Harry Types has swept the board at this 12 months’s Brit awards, profitable all 4 of his classes. The 29-year-old musician claimed greatest music – for the ever present As It Was, which spent 10 weeks at No 1 final spring – greatest album (Harry’s Home), greatest pop/R&B act and the controversial greatest artist award.
The latter class, which changed the gendered greatest artist prizes in 2022, was the topic of a backlash when ladies and non-binary musicians have been fully excluded from this 12 months’s nominations, which comprised Types, Central Cee, Stormzy, George Ezra and Fred Once more.
In response, a spokesperson for the Brit awards acknowledged that the lack of women and non-binary acts in the category was “disappointing”, however added: “We additionally should recognise that 2022 noticed fewer high-profile feminine artists in cycle with main releases as was the case in 2021.”
Within the wake of one of the best artist controversy, organisers of the Brit awards have been eager to emphasize the excessive variety of total nominations for feminine and non-binary acts and the prevalence of girls and non-binary stars performing on the ceremony: Lizzo, Moist Leg, Sam Smith and Kim Petras, Cat Burns, Becky Hill and Ella Henderson joined Types, Stormzy, David Guetta and Lewis Capaldi.
However on the evening itself, 9 of the 15 awards – 60% – have been received by male acts, together with three out of the 4 style classes. The awards have been additionally dominated by white artists: Beyoncé and new British lady group Flo have been the one artists of color to take house trophies.
Types’s clear sweep – in entrance of an viewers that included former prime minister Liz Truss – follows comparable success finally weekend’s Grammy awards, the place he received album of the 12 months and greatest pop vocal album.
Accepting the award for greatest hip-hop/grime/rap act, Aitch made a dig at Types, who finally week’s Grammy awards mentioned “folks like me” don’t win Grammies, a remark that drew widespread criticism given the cultural dominance of white male artists.
“Not many individuals the place I’m from, particularly my aspect of Manchester, get the chance to face up right here and obtain such a tremendous reward of an award. And I feel that’s the principle motive I do it for, to set examples and to let folks comprehend it’s attainable irrespective of the place you’re from.”
Accepting the award for greatest artist later within the evening, Types paid tribute to quite a few feminine British pop superstars: “I’m actually, actually grateful for this and I’m very conscious of my privilege up right here tonight, so this award is for Rina [Sawayama], Charli [XCX], Florence, Mabel and Becky [Hill], thanks a lot.”
Accepting his closing award, for album of the 12 months, Types mentioned he was proud to be representing Britain on the worldwide stage.
The Brits additionally honoured Types’ major co-writer, Child Harpoon, within the second 12 months within the songwriter class (received by Ed Sheeran in 2022). Harpoon, beforehand a solo musician, can also be identified for his collaborations with Lizzo, Florence + the Machine, Jessie Ware, Mabel, Maggie Rogers and Miley Cyrus on her present UK No 1 single Flowers.
Types was the evening’s most nominated artist alongside Moist Leg. The Isle of Wight duo of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers received two of their 4 nominations: greatest new artist and greatest British group. Amassing the latter, Teasdale riffed on their Domino label-mates Arctic Monkeys, parroting Alex Turner’s 2014 acceptance speech for greatest album: “That rock’n’roll, hey? That rock’n’roll! It simply received’t go away! It’d hibernate every so often, and sink again into the swamp …”
In line with their cottagecore model, their Brits efficiency included a morris dancing troupe. They have been additionally contemporary from triumphing at this 12 months’s Grammys, the place they received greatest different music efficiency (Chaise Longue) and greatest different music album (Moist Leg).
Beyoncé additionally received two awards, beating Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo and Taylor Swift to greatest worldwide artist, and the likes of Jack Harlow and the forged of Disney’s Encanto to worldwide music of the 12 months, for Break My Soul. She didn’t seem on the ceremony, as a substitute sending videoed acceptance speeches during which she thanked her followers and primed them for the beginning of the long-anticipated tour round her newest album, Renaissance, this summer season.
The Irish post-punks Fontaines DC received greatest worldwide group, triumphing over Ok-pop lady group Blackpink, rappers Drake and 21 Savage, Swedish sister folks duo First Support Equipment and US soul outfit Gabriels.
The first classes on the Brit awards are voted for by the Brits Voting Academy, comprising round 1,200 music trade consultants. Of this 12 months’s voting cohort, 52% recognized as ladies and 31% of members are black, Asian or minority ethnic.
The style classes, nonetheless, are voted for by followers on TikTok as a part of the Brit awards’ try to interact a youth viewers with little curiosity in conventional awards ceremonies. The 1975 have been named greatest different/rock act and Becky Hill received greatest dance act for the second consecutive 12 months.
The Brits confronted additional controversy with the pop/R&B class, which featured no R&B artists; nor have been any R&B acts recognised in any of the most important classes. Musicians together with producer MNEK and R&B singer Mahalia criticised the Brits for the oversight, the latter tweeting: “Overlook placing us on this class. Give us our personal!!!!! What number of occasions do we’ve to scream at you?”
Along with Aitch’s feedback about Types, there was additional upset on the evening as songwriter Tom Grennan made an off-colour comment to Ellie Goulding about her armour-like gown as they offered the award for greatest new artist: “I like what you’re doing – they’re your actual boobs?”
Introduced previous to the night, British R&B trio Flo received the rising star act – collected from Jessie J on the purple carpet earlier than the ceremony – and David Guetta, who’s French, was named producer of the 12 months, a class that has traditionally solely recognised British acts.
The Brit awards have been offered by Mo Gilligan and occurred on a Saturday evening for the primary time.
