Raye steals the show at 2024 BRIT Awards
Raye dominated the 2024 BRIT Awards with a record-breaking six wins from seven nominations.
The UK singer-songwriter surpassed Harry Styles, Adele and Blur’s previous joint record of four for the most BRIT wins in one night, taking the awards for Album, Artist, Songwriter, Song (Escapism), Best New Artist and R&B Act.
The 26-year-old BRIT School graduate, who was signed to Polydor before finding success as an independent artist, also performed a medley of her hits at the event, held on Saturday (2 March) at The O2 in London. She will return to the venue on 15 March to play her biggest headline show to date.
“Raye stole the night, but we all know that,” her live agent Tom Schroeder of Wasserman Music tells IQ. “She stole it with the record breaking wins, with the performance, with her messaging about fairness within the industry, but most importantly with her story.
“Raye’s career took off when she took control, when she started making decisions; Raye runs Raye. We continue to break the rules, with March’s O2 being another chapter in the story – but everyone around the globe now knows what a complete artist she is – one of the UK’s greatest. She has changed the game and is the blueprint of how to do it.”
The 44th BRITs also saw performances from Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding, Tate McRae, Jungle, Becky Hill and Chase & Status, Rema and BRITs Global Icon Award recipient Kylie Minogue, who closed the show.
Other winners included Jungle (Group), Bring Me the Horizon (Alternative/Rock), Calvin Harris (Dance), Casisdead (Hip-hop/Grime/Rap), SZA (International Artist), Dua Lipa (Pop), Boygenius (International Group), Chase & Status (Producer) and Miley Cyrus (International Song – Flowers).
Hosted by Maya Jama, Clara Amfo and Roman Kemp, the Mastercard-sponsored event was broadcast live in the UK on ITV1 and ITVX, and livestreamed on YouTube for international viewers.
“Artists and managers and labels and agents have kept supporting it to enable it to be the event that it is today”
Meanwhile, the annual BRITs Week wraps up tonight (4 March) with BRITs Rising Star winners The Last Dinner Party at The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge.
The annual charity concert series features intimate one-off performances from big names. Since BRITs Week’s inception in 2009, the shows have raised more than £7 million for War Child to help children whose lives have been torn apart by war.
Produced by AEG Presents, BPI, Bauer Media Audio UK and War Child, BRITs Week commenced on 19 February with gigs by Cian Ducrot and You Me At Six will kick off proceedings at London’s Union Chapel and Brighton’s Concorde 2. The 2024 line-up has also included the likes of Baby Queen, Aitch, Ash, Pendulum, Sleaford Mods, CMAT and Venbee.
“It’s genuinely a joy to work on,” says Simon Jones, AEG’s SVP, live music international, speaking to IQ. “An industry fixture that has grown and grown over the past 10 years. Artists and managers and labels and agents have kept supporting it to enable it to be the event that it is today, and I hope it continues in that fashion.
“Maggie Crowe from the BPI has continued to give it its full backing, and Will Smyth from AEG and the whole War Child team have continued to tirelessly deliver the event to an even higher standard every year. We’re lucky artists want to play it; it’s not easy, but it always comes together!”
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BRIT Awards announces more live performances
The BRIT Awards have announced two more performers for the upcoming ceremony: British electronic music project Jungle and Nigerian rapper, singer and songwriter Rema.
The 2024 edition of the awards is due to take place at The O2 in London on Saturday 2 March, presented by Maya Jama, Clara Amfo and Roman Kemp.
Jungle are nominated for Group Of The Year while Rema is up for International Song Of The Year category for his UK top-five single Calm Down.
Previously announced support acts for The BRIT Awards 2024 are Dua Lipa, Raye and Kylie Minogue (this year’s BRITs Global Icon).
Raye is nominated for seven awards at next month’s ceremony, setting a new record for the most by a single artist in the show’s history.
Previously announced support acts for The BRIT Awards 2024 are Dua Lipa, Raye and Kylie Minogue
Lipa, meanwhile, is up for three gongs: Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Pop Act (the full list of nominees can be found here). Further performances are to be revealed over the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, the lineup has been confirmed for next week’s BRITs Week in aid of War Child.
The Last Dinner Party, Sleaford Mods, Keane, Baby Queen, You Me At Six, Aitch, Pendulum, CMAT and Cian Ducrot are all set to perform one-off gigs in intimate settings.
Since its inception in 2009, the event has raised £7 million for War Child, to help children whose lives have been devastated by war.
The full lineup:
FEBRUARY
19 – Cian Ducrot – Union Chapel, London
19 – You Me At Six – Concorde 2, Brighton
20 – Keane – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
21 – Ash – The 100 Club, London
21 – Baby Queen – Lafayette, London
21 – Aitch – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
23 – Pendulum – HERE at Outernet, London
28 – Sleaford Mods – Scala, London
MARCH
1 – CMAT – Bush Hall, London
1 – Venbee – Omeara, London
4 – The Last Dinner Party – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
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The O2 prepped to host first Saturday BRIT Awards
London’s The O2 is gearing up to host this weekend’s BRIT Awards, which are taking place on a Saturday for the first time ever.
Performers at the 11 February ceremony – the biggest night on the British music industry’s calendar – will include Harry Styles, Lizzo, Cat Burns, David Guetta & Becky Hill & Ella Henderson, Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Stormzy, Lewis Capaldi and Wet Leg.
The awards, which have been held at The O2 since 2011, will be hosted by comedian Mo Gilligan and be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from 8.30pm GMT. The night will also see the return of table seating on the arena floor, following two years of Covid restrictions.
“The BRITs is always one of the high points of the year, it’s a weeklong build and it’s a huge occasion for the industry,” The O2’s VP and GM Steve Sayer tells IQ. “We’re very proud to have hosted it for many years now and long may that continue. We’ve got a great relationship with the BPI and we work very closely with them, not on the artistic production, but on every other aspect, and it’s huge.
“They’ve moved it to a Saturday, which was a decision that the [record industry trade association] BPI made to try something a little bit different. We’re really excited about it, it’s a big showpiece for us and I have no doubt it will be as big as ever.”
“We are seeing the usual last-minute scrambles for tickets, and you can see why”
Wasserman Music will also be hosting its annual post-BRITs boat party, which has previously been presented by the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Sampha, Annie Mac, The xx, Disclosure and Rudimental. This year will feature The BRITs Rising Star top 3 – FLO, Cat Burns and Nia Archives.
“We are seeing the usual last-minute scrambles for tickets, and you can see why,” says Tom Schroeder, EVP of Wasserman Music. “We’ve been doing this in one guise or another since 2014, and have had the pleasure of hosting some of the biggest acts in the industry. This year, it’s all about the future with FLO, Cat Burns and Nia Archives presenting. And that’s what we are all about – supporting rising talent.”
The BRIT Awards is preceded by the annual BRITs Week charity concert series, presented by AEG, which gives fans the opportunity to see leading UK artists in intimate music venues across the country. Shows have included The 1975 at the 550-cap Gorilla in Manchester, and Sugababes at the 600-cap Garage and Kojey Radical at the 800-cap XOYO, both in London.
BRITs Week, which concludes tonight with Rina Sawayama at Lafayette (cap. 600) and Bob Vylan at Omeara (320), has raised millions of pounds for War Child since its inception in 2014, thanks to underplay shows by artists such as Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Take That, Florence & The Machine, Biffy Clyro , Foals, Royal Blood, Wolf Alice and The 1975, raising millions of pounds for War Child.
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First gigs announced for Brits Week 2023
Brits Week for War Child is set to return in 2023, giving fans the opportunity to see leading UK artists in intimate music venues across the country.
Produced by AEG Presents, BPI and War Child, the series will take place around next year’s Brit Awards (11 February 2023) to raise money for children whose lives have been torn apart by war.
Kicking things off on 29 January at Lafayette will be UK rock outfit The Hunna. On 1 February, Metronomy will be playing songs from their renowned catalogue at new London venue HERE at Outernet, followed by the chart-topping Years & Years on 2 February.
Following her acclaimed debut album this year, Beabadoobee will be playing at Lafayette on 3 February, the same night that 2022 Mercury Prize shortlisted Kojey Radical will take to the stage at east London’s XOYO.
Cambridge’s critically acclaimed bedroom pop artist Cavetown will play at Omeara on 4 February, with Scottish four-piece The Snuts then taking BRITs Week to Glasgow, performing at Stereo on 5 February.
“We’re going even further afield across the UK to bring very special underplay shows to people”
Indie-pop’s Easy Life will be heading down to Bristol for a show at Trinity Centre on 7 February, while back in London Sea Girls will bring their renowned live energy to the iconic 100 Club.
Chart-topping singer-songwriter Frank Turner + The Sleeping Souls will play at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on 9 February. Rounding things off on 10 February, 2021 BRIT Rising Star nominee Rina Sawayama will turn her electrifying live performance into an intimate acoustic show at London’s Lafayette and genre-blending duo Bob Vylan will be playing tracks from their new Kerrang! Award & MOBO winning album at Omeara. More acts on the 2023 line-up will be announced in January.
Simon Jones, senior vice president, live music international, at AEG says “Bringing back BRITs Week each year is always exciting, and for 2023, we’re going even further afield across the UK to bring very special underplay shows to people. Our AEG team and partners at BPI, War Child and Mastercard have all clubbed together to help create another incredible series, for what is a fantastic industry fixture year in year out, raising much-needed funds for a very important charity, War Child. The line-up keeps growing, and there’s even more to come, so keep your eyes peeled.”
Maggie Crowe OBE, BPI’s director of events & charities says: “Announcing this brilliant lineup with more names joining the class of BRITs Week 2023 early in the New Year is just joyous. Music is therapy for the soul and listening to amazing artists of all styles and backgrounds in intimate venues is exactly how this special annual event works to raise much-needed funds for War Child – in what will be their 30th anniversary year. Our thanks to all the artists and their teams and to our valued friends and partners for making BRITs Week possible.”
Fans can enter the prize draw and win tickets to see the artist of their choice. A £5 donation buys one entry, a £10 donation buys three, and a £15 donation buys five. Fans can enter as many times as they like, to maximise the chance of winning. There will also be a limited number of tickets for each show on sale.
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Adele claims BRIT Awards hat-trick
It was a good night for WME clients at the BRIT Awards, with triumphs for Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars and Dave, and a hat-trick of honours for Adele.
Adele, who is repped by Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer on the touring circuit, took Song of the Year and Album of the Year for Easy On Me and 30, respectively, and was also crowned the inaugural Artist of the Year at last night’s (8 February) ceremony at The O2 in London. The gender-neutral award was introduced following the decision to scrap the male and female categories.
“I understand why the name of this award has changed but I really love being a woman and being a female artist,” said the singer. “I’m really proud of us.”
Elsewhere, Dua Lipa picked up the prize for Best Pop/R&B – one of four new genre awards – Dave took the Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap gong and Olivia Rodrigo’s Good 4 U was named International Song of the Year, while Mars claimed Best International Group with Anderson .Paak for their superduo, Silk Sonic.
US star Doja Cat withdrew from the event due to Covid cases within her crew
Paak is represented by ICM Partners/Primary Talent International outside North America. ICM/Primary acts also won out in the Best New Artist (Little Simz) and Group (Wolf Alice) categories.
Other victors included Ed Sheeran (Songwriter of the Year), who is represented by One Fiinix Live, Paradigm’s Billie Eilish (International Artist) and CAA’s Sam Fender (Alternative/Rock) and Becky Hill (Dance).
With US star Doja Cat withdrawing from the event a week before it took place due to Covid cases within her crew, the line-up for the UK music industry’s biggest night was comprised entirely of domestic acts. Kicking off with a surprise collaboration between Ed Sheeran and Bring Me The Horizon, performers also included Adele, Anne-Marie/KSI/Digital Farm Animals, Dave, Rising Star winner Holly Humberstone, Liam Gallagher, Little Simz and Sam Fender.
The full list of winners was as follows:
Song of the Year – Adele, Easy On Me
International Song of the Year – Olivia Rodrigo, Good 4 U
Pop/R&B Act – Dua Lipa
Alternative/Rock Act – Sam Fender
Dance Act – Becky Hill
Group – Wolf Alice
International Artist of the Year – Billie Eilish
Best New Artist – Little Simz
Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act – Dave
International Group – Silk Sonic
Artist of the Year – Adele
Songwriter of the Year – Ed Sheeran
Mastercard Album of the Year – Adele, 30
Rising Star – Holly Humberstone
Producer of the Year – Inflo
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Optimism grows after successful Brit Awards 2021
After nearly 14 months, non-socially distanced indoor live music returned to the UK last night (11 May) as the likes of Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Elton John, Pink and Rag’n’Bone Man took to the O2 Arena stage for the 2021 Brit Awards.
As previously reported, some 4,000 people – 2,500 of them key workers who had been gifted free tickets – attended the ceremony, with an estimated 1,000 more working as staff, production and crew. As a medically monitored pilot event, held as part of the UK’s Events Research Programme (ERP), Brits attendees were free to mingle and take off their masks once inside the O2 (as they had at previous ERP shows in Liverpool), where scientists were examining risk factors including crowd behaviour, ventilation, surface contact and the effect of having performers in the room.
All guests took a lateral-flow Covid-19 test in the 36 hours leading up to the event, as well as a PCR test on the day. Attendees are also required to take another PCR test five days after the event, with both tests being sent to a laboratory to assess for any coronavirus transmission during the show.
Gennaro Castaldo, director of communications for Brits organiser BPI, tells IQ there was a “huge amount of interest” in the event, “not just from the UK, but from the global community”, reflecting its significance as the first major indoor concert of the Covid-19 era. “We’ve had a record amount of TV requests this year, from Japan, America, Canada, Europe… Obviously everyone’s intrigued as to how we as a country are coming out of lockdown, and how these Event Research Programme pilots are working. So there wasn’t just the UK audience, but there was a wider global interest, too, I think.”
“Heralding the return of live music, it was a special moment for everyone working in the industry”
Both Castaldo and BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor are full of praise for the O2 team, as well as stage designers Es Devlin and Yinka Ilori, whose technicoloured set, built by Diagon, provided a spectacular backdrop to both the prize-giving ceremony and the night’s live performances.
“Our hope is that the Brits 2021 with Mastercard showed the music industry at its best,” says Taylor. “It united global superstars with the breakthrough talent that is the future of British music, reflecting on a year when music has shown its power to help us navigate difficult times. The creativity of the performances lit up staging by Yinka Ilori and Es Devlin which, with its explosion of colour, was like a wake-up from the monochrome reality many of us have lived for the last 12 months.”
“It was great to be back working with the Brits and to once again collaborate with the brilliant Es Devlin,” says Diagon’s Liam Ownsworth. “It was a huge privilege to bring Es Delvin’s vision to life for the biggest night in UK music. Heralding the return of live music events, it was a special moment for everyone working within the creative industry, who have been especially hit hard by the pandemic.”
Castaldo also commends the government for managing the end of the third lockdown in a “very step-by-step, gradual way” with the ERP initiative. “Our fervent wish is that [the results from the events] will come out positive, and we’ll be able to speed up the process of opening up our venues and festivals and nightclubs,” he continues, noting that – although insurance remains a sticking point – many venues still have availability for shows this summer. “With a bit of luck, there could be a real surge of interest if the government were to come out sooner, rather than later, and say, ‘We’re satisfied that with these precautions in place, you can reopen safely’.”
“What was happening on stage felt particularly significant,” adds Taylor, highlighting wins for female artists such as Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Little Mix, Haim, Arlo Parks and Billie Eilish. “‘Women artists won in eightof the 11 award categories, illustrating how the music industry has transformed to better reflect all the talent in our society. There was an inclusive feel to the show, including the additional Brits trophies that winning artists could give to their own heroes, and the fact that the majority of the audience were key workers who have done so much to help the country get through the last year. I would like to thank the music labels who contributed to cover the costs of making that happen.
“Talking to guests, it seemed they were truly excited to be out enjoying live music once again, and it was particularly special to be part of the first live audience for music at the O2 Arena in a year. Finally, the Brits being part of the ERP meant that we were gathering scientific data which should help ease the path to government reopening live music as quickly as possible, which is so important to fans and to our artists.”
“It’s probably the most significant Brit Awards in our four-decade history”
All Brit Awards 2021 performances, which also included the Weeknd, Griff, Headie One and Olivia Rodrigo, are available to watch back on the Brits YouTube channel.
“As much as it was painful process at times” for the Brits team, who pulled together the show in under six weeks, seeing the result made it more than worth it, concludes Castaldo, who says having multiple performances with a live audience sends an important message that the ERP can act as a “stepping stone towards the return of live music at scale”. “And that’s the key word: scale,” he adds, “because obviously you can have events and have a few people distanced here and there, but that’s no good to any promoter. You’ve got to be able to put bums on seats and know that you can fill the room to capacity, so that’s why these pilots are so hugely important.
“It’s also the most diverse awards we’ve ever had, with eight of the 11 categories won by women, which is a historic moment, too. So I think for those reasons, it’s probably the most significant Brit Awards that we’ve had in our four-decade history.”
A full list of 2021 award winners is available from the Brits website.
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Brit Awards 2021 confirms pilot event in May
The 2021 Brit Awards ceremony will go ahead with a live audience of 4,000 people as part of the UK government’s Events Research Programme (ERP), organisers have announced.
IQ reported last month that the Brits, the UK music industry’s main annual awards ceremony, was being considered as a pilot show alongside events such as the FA Cup final and the World Snooker Championship. The 2021 awards, which take place at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena in London on Tuesday 11 March, will be the biggest indoor ERP show and feature live performances from Dua Lipa, Headie One, Arlo Parks and Griff, among others.
As with other ERP events, including the recently announced Sefton Park Pilot concert in Liverpool, audience members will not be socially distanced or required to wear face coverings once seated in the arena. All attendees must, however, have proof of a negative lateral-flow test result to enter the venue.
As part of the wider scientific research on the ERP’s events, attendees will also be asked to take a test after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of indoor settings, reduced social distancing and the removal of non-pharmaceutical interventions like face coverings. They will also be requirement to provide contact details for National Health Service’s contact-tracing system.
“The BRITs are always a big night in the music calendar, but this year’s awards will be particularly special. They will reunite live audiences with the best of British talent for the first time in a year, while providing a vital opportunity to see how we can get large crowds back safely as soon as possible,” says British culture secretary Oliver Dowden.
“This scientific trial is an important step on the path to recovery for the live entertainment industry”
“Music connected us when we were separated by this pandemic, and now it’s going to help bring us back together again.”
The majority of tickets for the event (2,500) will be donated to key workers from London via a ballot system in recognition of their work during the pandemic.
Geoff Taylor, chief executive of Brits organiser the BPI, comments: “The Brit Awards team are excited to confirm our plans to host a live audience at our ceremony on 11 May. There could be no better way to celebrate music’s biggest night than with an audience present for the first live performances at the O2 in over a year. Most importantly, this is also a key moment in the return of live music, which we all want to see back at scale as quickly as possible.
“We will be working closely with the government, the O2 and all our partners to finalise details and ensure all safety measures and guidelines are adhered to. More exciting performance announcements will be made in the coming days.”
“We’re proud that the O2 has been selected to host the largest-indoor-capacity pilot event with the Brits” says the O2’s deputy GM, Danielle Kennedy-Clark. “This scientific trial is an important step on the path to recovery for the live entertainment industry, and our operational teams are making the final preparations to be able to welcome people into the O2 again for the first time in more than a year”.
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UK targets “special summer” with new test events
Upcoming major events such as the Brit Awards and FA Cup final may be run as ‘pilot’ events designed to trial the return of large, non-socially distanced audiences to UK venues, culture minister Oliver Dowden has said.
In an interview published in yesterday’s Sunday Times, Dowden, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, said the British government will use a dozen events held in late April and May to test allowing spectators to return to sports venues, theatres and nightclubs without social distancing. Currently, under prime minister Boris Johnson’s ‘roadmap’ out of the UK’s latest lockdown, all restrictions on indoor gatherings are set to be lifted from 21 June.
Among the 12 events observed under the so-called Events Research Programme (ERP), said Dowden, could be the World Snooker Championship final, held at the 980-seat Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on 17 April; football’s FA Cup final, staged at Wembley Stadium (90,000-seat) on 15 May; and the UK music industry’s main annual awards ceremony, the Brits, which are scheduled to return to the O2 (20,000-cap.) in London on 11 May.
According to the BBC, the government hopes up to 20,000 fans could attend the FA Cup match – double the 10,000 people who will be permitted at outdoor events in England from 17 May.
Other ERP events will take place at a nightclub, a comedy club and a conference venue, according to Dowden’s Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
“These test events will be crucial in finding ways to get fans and audiences back in safely without social distancing”
Brits organiser BPI said last autumn that it is planning for the awards – which traditionally take place in February – to return with a “spectacular event” in May. The 40th Brit Awards took place in February 2021, a month before the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of the O2 and other venues. IQ has contacted the Brit Awards for comment on the 2021 event.
According to DCMS, the ERP will use a range of “non-pharmaceutical” methods to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the events, including pre- and post-event testing, enhanced ventilation, novel venue lay-outs and the monitoring fans’ movements and interactions.
‘These test events will be crucial in finding ways to get fans and audiences back in safely without social distancing. We will be guided by the science and medical experts, but will work flat out to make that happen,” says Dowden. “We want to get the people back to enjoying what they love and ensure some of our most important growth industries get back on their feet.
“These are important steps towards the safe and special summer we all crave, and that I’m fully focused on delivering.”
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TikTok displays live potential at 2020 Brits
The 2020 Brit Awards took place on Tuesday night (18 February) at the O2 Arena in London in a special, live-focused ceremony.
Performances on the night came from double award-winner Lewis Capaldi (best new artist, song of the year), album of the year winner Dave, Brits rising star Celeste, Mabel (female solo artist), Lizzo, Sir Rod Stewart and international female solo artist winner Billie Eilish, who debuted the new James Bond theme song at the event.
The Brit Awards changed a few things up for 2020, reducing prize categories from 14 to 9, upping the number of live performances and allowing artists more creative freedom.
Another new addition for this year was the partnership with video-sharing social networking platform TikTok.
The partnership, which is part of a wider programme to showcase TikTok’s potential for the live industry, saw the platform transmit key moments from the Brits directly to digital screens at London’s Piccadilly Circus.
“We see this BRITs partnership as one of the major milestones in a big education push we have for the UK music industry this year”
Via TikTok, Lewis Capaldi became the first artist to perform on the Brits red carpet, later singing a duet backstage with male solo artist winner Stormzy. TikTok users were also encouraged to take part in the #RedCarpetReady hashtag challenge – an interactive competition in which users post videos with a specific hashtag – and use the Brits ‘Jump In’ sticker.
To further elaborate on the platform’s compatibility with live, TikTok’s head of UK music operations Paul Hourican is delivering a workshop at the International Live Music Conference in March, explaining how artists, promoters, agents and festival organisers can capitalise on TikTok’s reach.
“On TikTok, artists can reach listeners at lighting speed and build authentic fanbases – it’s a unique connection between artists and fans that we want even more artists and fans to benefit from – as well as the discovery opportunities TikTok brings for success off-platform,” says Rich Waterworth, general manager of TikTok UK.
“We see this BRITs partnership as one of the major milestones in a big education push we have for the UK music industry this year.”
The full list of Brit 2020 winners can be found below:
Female solo artist: Mabel
Male solo artist: Stormzy
Best group: Foals
Song of the year: Lewis Capaldi – ‘Someone You Loved’
Mastercard album of the year: Dave – Psychodrama
Best new artist: Lewis Capaldi
International female solo artist: Billie Eilish
International male solo artist: Tyler The Creator
Rising star: Celeste
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Live music to take centre stage at the Brits 2020
Organisers of the 2020 Brit Awards have announced changes to the format and content of next year’s ceremony, which will include fewer awards and more live performances to mark the event’s 40th year.
The 2020 Brit Awards, which take place on Tuesday 18 February at London’s 20,000-capacity O2 Arena, will impose no creative limitations on artists performing at the ceremony.
Last year’s Brits saw performances from Hugh Jackman, Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, Dua Lipa, Pink, Jorja Smith, the 1975 and Jess Glynne, among others.
The number of awards handed out on the night will be reduced from 14 to 9, with the removal of the international group, Brits global success, British artist video, best British producer and outstanding contribution to music categories.
All winners will be decided by the 2020 official voting academy, comprised of 1,200 individuals, including artists, promoters, agents, publishers and label representatives. There will be no element of fan vote.
Several categories will also be renamed, with the critics’ choice becoming rising star, best British single restyled as song of the year and British breakthrough act now known as best new artist. All categories will refer to solely British artists, unless otherwise stated.
“We will be putting creativity, British culture and exceptional performances at the heart of the show”
The panel of judges for the new-look critics’ choice category will include live music bookers, songwriters and producers, as well as the traditional music editors, critics and radio station heads.
The recipient of the Rising Star Award will receive a performance slot during the show. The award is open to British artists who have not yet achieved either a recording in the Official Charts UK Top 20 Artist Album Chart, or two recordings in the Top 20 Singles Chart.
“We have had a fresh look at the Brit Awards this year. Most importantly we will be putting creativity, British culture and exceptional performances at the heart of the show to make Brits night a world class celebration,” comments David Joseph, chairman of the Brits Committee for 2020 and chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK.
“The awards should be a global platform for the artists of the year to create moments that live beyond the night itself. We are looking at everything to put on the best possible show.”
Geoff Taylor, chief executive of BPI and Brit Awards Ltd adds that: “The Brits Committee will endeavour to make the 2020 Brits a truly landmark event, highlighting not only another remarkable 12 months in the British music year to a growing global audience, but also paying tribute to many unforgettable Brits moments that are now part of a rich and much loved heritage.”
Winners of last year’s Brit Awards include Little Mix, George Ezra, Jorja Smith, the 1975, Tom Walker, the Carters, Drake, Ariana Grande Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa, Pink and Sam Fender.
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