Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams and Courtney Cox congratulate Derry's Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Music producer, musician and songwriter Johnny McDaid was recognised for his achievements to the music industry, with over 500 million records sold and over 50 billion streams, including the most streamed song of all time. McDaid, who is a member of Snow Patrol and was raised on the Culmore Road in Derry, was celebrated in a video message from his friends, fellow musicians and fiancé Courtney Cox.

Ed Sheeran said: “Johnny, congratulations and hello to everyone in Derry tonight. [He’s a] fantastic, fantastic bloke with so much love to give. He keeps winning these awards because he's so great.

"The first word that comes to mind when I think of Johnny is love. I think if anyone’s met Johnny, there’s nothing but love there. Anybody that Johnny comes into contact with, he gets us as people and as musicians. I’m very, very lucky to have him.”

Courtney Cox said: “When you get to know Johnny, he is so humble and you learn there’s a lot of things he wouldn’t tell you about himself. Congratulations Johnny, I love you. Robbie Williams described Johnny McDaid as ‘authentic’, ‘devastatingly handsome’, and said he’s like a ‘musical therapist’. “He got me to be the most vulnerable that I’ve ever been on any song ever. The song that we came up with touched the hearts of a lot of people. He’s a master of his craft.”

Steve Garrigan from Kodaline said he’s ‘Inspirational’ and that he “just has this ability to make you feel at ease, while Foy Vance described the musician as a ‘light to guide you’.

Alicia Keys described McDaid as ‘special’, adding, “he’s committed to pulling out whatever it is inside of you. We write the most amazing songs together and I can’t wait to do more.”

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody said: “[Jonny is] probably one of the most sincere people I know. I don’t remember how Johnny and I met, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know him. His contribution over the past two decades to Irish music is immense. He’s given a hell of a lot of himself to music. Congratulations Johnny, I love you. Well deserved, have a good night.”

Pink said: “He’s not afraid to be vulnerable and that’s an incredible trait, especially as a song writing partner, it’s crucial. I just say these terrible things and he turns them into pure poetry. He’s very giving and is willing to give you as much as you give. I love this person very, very much.”

Johnny McDaid was unable to attend the event so his mother, Pauline, accepted the award on his behalf. A video message was aired on the night to the event attendees, in which the 46-years-old musician joked he was too young to receive such an award. He said: “Thank you to the Derry Journal for this award. I really don’t feel like I deserve a lifetime achievement award, at least not yet. This really does feel a lot more special because it comes from Derry. I’m sorry I’m not able to be there in person tonight, as you can see I’m in New York New York at the moment. It feels fitting that I am in another city which, like our city, is so good that they named it twice. I often explain to people that it can be complex when we’re asked where we’re from because some people say ‘I’m from Derry’ and some people say ‘I’m from Derry, hi’.

"My late father, John, was one of the proudest Derry men I knew and he would have loved this moment tonight. My dad spent so much of his life working to shine a light on Derry and he loved our city. He and my mum raised our siblings to love it too. For me, from acting in Neil McMahon’s plays in Carnhill Primary School, to playing in Evelyn McGinley’s folk group in St Brigid’s, to the theatre club in Badgers Pub, to busking on Shipquay Street, to gigs at the Nerve Centre, to opening the City of Culture at Ebrington in 2013, to coming back more recently to play the Millennium Forum, I have so much to thank Derry for.

"I do realise that my accent may have softened a bit since I left home but there is good reason for that. When I met my partner Courtney, I had to explain to her that ‘now’ didn’t mean ‘no', and that ‘towel’ wasn’t a ‘tile’, and that a ‘wain’ is a child. Most memorably, was one day when I asked her if she had any ‘craic’ and she nearly left me on the spot. But seriously, I do love bringing Courtney back to Derry and she really loves it there. We’re still working on two accents, separated by a common language.

"Derry is special but, most of all, Derry people are special. Tonight, I have some special people there in my absence. My sister Aine, my auntie Carmel, my cousin Kevin – who is also my long-suffering business manager – and, of course, my beautiful mum Pauline. It’s true that none of us would be here without our mothers but I certainly wouldn’t have had the amazing life I’ve had so far without mine. So, thank you, mum, for all that you are and all that you’ve done for me.

"I would also like to send my congratulations and admiration to al the candidates who work so hard to make our city a better place. I haven’t lived in Derry for a long time but Derry will always be my home. I am so grateful for this honour.”