform SBTV in 2006, helped launch the careers of some of the UK’s biggest acts, including Ed Sheeran, Dave and Jessie J.He died suddenly on February 20 at the age of 31 after suffering a heart attack at home.The Mits award will be presented to Edwards’ family on Monday November 7 at a gala ceremony at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.His mother Brenda, a panellist on popular daytime TV show Loose Women, said it was ‘humbling’ to accept the award on her son’s behalf.In a statement, she said: ‘It is very humbling for the family to be accepting this award on behalf of our beloved Jamal and we are delighted to have the Mits highlight the Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust alongside The Brit Trust and Nordoff Robbins.‘We know that Jamal will be looking down on us on 7th November – busting with pride that his absolute love of the music industry and giving back to the less fortunate in society has been recognised in this way.

Thank you Mits!’Previous honourees for the prestigious award include massive names in music including Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue, Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun and Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis.Money raised by the event will go to the Brit Trust, Nordoff Robbins and The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust, a charity set up by his family in 2022 to honour his memory and continue his work in combating homelessness, supporting people with mental health issues and providing young people with ‘essential life skills’.Musician Sheeran, a.