SAY Awards 2026: DJ Vagrant Real Estate wins 2026 SAY Award at Dundee’s Caird Hall
Dundee was at the centre of Scotland’s music industry last night as the prestigious Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award returned to the Caird Hall, with Vagrant Real Estate taking home the coveted £20,000 top prize!
The spectacular ceremony, held on Thursday 5 November, marked the 15th anniversary of Scotland’s national music prize, bringing together some of the country’s biggest musical talents, industry professionals and fans for an evening celebrating Scottish music.
Aberdeen-born DJ and producer Nick Cronin, performing as Vagrant Real Estate, was crowned the winner for his album Neither Collar Nor Crown, which brings together 25 Scottish artists across different genres, combining traditional folk, Gaelic influences, hip-hop and rap.
Accepting the award, he described the moment as unexpected and praised the extraordinary talent across Scotland’s music scene.
A major night for Scottish music in Dundee
The evening also saw electronic music pioneers Boards of Canada receive the Modern Scottish Classic Award for their influential 1998 debut album Music Has the Right to Children, while rising artist Nikhita was named the Sound of Young Scotland, receiving a support package worth up to £10,000 towards creating a debut album.
Dundee’s Caird Hall hosted the ceremony for the second consecutive year as part of a three-year partnership involving Leisure & Culture Dundee, V&A Dundee, Dundee City Council and UNESCO Dundee City of Design, establishing the city as the new home of Scotland’s national album prize.
And Dundee’s creative talent was represented beyond the stage! Local designer Camillo Atlas, a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, created the ceremony’s bespoke trophies using recycled plastic collected across the city, including bottle tops and shampoo bottles, with designs inspired by Dundee’s architecture and urban landscape.
The anniversary celebrations featured live performances from previous winners and emerging artists, with hosts Vic Galloway and Nicola Meighan guiding audiences through the evening. A special house band also paid tribute to past SAY Award-winning albums, including records by Mogwai, Fergus McCreadie, Young Fathers and rEDOLENT.
Anna Day, Head of Culture and Libraries at Leisure & Culture Dundee, welcomed the ceremony’s return, saying it reinforced Dundee’s reputation as one of Scotland’s leading cultural cities.
With the SAY Award set to return in 2027, the evening marked another significant moment for Dundee’s growing role in Scotland’s music and cultural scene.
