Speech DeBelle, the rapper, has won the Mercury Prize for her album Speech Therapy inspired by a spell of homelessness.
She won the revered music prize ahead of 11 other shortlisted acts at a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in central London on Tuesday night, following in the footsteps of acts such as Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys and last year's victors Elbow.
The south Londoner spent time living in a hostel after her parents asked her to leave home in her teens after a troubled period of her life.
The award - fully called the Barclaycard Mercury Prize - is designed to reward the best album of the past 12 months and is worth £20,000. But for most acts it is the extra exposure and the boost in sales which is most important to the winner.
Each of the nominated acts has also seen a sales push.
She said tonight: ''I feel so good. It feels better than I imagined. My family's here. My friends are here. I'm from south London - I don't get emotional - I'm emotional.
''This proves if you believe in something and you think you can do it, you can achieve it.''
Accepting the award and the £20,000 cheque from host Jools Holland, a clearly emotional DeBelle thanked her band and producers, before turning to family members.
When the rapper's name was read out her band and supporters jumped up and down and climbed on their table in celebration.
Mercury judge Charles Hazlewood, the broadcaster and conductor, said: "She's just quietly telling her stories in the most beguiling way."
Speech Therapy so far has not sold enough copies to reach the Official UK Albums Chart having sold fewer than 3,000 copies since its release in June. Half of those sales have come since the album was shortlisted seven weeks ago.
But this is set to change with a spokesman for the Official Charts Company predicting a significant sales surge.
Since the Mercury shortlist was announced sales of all 12 albums have seen their sales improve, he said.
The spokesman said Florence + The Machine's Lungs has seen sales rise 141 per cent, La Roux's La Roux has risen 77 per cent, while Kasabian's West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum saw sales increase by 33 per cent.
One of the shortlist's lesser known albums, Twice Born Men by Sweet Billy Pilgrim, has seen sales increase more than six times, he said.
Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said: "After tonight's fantastic achievement, Speech DeBelle can look forward to a big surge in interest - and the sales that come with that.
"It is one of the least established albums in the history of the Mercurys and an album which still has great potential. The Mercury recognition will play a big part in helping achieve the broader public recognition which it deserves."
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