Bob Geldof and Jeanne Marine attend Ivor Novello Awards (2023)

139 shares

Sir Bob Geldof and his wifeJeanne Marine opted for smart looks as they arrived at Grosvenor House for the Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday evening.

Coordinating in sharp suits, the couple joined a host of star-studded arrivals at the annual ceremony, where Sting was honoured with a fellowship.

Trudie, 69, oozed style in a grey suit with oversized lapels, which she teamed with a chic frilled blouse and a pair of cool platform heels.

She wore her auburn locks swept up into an updo and finished the outfit with a pair of quirky shades and a pair of hoop earrings.

Meanwhile, Sir Bob rocked a pinstripe double breasted jacket over a black turtleneck jumper with a pair of grey trousers and suede boots.

Sting, James, Harry Styles and Raye were among the winners at this year's Ivor Novello Awards with Amazon Music.

The former Police frontman performed a special rendition of his song Message in a Bottle at the ceremony as he was honoured with the prestigious Fellowship of The Ivors Academy, joining the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Kate Bush.

Raye performed Escapism, and she and her co-writers 070 Shake and Mike Sabath won the award for Best Contemporary Song for the track.

An emotional Raye was reduced to tears as she was handed her gong, and she used her acceptance speech to urge major record labels to do more to help songwriters earn more for their work.

She said: 'I've really fought really hard [for this]… I started my songwriting career when I was 14 years old after school at BRITs School… I was like I just need to be the best I can be. I saw one of these [awards] at 15 and I was like, 'Oh my goodness.' So this is ridiculous.

'I have to take this opportunity to address all the major label representatives in this room. It would be an insult to suggest that you go to work for free, it's an insult that you think that songwriters should do the same. It's time … Songwriters are the beating heart of this industry and it's time to show songwriters respect, I had to use this opportunity to say this.

'Thank you so much to the Ivors Academy.'

Matilda Mann also sang, treating the audience to a cover of Blondie's Heart of Glass in honour of the group's Debbie Harry and Chris Stein receiving the Special International Award.

British indie band James – comprising Tim Booth, Saul Davies, Jim Glennie, Larry Gott and Mark Hunter - scooped the PRS for Music Icon Award.

Speaking on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Tim quipped about the honour: 'Every day I get up and look in the mirror and go, 'There goes an icon.'

Insisting that the focus for the group is to keep making new music and not allowing themselves to become a heritage act that only plays their greatest hits on tour, he added: 'We don't look back. We never listen to our back catalogue, we're always looking forward.

'We think one of the best records we made was the last record and we keep being bloody-minded and we change the set at every gig and we play a lot of new songs and our audience get it and the ones that don't they don't and they don't come and we're happy with that and we've always been happy with that …

'We've always been like, 'People will catch up with great music, so just do your thing and they will come to you in the end.'

Other winners included Charli XCX, who scooped the Visionary Award with Amazon Music, Little Mix, Dua Lipa and The Saturdays' songwriter Kamille, who was honoured with the Outstanding Song Collection award, and Victoria Canal, who took home the Rising Star Award with Amazon Music.