This was Charli XCX’s big night. Best artist, best album, best song, and more.
The Brat singer took home five awards in total, including the songwriter of the year prize announced ahead of the ceremony.
Elsewhere, last year’s record-breaking Brits winner Raye took home the best RnB act prize, and there were also awards for Sam Fender, Fontaines DC and former Little Mix star Jade, who gave a shout-out to her bandmates in her acceptance speech.
As usual, there were several memorable moments throughout the ceremony. Starting with the opener…
Espresso/ Rule Britannia
Sabrina Carpenter understood the assignment. Think Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack tea towel dress in 1996, Dua Lipa’s tube arrival in 2021. The British stars know we love to see the United Kingdom celebrated, but US star Sabrina Carpenter could have been forgiven for going without the pomp and ceremony.
But no. She really did her homework.
Wearing a red sparkly military-style blazer dress and walking down an aisle lit up with the Union flag, the star was followed by dancing Beefeaters as she launched into Espresso. A mash-up into Rule Britannia followed, before she moved on to perform a cheeky rendition of Bed Chem.
We can only applaud.
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The star later went on to collect the global success award – announced by none other than music icon Diana Ross, who livestreamed into the ceremony from a show in New York.
Collecting the prize on stage, Carpenter recalled coming to the UK for the first time 10 years ago when she said only about 10 people knew who she was. Next week, she’s back at the O2 Arena to headline.
The Espresso singer added: “The Brits have given me this award, and this feels like such an insane honour in a very primarily tea-drinking country… you really understood my dry sense of humour because your sense of humour is so, so dry. So I love y’all more than you even understand.”
Calls to save the grassroots
Rising star winner Myles Smith may be a newcomer to the Brit Awards, but he wasn’t afraid to use the stage to let his thoughts on the state of the music industry be known.
The 26-year-old, who performed his songs Nice To Meet You and Stargazing, told the audience that while he had the “attention of the nation” he wanted to ask three questions, with his first to the government.
“If British music is one of the most powerful cultural exports we have, why have you treated it like an afterthought for so many years?” he said. “How many more venues need to close? How many more music programmes need to be cut before we realise that we can’t just celebrate success, you have to protect the foundations that make it?”
Smith went on to question major venues: “If artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grassroots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?”
Finally, “to the execs in the room, and to the people behind the scenes”, he asked: “Are we building careers or are we just chasing moments?”
In November last year, plans were announced for a voluntary levy on tickets for concerts at stadiums and arenas to help fund grassroots venues after the closures of high numbers in recent years.
Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective also spoke about the importance of nurturing young artists as the jazz group collected the group of the year award, saying they are where they are now “because of the great youth clubs, and the great teachers and the great schools that support young people playing music”.
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Bass player Georgia Davies, of indie group The Last Dinner Party, also spoke about the importance of saving independent music venues.
“We wouldn’t be a band, and a lot of the artists here would not be bands either, without the UK’s incredible independent venues, and they are the lifeblood of the music industry and they are dying,” she said, as the band collected the best new artist award.
Jack Whitehall’s return
It’s been four years since comedian Jack Whitehall was last at the helm of the Brits.
He made his comeback with gags about Stormzy – “the grime scene’s Ronald McDonald”, in light of his controversial collaboration with the fast food chain – and dynamic pricing, following the ticket sale for the Oasis reunion gigs announced last year.
Whitehall’s jokes also included a skit sending up Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s infamous Grammy red carpet appearance last month, when Censori dropped her coat to show an incredibly revealing dress and no underwear.
This time round, it was Whitehall’s parents, Michael and Hilary, preparing to shock the paps.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, Jack,” his mum shouted.
Stormzy doesn’t agree with fan vote
The rapper was named best hip-hop/ grime act, one of the genre awards which are voted for by the public.
Wearing sunglasses on stage, he told the audience he had hurt his eye playing padel.
The 31-year-old said that while he was grateful to the Brits and those who had voted, he did not “entirely” agree with the way the genre prizes are chosen.
“I don’t entirely think this award should be fan-voted,” Stormzy said. “I don’t think any of the awards should be fan-voted, not on a controversial one. I don’t know, sometimes I think it doesn’t let people have their moments.
“I think Cench (Central Cee) was the rap artist of the year, but these things don’t define us as much as they’re amazing and we love them. I’m very grateful to the Brits, and I’m grateful to the public.”
Chappell Roan’s tribute
As well as Charli XCX and Carpenter, it was a big night for US star Chappell Roan, who won the awards for best international artist and best international song, for Good Luck, Babe!
The singer could not attend the ceremony but recorded acceptance speeches, and dedicated her artist award to trans artists, drag queens, fashion students, sex workers and the late Sinead O’Connor.
“Thank you to my team and my fans all over the world, but especially to my UK girlies, you have been there since day one, and Chappell Roan was born through experiencing queer joy,” she said.
“It’s so special, I had to write an entire album about it. I dedicate this to trans artists, to drag queens, to fashion students, sex workers and Sinead O’Connor. Because of all those people, they have laid the groundwork for me to be here today.”
‘So many amazing memories of Liam’
Whitehall said the Brits had to pay tribute to Liam Payne, who was someone who played such a huge part in the show over the years.
The 31-year-old died in October, after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
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Paying tribute, Whitehall said Payne had “achieved so much in the short time that he was on this Earth, and was not only a supremely gifted musician, but an incredibly kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with”.
He continued: “We have so many amazing memories of Liam here at the Brits, so tonight we celebrate his legacy.”
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A video was then played showing clips of the singer with his family, as well as footage from his time as a contestant on The X Factor and with One Direction.
Payne won seven awards with One Direction during the band’s time together, and also performed at the event when he launched his solo career.
