The BRIT Awards 2023 with Mastercard - Show Programme

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY THE O2 ARENA ON 

&

We Celebrate You 

Congratulations to this year’s talented 

songwriters and performers, along with their 

respective publishers and record companies, 

nominated for a BRIT Award! 

It is an honour for PPL and PRS for Music to 

support the BRIT Trust and the outstanding 

work it does to improve lives through music.

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CONTENTS 07 OUR CHAIR'S WELCOME 09 MASTERCARD ARE DOING MORE 

11 DINING AND PARTY 13 GET SOCIAL-ISING! 14 EXCLUSIVE! MO GILLIGAN 16 SLAWN 

21 DIGITAL LAUNCH: THE BIG REVEAL 22 NOMINATIONS 24-47 TONIGHT’S PERFORMERS 

& MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES THE 1975 - WET LEG - HARRY 

STYLES - STORMZY - FRED AGAIN.. 48 EXCLUSIVE! RISING STAR WINNERS FLO THE 

2023 NOMINEES 55 ARTIST OF THE YEAR 57 GROUP OF THE YEAR 59 BEST NEW ACT 

60 SONG OF THE YEAR WITH MASTERCARD 62 INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

63 INTERNATIONAL GROUP 64 INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR 67 REVEALED! DAVID 

GUETTA, PRODUCER OF THE YEAR GENRE CATEGORIES 69 ALTERNATIVE/ROCK ACT 

71 HIP HOP/GRIME/RAP ACT 72 DANCE ACT 73 POP/R&B ACT 74 VIVIENNE WESTWOOD 

77 HARRY'S FULL HOUSE 80 BRITs WEEK 82 LAST YEAR’S BRITs 86 BRIT SCHOOL 88 BRIT TRUST 

91 THE BRIT AWARDS VOTING ACADEMY 95 BEING GREEN 97 THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT! 

Adele - The BRIT Awards 2022 

JM Enternational

public voting powered by TikTok 

from the 

small screen to the 

main stage 

AD 

Thank you to everyone who voted for all the genre 

categories on TikTok and congratulations to all the 

BRITs nominees 

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discover more music

Welcome to 

The BRIT Awards 2O23 

with Mastercard 

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Ed Sheeran and Bring Me The Horizon - The BRIT Awards 2022 

JM Enternational 

Damian Christian 

Zoë Law 

My first ever BRITs was in 1988, and I’ve 

been lucky enough to attend every one 

since then. To Chair this year’s show has 

been one of the biggest honours of my 

career. The show is a staple of British 

culture and plays such an important role 

in the UK music industry – showcasing the 

global superstars we consistently produce 

and shining a light on the next crop of 

homegrown world-beaters. I’ve been a 

huge fan of the BRITs for as long as I can 

remember and have spent a large chunk 

of my career fighting to get my artists a 

prime performance slot on the night, so 

it’s been a real privilege, as well as an eye 

opener, to be on the other side this year. 

My proudest, and probably most significant, 

achievement as Chair has been the move 

to a Saturday night show for the first time 

ever. This was a massive priority for me, as 

I believe tonight’s performers, nominees 

and winners deserve the opportunity to 

have as many people as possible watching 

at home. I’m hoping a new Saturday night 

slot will help add a bit of excitement to 

an already incredible show and it will 

prove to be bigger and better than ever! 

Another priority for me was to bring Mo 

Gilligan back as tonight’s host. Mo did a 

brilliant job hosting his first BRITs last year, 

and his ability to engage with an audience, 

his effortless presenting style and razor 

sharp wit made him our number one target 

once again. I was also delighted to get 

Slawn onboard to design this year’s statue. 

He follows in the footsteps of some of the 

world’s most famous creatives and the 

BRITs’ rich heritage of design innovation 

to bring to life one of the most unique 

and creative spins we’ve ever seen to the 

iconic trophy. I’m sure Slawn’s name will 

be amongst the greats in the near future. 

The BRITs have been, and always should 

be, about the artists and I’d like to take a 

moment to wish the best of luck to all the 

acts nominated tonight. It’s been another 

fantastic year of music and the categories 

are stacked with phenomenal talent. 

We’ve some amazing performances lined 

up - I’ve been watching eagerly during 

the rehearsals over the last few days and 

I’m sure everyone here tonight and the 

audience watching at home will be blown 

away by what we have in store. We’ve got 

a great mix of artists in different stages of 

their careers showcasing their exceptional 

talent - from British and international stars 

at the peak of their powers with the likes 

of Harry Styles, Lizzo and Sam Smith, 

to new artists that have burst onto the 

scene such as Wet Leg and Cat Burns. 

Tonight will be one for the history books. 

And speaking of new talent, I was delighted 

that FLO were announced as this year’s 

BRITs Rising Star winner, becoming the 

first ever group to do so. They are such 

a thrilling band who I’m sure will follow 

in the footsteps of past winners to go on 

and have global success. We’re proud 

here at the BRITs that, for the second year 

running, there was an all-female shortlist 

for the Rising Star Award, highlighting 

the abundance of female talent we have 

developing in Britain. And I’d like to shout 

out to this year’s runners up, Cat Burns 

and Nia Archives - two more gifted artists 

with exciting careers in front of them. 

When taking on the role of Chair, I knew 

it’d be a big job, but I’m not sure I was 

quite aware just how much time, effort 

and care go into putting on the show, as 

well as the continued work throughout the 

year, so I’d like to say a few thank yous to 

the team that makes it all happen. From 

the always dedicated team at the BPI – 

Maggie Crowe and Gennaro Castaldo, 

and of course Geoff Taylor MBE, who is 

stepping down as CEO after more than 

15 years. Geoff has been an incredible 

servant to the British music industry and 

I hope you all join me in wishing him the 

very best in his next move. I’d also like 

to congratulate Sophie Jones, who was 

recently appointed Chief Strategy Officer 

and will act as Interim Chief Executive. I’d 

like to thank the 2023 BRITs Committee 

and the BRITs Digital Committee who have 

helped with all the big decisions and have 

been invaluable in bringing tonight’s vision 

to life, alongside the extraordinary team of 

BRITs TV Executive Producer Sally Wood, 

Director Phil Heyes, Set Designer Misty 

Buckley, and of course BRITs Productions, 

who together make tonight possible. 

A massive thanks to Tony Harlow for 

nominating me for the role and to Max 

Lousada, who shared his experience as 

Chair and offered his guidance. A big shout 

out to Ed Howard, Briony Turner and my 

Atlantic Records family – especially my 

Promotions team, who have continued 

to deliver world-class service while I’ve 

been moonlighting! There’s a special 

thanks, as well, to Kate Etteridge and 

Stuart Bell at DawBell for all their support. 

The BRITs 2023 also marks a couple 

of big milestones. We’re celebrating 

25 years with Mastercard as our main 

sponsor, and we remain extremely 

grateful for all their support. And this 

is the 30th year that ITV has been our 

brilliant broadcast partner; they did an 

amazing job helping us adapt during the 

pandemic years and have supported us 

wholeheartedly with our move to a Saturday 

night. Thanks to Kevin Lygo, Rosemary 

Newell, Katie Rawcliffe and Lily Wilson. 

I’m excited that the BRITs continue to 

think of new ways to reach a younger 

audience and I’m so happy to have 

YouTube Music onboard and part of the 

team as our Official Digital Music Partner. 

And through voting on TikTok fans at home 

will feel closer than ever to the show. 

Finally, I’d like to thank you all for your 

continued support of The BRIT Trust. 

Through the BRIT Awards and other 

fundraising events, the Trust has distributed 

more than £27.5 million to a wide range 

of causes and charities that inspire 

people of all backgrounds to realise 

their full potential and life chances. 

I hope you all enjoy the show 

and have a great evening. 

Damian Christian 

The BRIT Awards Chair 

06 07

We proudly congratulate our 

2023 BRIT 

AWARDS 

Nominees 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

CENTRAL CEE 

GROUP OF THE YEAR 

BAD BOY 

CHILLER CREW* 

NOVA TWINS* 

RISING STAR 

NIA ARCHIVES* 

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

BURNA BOY 

LIZZO 

INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF THE YEAR 

21 SAVAGE 

INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR 

I’M GOOD (BLUE) 

BEBE REXHA 

ABCDEFU 

GAYLE 

ABOUT DAMN TIME 

LIZZO 

BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ACT 

NOVA TWINS* 

BEST DANCE ACT 

BONOBO* 

BEST HIP HOP/RAP/GRIME ACT 

CENTRAL CEE 

*Shared Representation 

Los Angeles New York London Nashville Atlanta Chicago 

unitedtalent.com 

NURTURING THE 

FUTURE OF CREATIVE 

TALENT WITH 

THE BRIT SCHOOL. 

Mastercard is proud to 

sponsor The BRIT Awards 

and support The BRIT School. 

As we celebrate our 25th year as 

headline sponsor of The BRIT Awards, 

we are so proud to spotlight the next 

generation of creative talent studying at 

The BRIT School – a unique, free school 

that nurtures the creativity of 14-19 yearolds 

while they study towards a formal 

state education. For the duration of our 

headline sponsorship of the awards, 

the additional funding provided through 

The BRIT Trust and The BRIT Awards’ 

fundraising activities has supported the 

development of thousands of students, 

Adele: The BRIT Awards 2022 


from Interactive Digital Design and 

Musical Theatre to many of the iconic 

names in music and entertainment. 

In support of all the incredible talent at 

The BRIT School, we are championing 

the students and their work, showcasing 

their creativity in both the physical and 

virtual worlds. From Dance and Music 

Technology to Production Arts, we are 

delighted to have the opportunity to 

highlight the talent currently studying 

at the school as they prepare for 

careers in the creative industries. 

We are blown away by the outstanding 

accomplishments of new and 

established music artists in the UK 

and around the world, and are once 

again proud to present the prestigious 

Mastercard Album of the Year and Song 

of the Year with Mastercard awards. 

Please join us in celebrating this year’s 

BRIT Award nominees and winners, 

as well as the future generation of 

creative talent at The BRIT School. 

09

Live Nation would like to congratulate 

all BRIT Awards 2023 nominees 

Ready For 

The Weekend? 

AD 


The BRITs aftershow parties 

take on a Saturday night 

vibe here at The O2. 

It’s all change at The BRITs as 

2023 sees a big shake up in our 

party planning. Why not get in the 

party mood with the help of our 

official drinks partner 1800 Tequila? 

Let’s raise a toast to not one – but 

two hot ticket rollover events! 

‘Show and Party’ Diamond diners started 

their evening in the O2’s Indigo, and 

when the BRITs curtain falls please take 

a short stroll back to the venue which 

has been transformed into clubland. As 

the glitter ball spins get on the dance 

floor - we are going London Disco! With 

DJ Siggy Small MCing events, and the 

best of guests dropping by, it’s the best 

disco night you’ve never been to (yet)! 

If you are lucky enough to be dining on 

the Arena floor, in suites, or in Platinum 

dining at the Intercontinental Hotel, 

you will be welcomed back into the 

warmth there where the Platinum Party 

is getting everyone hot under the collar. 

Love is in the air at the Valentine 

themed cabaret where host Kimberley 

Nichol will lead a sizzling line-up of 

performers. With surprise musical 

guests, trapeze artist Lucius, Samba 

sassiness from Tropicalia, and DJ 

Rubber Ron in the house.The Platinum 

Party boasts a drama parlour, for last 

minute make-up and glamorous fixes, 

fortune tellers, and a Wheel of Fortune 

photobooth, with prizes from boppers 

to beads and lots of pink popcorn. It 

all lasts until two in the morning. Why 

not? There’s no work tomorrow and 

there’s lots of BRITs love to go round! 

*Party invites are not interchangeable. 

Please check your tickets to ensure 

access to the correct event. 

Mouthwatering menus 

We’ve all seen the celebs sitting 

down at the posh tables… but what 

are they eating? We want to know! 

The BRIT Awards dining experience 

is unlike any other, and the menus 

are designed to put sustainable, 

low-carbon produce at their core. 

Arena guests and Platinum diners will 

tuck into glorious flavours that mix 

African influences (including a nod 

to designer Slawn’s famous motifs), 

alongside locally-sourced British fare. 

The meat on the Arena menu is 

succulent venison sourced from the 

Braemar Estate in the Cairngorms, 

Scotland. Meanwhile the vegan option 

is a treat of a tagine, complemented 

by the flavours of piri piri polenta chip, 

chimichurri, carrot puree and crispy kale. 

Food served in the suites are variations 

on a similar theme, while Diamond 

guests can, this year, enjoy an array 

of finger foods in the Indigo venue. 

Arena and Suite patrons will find 

pre-ordered drinks orders adjacent 

to their table. Official drinks partner 

Life Water has ensured there are 

bottles already laid aside, there is 

also a wide ranging drinks menu 

featuring wines, beers, spirits etc… 

Your servers remain on hand to refill 

stocks and take orders as required. 

The BRITs is proud of its eco credentials 

and this ethos is at the forefront of 

the planning process at all times. To 

see what is being done to make The 

BRITs more sustainable in the bars and 

food concessions as well as at A-lister 

tables, go to p95 for more detail. 

10 

11

PROUDLY CONGRATULATES OUR CLIENTS ON 

THEIR 2023 BRIT AWARDS NOMINATIONS 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

STORMZY 

THIS IS WHAT I MEAN 


GEORGE EZRA* 

STORMZY 

BEST GROUP 

ARCTIC MONKEYS* 

AD 

SINGLE PAGE 

SONG OF THE YEAR 

AITCH AND ASHANTI 

BABY 

DAVE 

STARLIGHT 

210MM X 297.5 

GEORGE 3MM BLEED EZRA* 

GREEN GREEN GRASS 

LEWIS CAPALDI* 

FORGET ME 

SAM SMITH* & KIM PETRAS 

UNHOLY 

BEST DANCE 

CALVIN HARRIS* 

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP/GRIME 

AITCH 

DAVE 

LOYLE CARNER 

STORMZY 

POP/R&B 

DUA LIPA* 

SAM SMITH* 

BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ACT 

ARCTIC MONKEYS 

*SHARED REPRESENTATION 

15MM GUTTER 

KSI on The BRIT Awards 2022 Red Carpet 


Late 

Night 

Talking 

Head to The BRITs’ 

Social Channels 

to have your say! 

The O2 may hold a lot of people 

- but there’s no way we 

could fit every BRIT Awards 

fan into the Arena. 

That’s why The BRITs exists across a 

wide array of social channels - bringing 

the news, the exclusives, the gossip 

and the glitter straight to you. 

Head to our official feeds to discover 

the behind-the scenes action and 

ever-changing ways to get involved. 

Selected category votes have taken 

place via TikTok, while radio stations 

including BBC Radio 1, KISS and 

Capital have been ramping up the 

excitement for category votes. 

Our partner channels are overflowing 

with clips and exclusive content, 

including one-off performances and 

kicking collabs, so don’t miss the 

‘must-see’s’ at YouTube Music. 

Why not subscribe. When exclusives 

drop, you’ll be first to know? 

Tonight’s nominated artists and 

performers are documenting their 

own BRITs adventures so use the 

#BRITs hashtags to search for 

action and reactions from them - 

who is getting rowdy on the red 

carpet and who’s planning on 

behaving badly? You will know! 

Of course, social channels are 

the real fan forum so we want to 

know your thoughts and feedback 

on all that’s taking place. If you’re 

holding a fan event, cosplaying 

as your favourite artist or keeping 

the convo going with your unique 

views, upload a clip or a comment 

to get involved - do it your way! 

Love Music, Love Life. 

#BRITs 

12 

13

He’s back once again 

to host British music’s 

biggest party. 

Helen Lamont talks 

to man of the moment 

Mo Gilligan. 

He’s the new darling of Saturday 

night TV so it’s only fair that Mosiah 

(Mo) Gilligan plays host with the 

(mo)st for The BRITs’ first ever big 

show on a Saturday night! South 

London stand-up Mo, who’s also 

become a firm favourite on The Big 

Narstie Show, The Lateish Show, The 

Masked Singer, The Masked Dancer, 

and now That’s My Jam (phew!), won 

rave reviews for his BRITs debut in 

2022. There is more to see in ’23 

so set those catchphrases up - we’ll 

knock them down this year as well. 

Congratulations, you’re hosting The 

BRIT Awards for the second time! 

I am looking forward to getting 

back and doing it all again. It 

feels like a massive honour. 

Did anything surprise you 

about your first time? 

Seeing the amazing acts. And I 

realised just how much it means 

to people. So that recharges the 

excitement a little bit, it’s really nice. 

What were your favourite 

moments of the 2022 show? 

The opening was awesome. How 

Ed Sheeran came out, people doing 

backflips and stuff, I was like, ‘Woah, 

it’s me who’s introducing him - is this 

really happening!?’ It was quite a ‘full 

circle’ thing,’ I remember when he first 

started on the show [performing Lego 

House in 2012] James Corden was the 

host. I was lot younger then, so yeah. 

That was a moment I’ll never forget. 

Last year, The BRITs introduced the 

gender neutral categories and more 

genre votes. A good move? 

I think it’s good to see the fans have 

more control of the genre categories, 

so they can let you know who they 

are streaming and listening to. 

It’s good [that] awards shows are 

adapting to what fans want to go for. 

What will be different in 2023? 

The tables are back in the arena! We 

don’t have to be restrained, and there 

will be a lot more people in the room, I 

can move around more, I can chat more, 

and the lovely people at home can have 

a bit more chaos! It was quite sweet 

last year. I think this year will be hectic! 

A returning star… you can now ask for 

crazy stuff in your dressing room rider.. 

Ah, no no - definitely not. Nothing 

too showbiz just yet. I got fruit and 

water and that’s me, man. Fruit and 

water and Haribo. Nothing fancy. 

Who would you like to see 

win this time around? 

Ooh I don’t know who’s nominated 

yet so I have no idea! I don’t 

want to say someone who is not 

nominated. I will wait until the 

nominations are announced and 

choose from the shortlists. 

You know a lot of people 

in the music industry… 

Yes I do, because I’ve had them on my 

show! I know them so it’s quite hard 

to [tell them what to do]. But hopefully 

there will also be a few new people 

this year, that I will be able to meet. 

What music have you 

been listening to? 

I’ve been free flowing with the music this 

year. Especially because of The BRITs 

I am trying to be more open to what is 

out there, so normally I just listen to the 

radio. But I do love Kendrick Lamar’s 

album, if there is any chance of him 

being at the O2 that would be amazing. 

You’ve been known to rap on TV… 

Oh yeah, I do man. I’m on it. We do 

a music-based show called That’s 

My Jam, which is special to me, 

and I get my mic out. If The BRITs 

need a rap artist, someone gifted, 

if Drake’s not there, I’ll be there. 

No worries. Just give me a call… 

Indeed you revealed your musical 

ambition by saying “In my heart I am 

really a musician”… 

Oh yeah. In my heart I am a 

musician. But in my head, I am a 

realist. You know what I mean. 

So modest, but you had a phenomenal 

year in 2022. What were your most 

‘pinch me’ moments? 

Well, definitely The BRITs was 

up there. And I had some other 

amazing moments. A few months 

later, I did my first show in America. 

I came back, that weekend I won 

a BAFTA. So that was huge! 

Make way 

for the 

Renegade 

Master 


Do you get nervous beforehand? 

Oh no I’m quite chilled. Before I go 

on stage I like to take five minutes, 

read my script one last time. But you 

can practice as much as you like it 

doesn’t count for anything. Once it 

goes out live anything can happen! 

Sounds stressful! 

But when its all over you can enjoy 

it, you know what I mean? You are so 

involved with all the people in the room 

you forget there are people watching 

at home. But it is a really fun gig to do. 

It takes a ton of amazing people to 

make an award show and literally to 

be part of that is an amazing feeling… it 

took me about a week to take it all in! 

What did you think of the 

reviews afterwards? 

I didn’t read any. I don’t read it. But 

it is nice if people like me. Hosting 

The BRITs is a massive honour for 

any presenter in this country! 

Are you bringing the 

South London Massive? 

Hmm, am I? I don’t think I have a table. 

Jack Whitehall had a table? Maybe 

I should enquire. Yeah, I should sort 

that out get a table for the family and 

the south London massive. I’m very 

happy that my family have been able 

to come on this journey with me, they 

are part of the success. Whenever 

I am on TV I try to make sure I am 

representing, being a good brother, 

good uncle, and a good son. I want 

to be the cool uncle, you know? 

You got any beef with any 

popstars? We had to keep 

Jack Whitehall apart from several… 

Nah, I don’t think so. I just like to 

have a laugh, a chat, I’m more about 

the party experience, it’ll help that 

February 11th is the first BRITs on a 

Saturday, I’m just all about the party 

atmosphere. Gonna have fun. 

All these awards shows, 

do you now need a tuxedo 

section in your wardrobe? 

I do have a few tux’s now, I have 

to be prepared at any time, any 

moment, any place, because you 

never know where I might have to 

host something, yeah. Whether it’s The 

BRITs, Summer Space Jam Festival, 

you name it, I am tuxedo ready. 

You’ve had a spectacular rise 

to the top, what’s up next in 2023? 

Hopefully more of the same really. 

We’ve got The Lateish Show coming 

back. Hopefully me and AJ [Ododu] 

will do Big Breakfast again. And 

then, hopefully, the Masked Singer. 

I am fortunate enough to have 

these amazing gigs ask me back! 

You could buy a Bentley 

to say well done to yourself… 

Nah, unfortunately not. But hey, I’ll 

take the Skoda. So what will I buy to 

celebrate? Hmm, more Haribo for me! 


14 15

A host of famous faces including Skepta, 

Jorja Smith, Burna Boy and Rocky and 

Rhianna are among those who now own 

their own piece of must-have artwork. 

Shock 

& Awe 

“Shock factor is important to me” 

says Street Art revolutionary Slawn, 

who created the much talked about 

BRIT Award trophy for 2023. 

“I like to make a loud bang so 

I can at least raise my hand, 

and say what I want to say”. 

The 22 year-old, who moved to 

London from Nigeria, has become 

a big noise in the art world, thanks 

to his instantly-recognisable style and 

attention-grabbing guerrilla tactics. 

He’s painted a bus, he’s painted a 

plane, he’s been artist in residence 

at The Mandrake Hotel, and (with 

a little less prior agreement), his 

work has appeared overnight on 

the capital’s landmarks as well. 

Once, he sent mobs of people to 

the Saatchi gallery, demanding they 

know his name. Well, they do now. 

“I’m a disruptor.” 


And just fifteen recipients of BRIT Awards 

in 2023 will own the very limited, latest 

incarnation of the show’s classic trophy. 

Britannia’s ever-evolving silhouette has 

previously been shaped by designers 

including Tracey Emin, Zaha Hadid, Damien 

Hirst and Vivienne Westwood. Now this 

year’s exclusive statuette is a weighty 

bronze creation given Slawn’s special spin. 

He explains, “It has three faces 

on it, my classic faces that you 

see all the time in my art”. 

Why not two or four? “Well,” he says, 

“I’m a big fan of comics and I took 

inspiration from Marvel’s Living Tribunal. 

Because I really love comics, yes”. 

“One of the faces represents being 

grateful, gratitude is important. One 

of them represents celebration, so 

a little michievious, yeah, and the 

other is seriousness - how serious 

an opportunity this is for me.” 

“I took the helmet off. I was trying to do 

something different, and at the same 

time I wanted to congratulate people. 

So I’m sort of saying, ‘hats off to them’”. 

Slawn had the trophy moulded from 

bronze, a familiar medium, because 

“that’s what I grew up seeing. Where 

I’m from, in my culture, they use it 

a lot. It’s an ode to where I’m from, 

to my culture, and to Nigerians”. 

“It celebrates me celebrating my 

culture. And you are celebrating 

your culture by celebrating mine.” 

“That’s basically what the award is about.” 

For such a young man, this 

artist’s rise to the top has been 

nothing short of exceptional. 

As a teen struggling to balance academic 

expectations with undiagnosed ADHD, 

he took a year out of his studies and 

went to work in Nigeria’s coolest hangout, 

the cultish Wafflesncream. “That 

was madness, We had the first skate 

shop, we were just kids, just mucking 

about. It was like living the dream.” 

He and friends Leo and Onyedi 

created the skate label Motherlan, 

and the scene caught the attention 

of the city’s high profile visitors - 

including the much-missed Louis 

Vuitton creative Virgil Abloh, and 

including Skepta and manager 

Grace Ladoja, who has now taken 

Slawn under her managerial wing. 

He explains, “They come from London, 

so my brain just did mathematics 

and I was like, I can get to London 

now. I can find a way there”. 

“Grace, Alex, Skepta, they brought me 

over here. I was only supposed to be 

over here for two weeks, but I said, 

“Yeah, I’m not going back”. And I just 

never went back. Huge decision.” 

It’s fair to say he met a lot of people 

in a short time in the city. 

“When I came here, I basically didn’t have 

a place to stay. I was couch surfing.” 

“I only came here to London four, 

five years ago, I got to know a lot 

of people, people who knows this 

person who knows that person, and 

I connect to people very easily.” 

“It’s not that I know everyone who’s anyone, 

no. I know everyone who maybe wasn’t 

someone before. but now is someone. 

I’ve grown with them. It’s a movement.” 

“There’s been a culture shift, and I was 

lucky enough to be involved and to 

be able to recognise it, know what my 

role would be in that culture shift.” 

Although enrolled in graphic design 

course at London’s Middlesex uni, Slawn’s 

brain took him elsewhere, and the 2020 

pandemic made him re-evaluate. 

“[Covid] changed and shaped me. I had 

time to think, I was watching a lot of people 

have problems and not be happy about 

lockdowns, it gave me time to analyse 

humans in a massive way and make my 

plan. By the time lockdown was over, I 

could immediately start executing my plan.” 

Of course, Slawn’s connections to 

the music world are many - and 

the nominee lists include artists he 

counts as good friends. It’s going to 

be quite a party. He grins: “Oh yeah, 

I’ll be there man, I’ll be wearing a full 

denim suit and a nice Lagos hat.” 

“I haven’t been to The BRITs before, but I’ve 

watched moments that changed me. When 

I watched Kanye West perform [in 2015] 

for example when he had 30 people on 

stage, Skepta as well, I cried watching that, 

because the shock that the people at The 

BRITs had, was something else. Taylor Swift 

stood up and her face! She was shocked.” 

“I think it is so weird that life has 

done that full circle back for me 

to design at The BRITs.” 

Now I think: “Every single time I do 

something I want to have the same reaction 

Taylor Swift had to that performance. 

That’s the face I’m looking for, always.” 

And at the event, “I hope one of my 

friends wins an award and I get to go 

on stage with him, and shake hands”! 

With his work reaching ever-larger 

audiences, Slawn is taking time 

out to go back to his African roots 

for a while in early 2023. 

“Yeah, I really wanna go back there and put 

installations of my work up where I grew up. 

So that the kids out there can understand 

if you want to make art it doesn’t have 

to be conventional, you understand.” 

No doubt there are big things in 

the pipeline, but its time to take 

stock after designing the BRIT. 

He sighs. “You know, I might not 

become a huge artist, I might fall 

of the rails tomorrow, people might 

stop caring about me next week.” 

“I want to have a legacy where people can 

be proud of me, and my son can be proud 

of me, and Nigeria can be proud of me.” 

Doing this award now means, 

whatever comes after, if I bring out 

a really insane idea, I hope people 

will be like, ‘OK, let’s listen.” 

“He did design a BRIT.” 

16 

17

YOU CAN’T SPELL 

WASSERMAN 

WITHOUT 

FLO (winner) 

Take off! 

“Excited? I feel 

like a golden 

retriever that’s 

won a prize!” 

Sam Ryder, Mimi Webb, 

and more were all 

excited to be part of 

The BRITs’ inaugural 

digital launch! 

AD 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ARTISTS 

Proudly 

representing 

the entire BRITs 

Rising Star 2023 

shortlist: 

NOMINATED FOR THE BRIT AWARDS 2023: 

Nia Archives 

Cat Burns 

Bad Boy Chiller Crew 

Bonobo* 

Calum Scott* 

Calvin Harris* 

Cat Burns 

David Guetta* 

Drake 

Ed Sheeran * 

Eliza Rose 

First Aid Kit* 

Fred again.. 

Jack Harlow* 

Kendrick Lamar 

Lewis Capaldi 

LF SYSTEM 

Rina Sawayama* 

Sam Ryder 

Tom Grennan* 

Wet Leg 

*Shared representation 

The announcement of The BRIT 

Awards’ nominations is a big 

event in the music industry. 

In 2023 the ‘big reveal’ took place 

online as Vick Hope hosted a 

livestream to share the shortlists 

ahead of February 11th’s BRITs night. 

The glamorous DJ welcomed a string 

of musical guests who shared their 

excitement at being shortlisted. 

Sam Ryder, Mimi Webb, Nova Twins 

and Loyle Carner were among the 

happy faces who joined the glamorous 

Vick in the studio to get their reaction, 

while still more were trying not to 

scream down the Zoom call. 

Fellow DJ Jack Saunders and Olympian 

knitter Tom Daly were on hand to make 

sure the whole event went with a bang. 

Mimi Webb, the first nominee 

interviewed, had lots of reasons to 

celebrate as the stream this went 

out on the eve of her single launch, 

an album Amelia follows in March. 

Mimi revealed, “I just want to get 

a nice dress, and get on the red 

carpet, you know? I think also just 

to see everyone, and enjoy the 

atmosphere. It’s something I’ve 

dreamt of doing for so long”! 

BRITs veteran Vick counselled;“Try and 

enjoy it! The BRITs is an amazing night, 

[but] you’re gonna need several ‘looks’ 

and that’s looks with an L-E-W-K”! 

“You’ve got the red carpet, you’ve got 

the nominations, you’ve got several after 

parties, am I going to see you there?” 

And Mimi giggled, “I will see 

you there, my girl”! 

Next, Sam Ryder popped along to 

celebrate his nod in the Best New Artist 

category and he looked amazingly 

chuffed about the whole shebang. 

He could just about contain himself 

when he explained, “I’m busting… 

I’m going to be running round this 

room. I am so, so stoked about 

it. I feel like a golden retriever 

that’s won a competition”! 

Asked how he got to be one of the 

sweetest people in the music business, 

he pondered, “ I could say, sitting with 

18 19

AD 

Congratulations to all 

Sony Music Publishing 

songwriters whose 

work is nominated at 

The BRIT Awards 2023 

with Mastercard 

you, the gratitude is real! It’s as simple 

as that! And being thankful, reminding 

yourself that while you may be up for 

an award like best Best New Artist, the 

truth is that there are tons of people 

worthy of that award. That’s the key. You 

are just lucky to be there… so breathe 

it in, and be appreciative. That’s it!” 

Wise words from one of the most 

well-liked blokes in showbiz! 

One quick sofa-shuffle and Nova 

Twins appeared, also looking excited. 

As well as talking about their live 

shows they explained that their 

success came despite them not 

fitting the usual rock star mould. 

“[The industry] didn’t know what the 

hell to do with us - where do we put 

you? You don’t look like them four 

guys over there who are doing rock. 

“We didn’t fit in, so its been a little 

while”. For that uncertainty to transfer 

into this is “incredible, its such an 

achievement for us, for the community, 

for rock and alt music, and for women 

playing loud! it’s such a celebration. 

And we’re just so happy to be here”. 

And the last interviewee on the sofa 

was Loyle Carner. He got all shy when 

Previous page: Vick Hope and Jack Saunders 

Main image: Vick Hope Interviews Nova Twins 

Inset (L-R): Tom Daley, Loyle Carner, Sam Ryder and Mimi Webb 


Vick told him how much his music 

transformed her, Loyle revealed: “It 

means everything to me. So for this 

album, well, there’s always been that 

communication with me. Like, when 

people see me in the street, they go, 

‘Thank you for this song it helped 

me’ And for this album it is tenfold”. 

The former BRIT School student 

explained that life had changed. 

Since the brith of his son: “He made 

me reevaluate… this album definitely 

wouldn’t exist without my son. I owe 

him a lot! I owe him this nomination!” 

A plethora of zoom call famous faces 

popped onto the screen each with their 

own message. Rita Sawayama thanked 

the BRITs for changing eligibility rules 

so artists like her could be nominated. 

Bebe Rexha told David Guetta,” I love 

it, I’ve never been nominated for a 

BRIT Award so this is so cool!” 

Aitch did a shout out from his hot 

tub, saying, “we’ve got everyone 

involved, and putting hard work in, [so] 

its nice to get noticed… I’m happy.” 

And Bad Boy Chiller Crew chipped in 

from their studio base, “Might have 

to get some suits on’t cheap, lads! 

No way, The BRIT Awards, boy! Yes, 

BRIT Awards are coming, yeah!” 

As the stream’s presenters and 

musical guests started to sign off, 

thoughts turned event preparations. 

Jason Lusk, the smooth-voiced Gabriels 

wonder, stuttered, “I’ve just been told 

that Gabriels have been nominated 

for International Act, this year at The 

BRIT Awards! AND I”M EXCITED! 

“The real question is, what am I going 

to wear? And in the words of Aretha 

Franklin - ‘gowns, great gowns, 

beautiful gowns…’ We have to find 

the grandest cape of them all! 

“The [other] real question is, now we 

have been nominated, am I British?” 

Watch out London, a whirlwind is 

about to blow into town! And its all 

going to go down at The BRITs! 

So Jacob squealed, (and everyone 

is excited): “Packed my bags, got my 

flight - ready? I’m coming… Let’s go!” 

Mimi Webb 


20 

21

About 

Damn 

Time? 

Everyone has been 

waiting to discover 

who leads the 

BRITs Shortlists in 

2023. Here’s the 

all-important info. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re 

a certified pop legend or an 

overnight indie sensation, the run 

up to the BRIT announcement 

is jammed with anticipation. 

Leading the nominations at the 43rd 

BRIT awards, and celebrating four 

nominations each, are Harry Styles, who 

chalked up the year’s biggest selling 

album AND single, and Wet Leg, who 

hadn’t even released their debut back 

when the BRITs 2022 rolled around. 

Harry Styles truly is the man who can do 

no wrong - no, not even with *that* outfit 

- and this is reflected in ongoing BRITs 

recognition. Styles is up for four bronze 

Slawn-designed trophies; they are Artist 

of The Year, Pop/R&B Act, and Song 

of The Year for As It Was. He is also 

in the running for the much-contested 

Mastercard Album of the Year for 

Harry’s House, his third solo collection. 

As well as scooping seven awards from 

twelve nominations with One Direction 

Harry has previously triumphed twice 

from four nods as a solo artist (2023 

adds four more). The winning categories 

were in the fan-voted British Video in 

2018 for Sign of The Times and British 

Single in 2021 for Watermelon Sugar. 

If feelings of general inadequacy are 

your thing, be inspired by Wet Leg. In 

less time than it takes to say, ‘What? 

They’re called Wet Leg’? this gogetting 

pair recorded and released the 

eponymous debut which earned them 

shortlist places in Mastercard Album of 

the Year, Group of The Year, New Artist, 

and the fan-voted Alternative/Rock Act. 

Previous BRIT winners and performers 

Stormzy and The 1975 return to the fray 

Nova Twins: Georgia South & Amy Love 


each with three nominations. Genrehopping 

Fred again.., who previously 

won British Producer in 2020, and Cat 

Burns, who matches three thanks to her 

place on the Rising Star shortlist, are 

also in the three-times-recognised crew. 

Conversations continue regarding 

representation for women on the 

shortlist, however there are several 

women artists up for multiple 

nominations this year; as well as Wet 

Leg and Cat Burn's impressive tally of 

nominations, Eliza Rose celebrates two 

nods (Dance Act and Song Of The Year), 

as do Nova Twins (Alternative/Rock 

Act and Group of The Year). Beyoncé, 

Lizzo and Taylor Swift all celebrate 

two nods in the same International 

categories - International Artist, and 

International Song of The Year. 

In addition (deep breath) Aitch, Arctic 

Monkeys, Central Cee, Dave, 

George Ezra, Ed Sheeran, and Sam 

Smith were the other acts who each 

received two nods each - it is a 

return visit of every one of them. 

Of all the big hitters, Arctic Monkeys 

have the most impressive win 

to nomination ratio. Leaving this 

year’s noms to the side they are 

already standing at seven wins from 

ten nominations, including three 

wins each for British Group and 

Mastercard Album of The Year. 

Up there with Harry Styles, the 

other most nominated act on the 

shortlist is surely Ed Sheeran with, 

to date, 24 nominations spawning 

seven trophies. Special mention 

too for Calvin Harris who has two 

wins from twenty possible gongs. 

Meanwhile, the elder statesman of our 

selection is Elton John who is nominated 

alongside Sheeran for Merry Christmas; 

Elton is now 75. He has five BRIT Awards 

at home, including four especially 

glittery accolades in recognition of 

outstanding career contributions. The 

youngest BRIT nominee of 2023, 

meanwhile, is Gayle who scored her No.1 

single ACDEFU at the age of seventeen. 

You will recall a voting shake-up in 

2022, in which male and female 

categories were replaced by nongendered 

categories. Four new 

categories, Alternative/Rock Act, Hip 

Hop/Grime/Rap Act, Dance Act, and 

Pop/R&B Act were introduced at the 

same time and proved popular, they 

have become the best way for the 

public to influence the show’s line-up of 

winners through the social media vote. 

Finally the R&B trio FLO were 

announced as the BRIT Awards Rising 

Star category winner for 2023 and 

the girls will be presented with their 

trophy on stage at The O2. The Rising 

Star award, formerly known as Critics' 

Choice, has a sixteen year history with 

previous winners including Adele, Sam 

Smith and Celeste. The Songwriter 

and British Producer winners are 

decided by partner organisations. 

The usual eligibility period is 10 Dec 

2021 to 9 December 2022. Please 

see category pages for details. 

THE BRIT AWARDS 2023 

NOMINATIONS LIST IN FULL 

RISING STAR 

SUPPORTED BY BBC RADIO 1 

Cat Burns RCA / SINCE’93, SONY MUSIC 

FLO (Winner) ISLAND, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Nia Archives ISLAND, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

MASTERCARD ALBUM 

OF THE YEAR 

The 1975 

Being Funny In A Foreign Language 

DIRTY HIT 

Wet Leg Wet Leg 

DOMINO RECORDINGS 

Harry Styles (Winner) Harry's House 

COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Stormzy This Is What I Mean 

0207 / MERKY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Fred again.. Actual Life 3 

(January 1 - September 9 2022) 

ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 


WITH YOUTUBE SHORTS 

Central Cee CENTRAL CEE 

Fred again.. ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

George Ezra COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Harry Styles (Winner) COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Stormzy 0207 / MERKY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 


The 1975 DIRTY HIT 

Arctic Monkeys DOMINO RECORDINGS 

Bad Boy Chiller Crew 

RELENTLESS, SONY MUSIC 

Nova Twins 

MARSHALL RECORDS. BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC 

Wet Leg (Winner) DOMINO RECORDINGS 

BEST NEW ARTIST 

Kojey Radical ASYLUM / ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

Mimi Webb EPIC / RCA, SONY MUSIC 

Rina Sawayama DIRTY HIT 

Sam Ryder PARLOPHONE, WARNER MUSIC 

Wet Leg (Winner) DOMINO RECORDINGS 

INTERNATIONAL 


Beyoncé (Winner) 

COLUMBIA / PARKWOOD / RCA , SONY MUSIC 

Burna Boy ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

Kendrick Lamar 

POLYDOR / INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Lizzo ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

Taylor Swift EMI / REPUBLIC, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 


WITH MASTERCARD 

PROMOTED BY CAPITAL FM 

Aitch / Ashanti Baby 

CAPITOL, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Cat Burns Go 

RCA / SINCE 93, SONY MUSIC 

Dave Starlight 

DAVE/NEIGHBOURHOOD, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Ed Sheeran & Elton John 

Merry Christmas 

ATLANTIC / EMI, WARNER MUSIC / UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Eliza Rose / Interplanetary Criminal 

B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All) 

WARNER RECORDS / ONE HOUSE, WARNER MUSIC 

George Ezra Green Green Grass 


Harry Styles (Winner) As it Was 


Lewis Capaldi Forget Me 

EMI, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

LF System Afraid To Feel 

WARNER RECORDS, WARNER MUSIC 

Sam Smith & Kim Petras Unholy 


INTERNATIONAL 


Blackpink POLYDOR / INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Drake & 21 Savage 

ISLAND / OVO / REPUBLIC; EPIC / COLUMBIA, 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC, SONY MUSIC 

First Aid Kit COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Fontaines D.C. (Winner) PARTISAN RECORDS 

Gabriels PARLOPHONE, WARNER MUSIC 

INTERNATIONAL 


Beyoncé (Winner) Break My Soul 

COLUMBIA / PARKWOOD / RCA, SONY MUSIC 

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha 

I'm Good (Blue) 

PARLOPHONE, WARNER MUSIC 

Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran Peru 

ISLAND / ATLANTIC, UNIVERSAL / WARNER 

Gaitan / Castillo / Adassa / Feliz 

We Don't Talk About Bruno 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC RECORDINGS / WALT DISNEY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Gayle abcdefu ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

Jack Harlow First Class 


Lizzo About Damn Time 


Lost Frequencies / Calum Scott 

Where Are You Now 

CAPITOL / INSANITY, SONY MUSIC / UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

OneRepublic I Ain't Worried 


Taylor Swift Anti-Hero 

EMI / REPUBLIC, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

GENRE CATEGORIES 

EACH CATEGORY HAS FIVE NOMINEES AND IS VOTED FOR BY THE 

PUBLIC VIA TIKTOK. PROMOTED VIA RADIO STATIONS ON BAUER 

AND GLOBAL MEDIA. 

ALTERNATIVE / ROCK ACT 

PROMOTED BY ABSOLUTE RADIO 

The 1975 (Winner) DIRTY HIT 

Arctic Monkeys DOMINO RECORDINGS 

Nova Twins MARSHALL RECORDS. BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC 

Tom Grennan INSANITY, SONY MUSIC 

Wet Leg DOMINO RECORDINGS 

HIP HOP / GRIME / RAP ACT 

PROMOTED BY CAPITAL XTRA 

Aitch (Winner) CAPITOL, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Central Cee CENTRAL CEE 

Dave DAVE / NEIGHBOURHOOD, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Loyle Carner EMI, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Stormzy 0207 / MERKY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

DANCE ACT 

PROMOTED BY KISS FM 

Becky Hill (Winner) POLYDOR, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Bonobo NINJA TUNE 

Calvin Harris COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Eliza Rose| WARNER RECORDS / ONE HOUSE, WARNER MUSIC 

Fred again.. ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

POP / R&B ACT 


Cat Burns RCA / SINCE’93, SONY MUSIC 

Charli XCX ASYLUM / ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

Dua Lipa WARNER RECORDS, WARNER MUSIC 

Harry Styles (Winner) COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC 

Sam Smith CAPITOL, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

PRODUCER 

David Guetta 

SONGWRITTER 

Kid Harpoon 

222 

23

THE 1975 

BEING FUNNY IN A 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

DIRTY HIT 

“If I won a 

f**king BRIT 

now I’d be like, 

‘Oi, oi!! 

You f**king 

[what]!’” 

MATTY HEALY, THE 1975 

The BRIT Awards 2019 JM Enternational 

“Making the record – once we decided 

what it was – was a fucking breeze, 

but getting there was dreadful,” says 

Matty Healy, frontman and general 

auteur of The 1975. “It was rife 

with near relapses, mental health, 

and difficult, difficult times.” 

Covid postponed their tour in 

support 2020’s BRIT-winning Notes 

on a Conditional Form, a 22 track 

postmodern opus, and the band found 

themselves at a creative crossroads. 

Healy - alongside co-writer and coproducer 

George Daniel, guitarist 

Adam Hann and bassist Ross 

MacDonald - soldiered on. He 

explains, “Inspiration doesn’t come 

looking for you. Love doesn’t come 

looking for you. You have to turn up 

every day and catch it,” he says. 

“I’ll go to the studio and it’ll be dull 

for four hours. [But] if you don’t turn 

up, nothing’s gonna happen. 

“There were lots of ideas and I didn’t 

know where else to go, because I’d 

kind of been everywhere,” he explains. 

“So I was trying to think of something 

new and then I just thought, ‘Well, 

what is a 1975 record?’ Take the frills 

away, what is the thing that connects? 

“I’ve realised what I do: I write about 

how we communicate interpersonally 

in the modern age — mediated by the 

internet. Love, loss, addiction. Every 

other record has been a bit like: Love! 

And me! And this! And that! I think Being 

Funny is the first time where I’m a bit 

like, OK, right, love. Let’s do love.” 

“The one thing we knew we didn’t 

want to do was a continuation of 

whatever we’d just done. We started 

hanging out with [Lana Day Rey and 

Taylor Swift] producer Jack Antonoff.” 

The rule of thumb became “Play it 

and record it. Real instruments.” 

Recorded in analogue at Antonoff’s 

Electric Lady Studios in New York and 

at Real World near Bath, it is almost 

a throwback record; The lead single 

Part of The Band was an attempt 

to channel The E Street Band. 

“The songs were written, and we went 

to a studio, and we produced them, and 

we recorded them. We’ve essentially 

not done that before, apart from the 

first album, I’ve always wanted to 

make something very, very intimate.” 

“Fifteen years ago when you heard 

XXYYXX, you thought, “What are these 

sounds? He made them on a computer?” 

Now you know that any kid can make a 

bedroom thing that sounds crazy. What 

you can’t do is have been in a band for 

20 years and be great players and go 

into a room and have that freedom.” 

There are two sides to this story. The 

first is classic The 1975 - wry, funny and 

analytic, postmodern ennui for the world. 

The second side is more straightforward 

and simplified, on tracks including I’m 

In Love With You, About You, Robbers, 

and the ballad Somebody Else. 

There’s a sincerity it’s hard to capture 

in a cacophony of smart barbs and 

cool remarks. But peel away the self 

aware layers and this is what you get. 

“I think the record is about striving 

for all of these quite ephemeral 

goals: Love, happiness, oneness.” 

“I’ve always been aware that I’ve 

been asking different questions 

on different records,” says Healy, 

but they are all questions about: 

“Will you? Can I? Can we?” 

“It covers the ground from where I’m 

at emotionally, like, earnestly, soppily, 

to where we are politically and socially 

and, you know, like, it is, in an essence, 

in some ways, a continuation from our 

third album, A Brief Inquiry into Online 

Relationships, in the way that that 

subject matter is kind of my subject 

matter; you know, consumption of 

love, substances and content.” 

There are observations on culture but 

less of the dissection. “I refuse now 

to comment on the morally obvious. 

I’m not proving that I’m not racist. I’m 

not proving that I’m pro-women. I’m 

not proving I’m on the left. I’ve done 

that dance, I’ve done that game, I’ve 

done the work. I’m not interested 

in any insinuation that I am bigoted 

or racist or sexist for the enjoyment 

of someone on the internet.” 

“I do feel very free. I own my own 

record label,” [Dirty Hit] “I don’t have a 

boss. That speaks to people because 

everything is so manicured [these days]”. 

“I’m not saying we’re the 

fucking Sex Pistols...” 

“It’s The Inbetweeners” he laughs. 

“It’s not this austere, cool, sleek thing, 

it’s a bunch of fucking gimps.” 

“We’re just four nerds who are obsessed 

with alternative music and pop culture 

- no deeper. I’m not worried about 

us being like, ‘Oh shit, we need do 

a fucking remix with Marshmello”. 

“I’m very comfortable with 

where we are.” 

24 

25

CONGRATULATIONS 

TO ALL OUR ARTISTS 

NOMINATED AT THE 

BRIT AWARDS 2023 

AD 

AITCH 

NIA ARCHIVES 

BLACKPINK 

LEWIS CAPALDI 

LOYLE CARNER 

DAVE 

DRAKE 

ENCANTO 

FIREBOY 

AD 

DML 

FLO 

BECKY HILL 

ELTON JOHN 

KENDRICK LAMAR 

ONEREPUBLIC 

KIM PETRAS 

CALUM SCOTT 

SAM SMITH 

STORMZY 

TAYLOR SWIFT 

26 

27

“I look at how far we’ve come in such 

a short space of time – not in terms of 

success and commerce but being able 

to steer the ship on a stormy sea. It’s 

a bit of a whirlwind to navigate, but I 

think we’re getting there.” 

WET LEG 

WET LEG 


WET LEG 

“We’re here to give weird joy,” says 

Rhian Teasdale, who alongside 

Hester Chambers, make up 

the indie rock duo Wet Leg. 

Teasdale and Chambers have earned 

four BRITs nominations, including one 

for the coveted Album of The Year, 

nine months after the release of their 

eponymous first collection. Through 

the success of that April 2022 No.1, and 

its clutch of eyebrow-raising, sparse 

and spiky singles, they have earned 

the badge of overnight sensation. 

“When we started Wet Leg, there 

was a definite, solid decision 

that it wasn’t going to be a 

serious band,” says Teasdale. 

“The aim of the game was 

just to have fun.” 

Chambers notes: “It’s ironic that we 

found the most success we’ve had 

from making music once we decided 

we weren’t going to try really hard.” 

It all came about after the pair, who 

had met at the Isle of Wight college 

and pursued music separately, became 

disillusioned, got ‘real’ jobs, and the 

decided a change in approach was 

required, after a heady summer of fun. 

“Initially, we started the band 

because we wanted to get 

free entry into festivals.” 

The result, says Chambers, was 

“quite free flowing. Rules are: there 

ain’t no rules. It’s exciting to feel 

free in what might come out”. 

The songwriting process was 

undertaken largely during Covid 

lockdowns, with a Domino record 

deal secured quickly. Then came their 

watershed moment. The actual albummaking. 

For Teasdale, the pressure was 

not unlike writing a college essay on 

deadline: “You’re like, ‘How am I going 

to write 10,000 words?’ Panic sets in.” 

“Finding our sound was a bit of an 

accident. [But] before we wrote 

Chaise Longue we had a few songs 

that we’d jammed together, with 

a trashier garage-rock sound. 

“When we first started out it was me 

and Hester, and we wrote Chaise 

Longue and Wet Dream with Joshua 

who plays keys in the band now.” 

It all happened so quickly and was so 

unexpected. “We didn’t really think 

about it,” Chambers adds. “We were 

flying by the seat of our pants!” 

“Something that really blows my 

mind is that before Wet Leg, Rhian 

didn’t know how to play guitar,” she 

says. “It just kind of happened.” 

In the twelve songs included, says 

Teasdale, “People will get a bit of 

heartbreak, some disenchantment”. 

“We want to write songs people 

can dance to. And we want people 

to have a good time, even if that 

might not be possible all the time.” 

He explains: “I think some of the songs 

on the album are a little bit sad. And 

I think one of the ways you can deal 

with dark times is make it into a joke.” 

“Someone once told me, ‘You 

need to trust your own bad taste… 

From the word go, we made 

sure to do that with Wet Leg”. 

Chambers agrees: “Being such close 

friends, starting this band together 

was such a refreshing experience. 

We help each other take risks 

and do things that scare us.” 

The album is largely produced 

by Dan Carey (Arctic Monkeys, 

Franz Ferdinand), and mixed by 

Alan Moulder (The Killers, U2) with 

the exception of Chaise Longue 

(produced by Jon McMullen) and 

Angelica (Joshua Mobaraki). 

Between them they dug out demos 

recorded on Garage Band and 

sharpened them til the insults smarted 

and the barbs drew blood at Carey’s 

London base: Say Wet Leg: “It was 

such a beautiful, homely studio, 

with no glass separating us. We 

didn’t have much studio recording 

experience, but we immediately felt 

at ease at Dan’s. It just felt right.” 

“For us,” affirms Teasdale, “Often 

it’s the rough bits, the weird, wonky 

melodies that you hold on to…”. 

And just like in real life, a bit of black 

humour is in order, whenever the 

spirit is down. Says Teasdale: “We 

were not going to be like other bands 

indulging that ‘struggling artist’ thing.” 

“It doesn’t matter if people are 

judging us. We’re just going to do 

it, because why the hell not?” 

“We have a sense of humour. [So] 

start as you mean to go on.” 

The Mercury Prize 2022 JM Enternational 

28 

29

“I am really happy to 

be here and proud 

to be celebrating 

British music. I want 

to thank my fans for 

being so generous 

to me, always, and 

everyone in my life 

who has my back. 

Thank you so much, 

I love you.” 

HARRY STYLES 

HARRY 

STYLES 

HARRY’S HOUSE 



In May 2022 Harry Styles released 

his third solo collection and 

immediately broke sales records 

all over the planet. The worldwide 

success was far removed from the 

process of recording the bright, 

synth-pop 13 song album, which took 

shape amid the Covid pandemic. 

Thinking back to March 2020, 

Styles tells interviewers, “Suddenly, 

the screaming stopped,” Promo, 

touring, travel - nada. 

“It was the first time I’d stopped 

since I’d left my mum’s (In 2010, 

before forming One Direction)”. 

Out in LA, he was marking time, 

chilling. Friends were called, including 

Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson; they 

moved into Rick Rubin’s Malibu studio. 

“We didn’t really know what we were 

going in for,” says Harry. “[But] sitting at 

home might feel better if we all move in 

together and try to make some music.” 

“For a really long time, I was terrified 

of what my life was if I wasn’t up 

there doing music, on a show, doing 

something. And then you’re faced 

with a time when you can’t do that.” 

He explains “I kind of stopped… 

‘What does it actually mean to make 

something? And what does it mean to 

me to make something as my job?’” 

“I think everyone went through a 

big moment of self-reflection, a lot 

of navel-gazing, and I don’t know 

if there’s anything more navelgazing 

than making an album. It’s 

so self-absorbed,” Styles says. 

The name Harry’s House is a tribute 

to a 70’s record Hosono’s House, 

by Haruomi Hosono, which Harry 

first heard while living in Japan. 

Embracing the concept, Styles 

realised that, “that home feeling isn’t 

something you get from a house; it’s 

more of an internal thing.” In part, 

he’d learned that therapy helped 

to “open up rooms in myself”. 

“Obviously, the pandemic and 

everything kind of added to the 

way it was made. It was made by 

a few people in a small room.” 

“[So,] it’s very much dedicated 

to my friends.” 

The group set about writing the night 

they arrived in the villa, with Late Night 

Talking written the first evening, and 

more quickly followed: “There were 

a couple of songs that we did in a 

row where it was like: ‘I don’t know 

if these are good or bad, but I really 

like them’.” The pressure was off. 

Meanwhile the album’s fifth song, 

Daylight, was written in an all-nighter. 

“We powered through on that one.” 

After they were done recording, 

Styles reveals they all “went to the 

beach” as “the sun was coming up”. 

The Roald Dahl-titled Matilda was 

“wanting to reassure [someone] that 

I was listening”. Satellites ponders 

“a cyclical relationship” while Love 

of My Life was penned “because 

I always wanted to write a song 

about home and loving England”. 

When restrictions lifted they flew to 

London, where As It Was was recorded. 

They set up three workstations, with Kid 

Harpoon doing most instrumentation, 

and Johnson overseeing a laptop 

and keys. Styles was, according 

to Kid Harpoon, “in his own lane” 

when it comes to the lyrics. 

Boyfriend and Little Freak were 

completed after having been originally 

penned for the album before. 

Johnson reveals, “It is very much 

like a group, a kind of collective 

making the music, the three of us”. 

“If ideas stick, we go with it, and if 

not, we just disregard it and nobody 

feels kinda slighted. The trust and 

synergy between us when we’re 

writing is really the magic.” 

Says Harry, “I’m getting to a 

place where I feel like, ‘This 

is what I do and I love it”. 

Kid Harpoon says: “It doesn’t feel 

like this is just for his fans — it feels 

like a cultural moment. And it feels 

like music, regardless of whether 

you know anything about Harry.” 

And Styles reveals: “I feel like it’s 

kind of a collection of all of my 

favourite things and very much 

like the album I’ve always wanted 

to make - so I’m really happy”. 

“I think for me, it’s definitely the most 

personal record I think I’ve made.” 

“It was definitely the most intimatelymade 

thing I’ve done so far”. 

He sighs, “I just want to make stuff 

that is right, that is fun (in terms of the 

process). [Stuff] that I can be proud of 

for a long time, that my friends can be 

proud of, my family can be proud of … 

[and] my kids will be proud of one day”. 

30 

31

AD 

AD 

32 

33

STORMZY 

THIS IS WHAT I MEAN 


“I know I still have 

my superpowers, 

but I haven’t worn 

this cape for ages. 

Then I go into the 

closet and I put it 

on and I know I’m 

going to fly...” 

STORMZY 

There were three years between the 

release of Stormzy’s second album 

Heavy Is The Head and his third, the 

November 2022 release This Is What 

I Mean, And the that’s because the 

second album was, well, heavy. 

“I just had this feeling of being 

overwhelmed, of thinking I can’t handle 

this. I’d often just crash out and get 

super depressed or super withdrawn 

and reclusive and just disappear.” 

“I was trying to figure out how to 

be the greatest artist. I was in a 

relationship, I am also a family man, 

a son, a provider, trying to lead in my 

community, and I was making an album. 

“I felt overwhelmed, I would break down, 

it was super heavy… unsustainable.” 

To recover, Stormzy went on holiday to 

Jamaica in 2020 with, among others, 

Adele. Its effect on him - their group 

chats, the new perspective - was cosmic. 

“It just really dawned on me that 

I had a lot of growing to do,” he 

says. “I feel like that’s when my 

life really changed forever.” 

After a hiatus, Stormzy cleared 

the decks ahead of recording his 

next album. He’d stopped smoking 

weed, and gave up social media. 

“There was a lot of peace and stillness 

and my separation from noise helped 

me to hear God’s voice more, [and] to be 

present in myself. It was very reflective.” 

“This time round, I go in the studio, 

we pray, literally: “Father, God, 

be in the room, Holy Spirit, guide 

whatever…” and hope for the best. 

“And I trust God that is gonna be great 

and if its not that’s fine because that’s 

his plan. If I leave there and its the 

fucking best song I ever made, or I 

leave there and I’ve done one lyric, 

its fine, And I’m doing it through him. 

I’ve taken the pressure of myself.” 

The intimate album, Stormzy’s first 

album on 0207 Def Jam, was recorded 

in Essex’s rural Osea Island. 

He paints a picture: “When you hear 

about music camps, they always sound 

intense and somber. People saying, 

“We need to make some hit records.” 

But this felt beautifully free. We’re all 

musicians, but we weren’t always doing 

music. Some days we played football 

or walked around taking pictures. And 

the byproduct of that was very beautiful 

music. Because when you marry that 

ethos with world-class musicians 

and the best producers, writers, and 

artists in the world, and we’re in one 


space, that’s a recipe for something 

that no one can really imagine.” 

With an orchestra and a gospel choir 

on hand, it is a tuneful record as much 

as it is a rap one. It’s very melodic. 

Says Stormzy, “I’ve decided I’m not 

going to shy away from that anymore. 

I’m a grime artist, I’m a rapper, but I’m 

also an artist, I’m a musician. I want to 

do my R’n’B or my gospel, I need to 

stand on that and be proud of that”. 

“I’ve made peace with the idea 

that no one may like it.” 

“I find it impossible to figure out what 

people want from me… so the process of 

making this album has been very selfish.” 

The tracks included vary in style, 

but all feature a quest for truth, an 

ethos of honesty: They live in the 

same space because they were 

made with the same intention.” 

The record opens with Fire + Ice, an 

eight minute microcosm of what’s come, 

and of course there are the singles, 

Mel Made Me Do It, Hide & Seek, 

and Firebabe. Please is vulnerable, a 

confessional, and therapeutic, while 

Holy Spirit is about reconnecting with 

God. I Got My Smile Back is a trademark 

Stormzy rap, but the songs around it 

are different. The album outro is Give 

It To The Water; which is fitting, he 

says. “I’ve held myself accountable. 

I’ve looked in the mirror. I’ve deeped 

every detail of my life. And then I was 

just like, give it to God. Free yourself. 

It’s a fitting end to the album.” 

“I feel like this album unlocks whatever 

freedom I’ve been looking for — 

both as a man and as a creative. It 

allows me to spread my wings.” 

“It reflects the man I am and 

the man I’ve become.” 

“It’s a reflection of growth. It’s not an 

attempt at music so much, it’s more me 

trying to hold up a mirror to myself.” 

“My mission for my new album was 

to make the most beautiful album 

that makes people feel it’s come 

from my soul. I am the artist I always 

wanted to be. I’ve made the music 

I’ve always wanted to make. I’ve 

never been prouder of anything in 

my life. It feels like I’ve arrived.” 

“I listen back to it and I am so in awe of 

God’s work. I listen back to that album 

and I am so proud I feel so blessed.” 

34 

35

SONY MUSIC IS PROUD TO 

CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE 

AMAZING ARTISTS NOMINATED AT 

THE 2023 BRIT AWARDS 

HARRY STYLES 

Artist of the Year, Album of the 

Year , Song of the Year, Pop/R&B 

Act 

CAT BURNS 

Rising Star, Song of the Year, 

Pop/R&B Act 

BEYONCÉ 

International Artist of the Year, 

International Song of the Year 

CALVIN HARRIS 

Dance Act 

AD 

LOST FREQUENCIES & 

DRAKE & 21 SAVAGE 

International Group of the Year 

FIRST AID KIT 

International Group of the Year 

CALUM SCOTT 

International Song of the Year 

AD 

GEORGE EZRA 

Artist of the Year, Song of the 

Year 

BAD BOY CHILLER CREW 

Group of the Year 

MIMI WEBB 

Best New Artist 

TOM GRENNAN 

Alternative / Rock Act 

36 

Award styled by Slawn. 

37

“This album 

is trying to 

make peace.” 

FRED AGAIN.. 

“I’m going to America next year,” 

musician and producer Fred 

Gibson said in 2022, “so my 

plan is to find Carlos. I owe this 

man an enormous amount. 

“He was a construction worker 

who I met, and his whole vibe was 

just so infectiously wonderful. 

“I woke up… I found the video [of him] 

and dragged it into Logic. I started 

playing chords along with him and 

became immediately obsessed.” 

Carlos has found himself starring 

on all three Actual Life… albums, 

the trilogy of ambient and euphoric 

dance records, each formatted like a 

diary, and created by Fred again.. 

With a clubbier vibe than its lockdown 

predecessors, and a release of pent 

up pressure, Actual Life 3 (January 1 - 

September 9, 2022), was launched on 

October 2022 and achieved UK No.4. 

Created using samples and voice notes 

from real life, overheard moments and 

Insta soundbites, it is powered by a sum 

total of human input, collective energy 

captured. Fred’s adventures took 

him around the world and especially 

around London, on tubes and trains, 

the South Bank is his stomping ground: 

“I think it’s about finding places where 

you get a conveyor belt of humanity 

to subconsciously affect you,” he 

reveals. “You can’t help but be excited 

by hundreds of excited humans.” 

The three album span carries an 

overarching theme of personal 

FRED AGAIN.. 

ACTUAL LIFE 3 

(JANUARY 1 - SEPTEMBER 9 2022) 


loss, grief and a quest for a 

peace and acceptance. 

It’s hard to discuss. “Essentially it’s 

about falling in love with someone 

who got very unwell and then…” 

“Whereas, this next one documents 

those stages of grief. I was completely 

sure that it couldn’t end on ‘Billie 

(Loving Arms)’, because it would be so 

insincere. The theme, seeing it now 

more so than when I was writing it, is 

mostly about allowing people to help 

you and the power in that,” he reveals. 

Actual Life 3, he’s realised, is a full stop 

to the project: “[I’m] drawing a line in the 

sand… because I need to give myself 

permission to do something else.” 

“It’s very intense to write about, and I 

needed to allow myself to breathe from 

it for a second so I could move forward.” 

“With [grief] being a nonlinear 

experience, it might be that I make an 

album in seven years time that feels 

like it’s most in the grips of this thing.” 

He explains that sadness has no 

beginning, middle and end, that’s 

not where emotions take you: “It’s 

something that becomes you and has 

peaks and troughs: it becomes life.” 

The friends who jumped in, 

who helped him move forward, 

are trusted compadres. 

“All of the records have been made 

with my best friends. I made a lot of the 

first one with Joy Anonymous, who I 

live with and is one of my best friends, 

and my little brother, as well as the 

Parisi brothers, who are also two of my 

best friends, and people like Kieran 

and Jamie [The xx]. That’s always 

fuelled the music for me. Other human 

beings are infinitely more inspiring 

than anything else in the world.” 

Embracing technology is second nature; 

the musical alchemy happens on a 

simple set up so hits including Delilah 

(Pull Me Out Of This) and Danielle (A 

Smile On My Face) were wrestled into 

shape on Fred’s full kit which consists 

of just a laptop, iPad, and iPhone. 

The first Actual Life record was made 

in the lead up to its 2020 release, 

and the third was begun around 

New Years’ Day 2022: “On January 

1, there’s a widespread feeling that’s 

quite reflective. I don’t actually know 

if I started purposely or if it just 

happened. It was just the beginning 

of wanting to make a record.” 

In his other life as an in-demand hit 

producer, Fred again.. is a people 

person. Even in the isolation of grief, 

he found a way to pull others into his 

memento mori explaining: “I want the 

music to feel like a collaborative diary.” 

In live shows and online interactions 

Fred makes sure that the people 

are reflected back in the work he 

is doing. It’s not just his story - it’s 

their story - and their voice and 

their beat. It’s their moment also. 

Fred asks his fans to find inspiration 

and then acceptance from his sonic 

adventuring: “I hope they feel like they 

can create their own story and narrative 

from it, and let go and feel free.” 

38 

39

“[The BRITs] just have to celebrate 

everyone because this is not just about 

artists getting awards. Awards are for 

kids watching on TV, thinking, I can 

make music like this.” 

SAM SMITH 

PERFORMING TONIGHT WITH KIM PETRAS 

AD 

The BRIT Awards 2019 


40 

41


to all of the winners and nominees 

of The BRIT Awards 2023 

“My first BRITs performance!!! This is what dreams 

are made of & I’m so excited to be performing 

alongside David Guetta who handed me my Best 

Dance Act BRIT last year. This is a real moment 

for me & with another BRIT nom this year is an 

incredible way to start 2023.” 

BECKY HILL 

From all of the team 

at The O 

AD 

2 

“It’s a great honour to be nominated 

for the BRIT Award, as I have 

always felt a strong connection to 

British music and culture and had 

amazing experiences here…’I’m 

Good’ is my seventh #1 record in 

the UK, so thank you! The UK dance 

scene is full of incredible artists, so 

to be recognised once again means 

a lot to me. This collaboration 

with Bebe is the gift that keeps on 

giving, and we are both so grateful 

to be nominated!” 

DAVID GUETTA 

“Am beyond excited to be performing at The 

BRITs 2023! Growing up, I remember watching 

the BRITs live performances from so many iconic 

artists that I idolised & I always dreamt of one 

day being up on that stage. So to be a part of this 

year’s lineup alongside some incredible artists 

is an absolute honour! I can’t wait - what an 

amazing way to kick off this year!” 

ELLA HENDERSON 

42 

Stormzy, Live at The O2, March 2022 

Photo by Luke Dyson 

43

WARNER 

WARNER 


DUA LIPA 

POP / R&B 

ACT 

ARNER 

ARNER 

AD 

ECORDS 

AD 

SONG OF 

THE YEAR 

ELIZA ROSE 

& DANCE ACT 

TO ALL OUR 

NOMINEES 

LF SYSTEM 

SONG OF 

THE YEAR 

44 

45

Congratulations to 

“I’m making funky, soulful, feel good 

music that is so similar to a lot of Black 

music that was made for Black people 

in the 70s and 80s. My message is for 

everybody and anybody.” 

LIZZO 

and to Listen Generously & Island Records 

on your amazing Brits Rising Star win. 

This is just the start! 

AD 

Love from Sam, Roy & your team 

@ 

x 

The BRIT Awards 2020 


46 

47

Get To Know FLO 

Revealed! This sassy 

trio of Londoners 

have won The 

BRITs’ 2023 Rising 

Star Award! 

Take all the delight of winning the 

BRITs Rising Star Award - and then 

multiply that excitement by three! 

That’s what you get when you cross the 

BRIT Awards’ coveted newcomer’s trophy, 

with the buzziest girl group around. 

FLO are a trio of London singers who 

formed in 2019 to reinvent the smooth 

hooks and harmonies so reminiscent 

of millennium-era, girl group R&B. 

With influences including Destiny’s Child, 

TLC, En Vogue, and SWV, the bar is set 

high - but FLO won’t blow it. Renée Downer, 

Jorja Douglas, and Stella Quaresma are 

the real deal. They have harmonies to 

die for, and breakout tracks - such as 

the storming debut Cardboard Box, and 

its follow-up Immature, to show it. 

It’s well done to the band who 

squeezed past fellow Rising Star 

nominees Nia Archives and Cat Burns 

to nab the Rising Star 2023 trophy. 

Helen Lamont was there to 

congratulate FLO on their win. 

Hey, FLO! Congratulations on winning 

The BRITs Rising Star award! 

Jorja: Thank you! We are shocked. 

Stella: And excited! 

How did you find out you’d won? 

Jorja: Ha ha! it was a mess. It could 

have been a very magical moment 

but… absolutely butchered. We 

were not with each other, and our 

manager wanted to tell us so bad, 

that he just completely spoilt the 

secret, by the big grin on his face. 

What do you think it means 

for you and your career? 

Stella: It’s amazing that we won the 

BRIT. It is such a good push into the year. 

Jorja: And it is so cool knowing 

who all the people are who 

have won the award before. 

Are you all set to attend 

The O2 celebration? 

Stella & Jorja: Oh, yeah! Definitely! 

Renée: We are getting our custom 

outfits ready! Are we all set? 

No, to be honest we couldn’t 

be less set! But we will be! 

Have you been to 

The BRIT Awards before? 

All: No. 

Jorja: I mean we’ve been to award 

shows but The BRITs is definitely… 

Renée: The biggest… 

Jorja: The biggest so far. We’re 

going to see a lot of people, we’re 

going to be very starstruck. 

And which stars would particularly 

strike you, do you reckon? 

Renée: I’m not really sure, but I know 

there will be people I would not even 

expect to see. I’ll be like, ’oh my gosh’. 

Stella: Harry Styles! For certain! 

Jorja: Dua Lipa, I can’t lie. I haven’t 

seen her, you know, in the flesh. 

I’ve never spoken to her. I have no 

connection to her at all… but I would 

like to meet her. Just seeing her IRL. 

Who do you think’s had a 

great year in music? 

Jorja: Raye. 

Renée: We all love Raye, so it 

would be nice to see her do well. 

Did you watch The BRITs growing up? 

Renée: Funny you should ask, I always 

watched, but the one I can really 

remember best is the Little Mix one. 

Stella: It was always so 

exciting when it was on. 

Who were you fans of when you were 13? 

Stella: At thirteen, I was a fan of 

One Direction, to be honest with 

you. I loved One Direction. 

Renée: My stuff was probably 

more American, really. I listened 

to a lot of American music. 

Jorja: Sam Smith. 

Renée: …Adele. 

Stella: …Cheryl Cole? 

You’ve been compared to 90s/00s 

R&B artists. Do you like that? 

Is it accurate? 

Renée: One hundred percent, and one 

hundred percent. Like, we are products 

of R&B so naturally all the music we 

create will sound nostalgic and have 

those influences because that’s what 

influenced us. We’re massive fans of 

Destiny’s Child, and TLC, and SWV and 

even Spice Girls and Sugababes, we are 

the consumers of all of this music and 

then we go one to create more, I guess. 

There are certainly echoes of those 

bands in your tracks. What is fresh that 

you bring for the new generation? 

Renée: Erm, I guess it is just a different 

time now. In lyrics, there are new 

things that we’re talking about, and 

different things that we are taking in. 

Stella: And the producers are 

always trying new things, I guess. 

Jorja: We end up with a 

combination of both. 

How did FLO first get together? 

Renée: Our manager put us together, 

but we already had our own separate 

connection. So I went to secondary 

school [Sylvia Young’s] and college 

with Stella, and we knew Jorja on 

social media and after some time 

we formed and got on really well. 

What has surprised you 

about your journey so far? 

Renée: Probably our success has 

surprised us the most. Because as 

much as we want to do well, loving the 

best music, putting out the best music 

we can, we didn’t think it was going to 

be that times ten. Like, just the amount 

of people that know us and like our 

music, the numbers are crazy. Yeah. 

Are you having fun with your 

look, or would you prefer people 

concentrate on the music? 

Renée: Er, no! The look is the 

best part! Being glamorous! 

Jorja: It adds to the whole experience. 

If you are wearing something you 

like, if your hair is how you like, if 

you are happy with your make up. 

If you feel good you’re going to 

perform. You get in the zone. 

So what’s important image-wise? 

Jorja: [after much whispering] We love 

Prada, Supreme, we love Diesel, and 

we love our trainers, don’t we girls! 

Ladies, your harmonising is just 

off the scale. How do you do it? 

Renée: Practice! Just practice, really. 

We’ve been together for a long time, 

and we are always practicing with our 

vocal coach Josh. That is how we get 

the harmonies. You have to zone in 

to the situation and that’s why there 

is the importance getting everything 

around us just right. It is so important, 

because we just need to be as calm 

as possible. We know what we are 

doing, but we just need to zone in. 


48 

49

Songs including Cardboard Box were 

produced by MNEK. Can you tell us 

what his relationship is with FLO? 

Renée: MNEK is the invisible 

fourth member of FLO; he is our 

executive producer, and he is 

across everything that we do. 

Jorja: We do everything with him, we 

write with him, he alters the tracks, he 

might put some ad production on some 

songs - nothing gets put out without 

his involvement. Nothing comes out 

the door without him fondling it! 

When can we expect 

FLO’s debut album? 

Stella: It will be out this year. 

When the leaves turn brown. 

Renée: Is it written already? 

Absolutely not! 

Stella: So, it might even be when 

the leaves are falling off! 

What would you like to achieve 

by BRITs time next year? 

Jorja: We’d love a number one 

single I guess. And it would be 

wonderful to be nominated for Best 

Album. One of those biggest ones! 

Renée: Can we be nominated 

for Best Artist of the Year? 

Stella: We need some more 

girls in these categories. 

Renée: [We want] To appear in two 

categories. Three categories! Pop & 

R&B Act! Artist! Group of the Year! 

The BRIT Awards’ 

Rising Star shortlist 

also gave special 

mention to Cat Burns 

and Nia Archives. 

CAT BURNS 

BRIT School alumna Cat Burns’ 

Instagram bio reads like a mission 

statement: “Helping you get through 

shit one song at a time.” The 23 

year-old, former London busker, 

who made No.2 with her break-up, 

breakout single Go in June 2022, 

writes emotional and heartfelt songs 

from a queer, black perspective. 

Signed to RCA, Burns is nominated 

for three BRIT Awards in 2023. 

“I went to the BRITs 

in 2017 and always 

dreamed of performing 

on the stage one day. 

It’s such an honour and 

a huge milestone for 

me. I can’t wait” 

CAT BURNS 


NIA ARCHIVES 

Drum’n’bass DJ and Producer Nia 

Archives is Bradford-born, and 

Leeds‐raised and is celebrating 

a mixture of Jamaican dancehall, 

jungle and Manchester rave in 

her beats. After EPs Heads Gone 

West and Forgiven Feelingz, 

the 23 year‐old released the 

samba‐themed Baiana and So Tell 

Me, a calling card drum’n’bass ballad 

alongside producer Paul Epworth. 

50 51

52 

53


WITH YOUTUBE SHORTS 

Last year Adele picked up this award, but 2023 will 

see a different act be named Artist of The Year. 

WISHING LUCK AND 

SENDING LOVE TO ALL 

OUR ARTISTS 

AD 

SINGLE PAGE 

210MM X 297.5 

3MM BLEED 

15MM GUTTER 

CENTRAL CEE 

CENTRAL CEE 

FRED AGAIN.. 


GEORGE EZRA 


Harry Styles has had quite the year in terms of statistics. 

He’s been fastest seller of the year, biggest seller of 

the year, Spotify’s most listened to artist of 2022, you 

name it. Now 29, he found fame in 2010’s X Factor, and 

along with One Direction, finished third. One Direction 

sold 70 million records, had 137 No.1’s across the 

world, and took home six BRITs. Since going solo in 

2017, there have been three albums, Harry Styles (No.1 

in 2017), Fine Line (No.2 in 2019) and Harry’s House 

which made No.1 the same week as its single As It 

Was. Not a bad week for the boy from Bromsgrove. 

You all know Stormzy. The London grime artist found fame 

in 2014 with his Wicked Skengman uploads. Famous for 

hits including Shut Up and Blinded By Your Grace, he has 

released three albums and won three BRITs. Stormzy’s 

first LP Gang Signs And Prayer became the first Grime 

album to make No.1. Heavy is The Head followed in 2019. 

His third album This I What I Mean also made No.1, in 

October 2023 and features singles including Firebabe, 

and Hide & Seek. It was preceded by the September 

single Mel Made Me Do It, a first solo outing in three 

years accompanied by a cheeky cameo-packed vid. 

Central Cee saw his March 2021 mixtape Wild West 

hit UK No.2 and his March 2022 mixtape, 23, hit 

No.1. The rapper wrote early tracks at fourteen and 

released his No.19 breakthrough, Loading, in November 

2020. He’s celebrated five top ten tracks since: first, 

Commitment Issues (Feb 2021), then from 23 came 

Obsessed With You, his biggest seller (September 

2021). Overseas, a D-Block Europe collab appeared 

on Home Alone 2’s soundtrack (December 2021). And 

in 2022 Doja made No.2. Recent EP No More Leaks 

provided the single One Up, and 2023 brought a No.6 

hit, Let Go which samples Passenger’s Let Her Go. 

FROM 

HARRY STYLES 


Where Central Cee is on his fifth nomination, George 

Ezra is ticking off number nine, winning one (British Male 

Solo Artist in 2019) to date. The Hertfordshire countryman 

announced himself in 2014 with the smash album Wanted 

On Voyage, which spent four weeks at No.1 with singles 

including Budapest and Barcelona. The four times 

platinum Staying At Tamara’s, his sophomore LP, came 

out in 2018 with Nashville-tinged Paradise and Shotgun 

to commend it. He’s now on his third consecutive No.1 

LP, the June-released singalong, Gold Rush Kid. He is 

also nominated in British Song for Green Green Grass. 

STORMZY 

0207 / MERKY, UNIVERSAL 

MUSIC 

Balham-born Fred Gibson, also known as Fred again.. 

joined his mentor Brian Eno’s a cappella Group at 

sixteen. The fledgeling songwriter wrote on Eno’s 

projects then co-wrote George Ezra’s Shotgun (2018), 

Clean Bandit’s Solo and Let You Love Me with Rita 

Ora. He also produced 12 of 15 tracks on Ed Sheeran’s 

No.6 Collaborations project and won the BRIT Award 

for British Producer in 2020. Alongside, Fred again.. 

makes solo records, and his third, Actual Life 3 (January 

1 - September 9 2022), which uses real life sounds as 

inspiration, made UK No.4 following release in October. 

Fred again.. is currently undertaking a world tour. 

54 

55


There’s a battle on in Group of The Year between two 

hard-to-beat stalwarts and a fresh-as-a-daisy trio. 

Arctic Monkeys scooped this award in 2007, 

2008, and 2014, while The 1975 secured 

British Group in 2017 and 2019. 

AD 

Marshall would like to congratulate 

Nova Twins on their nominations for 

Group of the Year and Best Alternative/ 

Rock Act at this years BRIT Awards. 

THE 1975 

DIRTY HIT 



BAD BOY CHILLER CREW 

RELENTLESS, SONY MUSIC 

NOVA TWINS 

MARSHALL RECORDS. 

BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC 

WET LEG 


Arctic Monkeys are nominated for their seventh studio 

album, The Car, composed in the sunnier climes of 

Los Angeles and France. The cinematic sound oozes 

Hollywood glamour with singles There’d Better Be A 

Mirrorball, Body Paint, and I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am 

containing a smoother sonic landscape than yesteryear. 

The Sheffield favourites headlined Reading & Leeds 

in 2022 and live shows continue with a seventeendate 

UK & Ireland stadium tour in summer 2023. 

Arctic Monkeys ended a run of six consecutive UK 

No.1 albums when Taylor Swift kept The Car off the 

top with her collection Midnights. Still on a roll are The 

1975 whose albums have all hit the top spot, albeit 

‘only’ five. The Wilmslow, Cheshire band’s most recent 

collection Being Funny in a Foreign Language, was 

released in October 2022, after being teased by 

the single Part of The Band in July 2022. The 1975 

completed a string of tour dates including an Amazonfilmed 

special at Madison Square Gardens. It was 

confidently titled The 1975… At Their Very Best. 

Rockin’ out like the best of ‘em are London’s Nova Twins, 

an ‘urban punk’ duo comprising Amy Love and Georgia 

South. The act formed in 2014 under the name BRAATS 

before quickly morphing into Nova Twins and supporting 

everyone from Wolf Alice to Skunk Anansie. They selfreleased 

multiple singles form 2016-2019 and featured 

on Bring Me The Horizon’s metal core project Post 

Human: Survival Horror in 2020. Nova Twins dropped 

their debut album in 2020 entitled Who Are The Girls? 

The follow-up Supernova came out in June 2022. 

Wet Leg caused such a stir when they blasted onto the 

scene in April 2022 with their debut ear worm single Chaise 

Longue that everyone stood up and took notice. The Isle of 

Wight duo blend nonchalant lyrics with insistent post-punk 

rhythms, and as a bonafide TikTok sensation they didn’t 

miss a beat. The pair - otherwise known as Rhian Teasdale 

and Hester Chambers brought their brand of 20-something 

ennui and pitch-perfect angst to six singles and the No.1 

album, also called Wet Leg. They support Harry Styles on 

tour and can also count Dave Grohl and Iggy Pop as fans. 

Last but not least, Bradford’s Bad Boy Chiller Crew began 

making social media comedy skits but added a side hustle 

of baseline garage to their CV. The trio - Gareth ‘GK’ 

Kelly, Kane Walsh and Clive ‘Sam’ Anderson - secured 

a six part reality show on ITV2, broadcast in November 

2021. After a self-funded collection Git Up Mush in 

2020 BBCC released two albums on House Anxiety/ 

Relentless records - Full Wack No Breaks in 2020 and the 

Disrespectful mixtape which made No.2 in 2022. Top 10 

singles include Don’t You Worry About Me (No.3 in 2021), 

plus BMW (No.7) and When It Rains It Pours (No.6) in 2022. 

56 

57

Congratulations to 

RINA SAWAYAMA & THE 1975 

on your BRIT Awards 2023 nominations 

KOJEY RADICAL 

ASYLUM / ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

BEST NEW ARTIST 

The artists in the Best New Artist category are 

making waves while they make their name. 

Who doesn’t know Sam Ryder? The long-time 

songwriter’s singing vids made him TikTok-famous 

in 2021 and his new-found fame prompted an 

invite to represent the UK at Eurovision 2022. His 

song Spaceman gave the best UK result since 

1998, achieving No.2 behind Ukraine. The track 

made another No.2 in the official UK chart in May 

and was followed by Somebody in September 

and a Sigala/David Guetta effort, Living Without 

You, a fortnight later. Sam scored his first ever No.1 

in December when his debut collection, There’s 

Nothing But Space Man, topped the album chart. 

AD 

SINGLE PAGE 

RINA SAWAYAMA H●LD THE GIRL 

210MM X 297.5 

3MM BLEED 

15MM GUTTER 

MIMI WEBB 

EPIC / RCA, SONY MUSIC 

RINA SAWAYAMA 

DIRTY HIT 

Like Little Simz in 2022, Kojey Radical fans can do 

a double take to see the rapper/spoken word artist, 

active since 2014, appear on a shortlist entitled 

Best New Artist. However, after a string of sonically 

blessed but oddly classified EPs - some 40 minutes 

long - the Ghanaian-heritage Londoner, and allround 

arty chap, has finally released his debut album 

proper - the sunny 15 song collection Reason To Smile 

made No.11 in March 2022. Standout tracks include 

Gangsta - an ode to strong women - War Outside, 

Payback and Silk. The video for Talkin’ featured 

animations of song guests Tiana Major9 and Kelis. 

Rina Sawayama is a 32 year-old singer, model and 

actress who was previously shortlisted for BRITs 2020 

Rising Star. The Londoner self-released EPs before 

signing to The 1975’s label Dirty Hit and releasing 

Elton John’s Record of The Year, Sawayama, in 2019. 

She’s quite the joiner - singing alongside Elton on 

Chosen Family in 2020, Lady Gaga on the Chromatica 

Remix album’s Free Woman, and collaborating with 

Charlie XCX in Beg For You in 2022. Rina released her 

second album, the No.3 Hold The Girl, in September 

2022. She makes her acting debut as Akira in the 

Keanu Reeves flick John Wick: Chapter 4 soon. 

SAM RYDER 


Quickly gaining a reputation as Queen of the Break 

Up, Canterbury’s Mimi Webb will release her debut 

album, Amelia, in March. She’s come a long way in 

a short timeframe. After studying music at Brighton’s 

BIMM Mimi was signed to Epic at just 18. Her debut 

single Before I Go in April 2020 got 25 million streams 

on Spotify. Many more followed and fourth release 

Good Without saw her make No. 8 in April 2021. House 

On Fire and EP Seven Shades of Heartbreak also 

made the Top Ten before 2023 got off to a roaring 

start with Reg Flags, which like her other biggest hits, 

uses a break-up moment to power her pop career! 

WET LEG 


Finally. It’s an odd moniker for a band, we all know it, 

but Wet Leg insist they came upon their name when 

juxtaposing random emojis together in the quest for 

something to stick. It’s strangely fitting for the duo, who 

have quickly made a name as purveyors of all things 

- chords, handclaps, insults and film quotes - wry, dry 

and tantalisingly off beat. Wet Leg went viral at the tail 

end of Covid and their effervescent indie bops were 

just the thing to shake the lockdown cobwebs off. Of 

course, they’ve since claimed an eponymous No.1 LP. 

58 

59


WITH MASTERCARD. PROMOTED BY CAPITAL FM 

AITCH / ASHANTI BABY 


ED SHEERAN & ELTON JOHN 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

ATLANTIC / EMI, WARNER MUSIC / 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

HARRY STYLES AS IT WAS 


CAT BURNS GO 

RCA / SINCE 93, SONY MUSIC 

ELIZA ROSE / 

INTERPLANETARY CRIMINAL 

B.O.T.A. (BADDEST OF THEM ALL) 

WARNER RECORDS / ONE HOUSE, 

WARNER MUSIC 

LEWIS CAPALDI FORGET ME 


SAM SMITH & KIM PETRAS UNHOLY 


DAVE STARLIGHT 


GEORGE EZRA GREEN GREEN GRASS 


LF SYSTEM AFRAID TO FEEL 


For the first time in chart history, the 

top ten British singles in a calendar 

year were all made by UK artists. 

Now, those ten tracks don’t match the Song 

of the Year shortlist exactly. Some - such as 

Adele’s winner Easy On Me, Ed Sheeran’s 

Bad Habits and Glass Animals’ Heat Waves 

still featured in ‘most wanted’ playlists a full 

year after release. Others (such as Kate Bush’s 

1985 hit Running Up That Hill), enjoyed an 

impromptu revival without official release. 

However new songs by home grown talents 

clearly do make up a bigger proportion of 

sales and streaming than ever. Its estimated 

the UK public streams three billion tracks 

weekly - more than double the figure of five 

years prior. Streaming markets have ballooned 

to ten times the size they were ten years ago - 

growth which shows no sign of slowing down. 

By many measures the year’s biggest 

song was the synth-pop shimmy As It Was 

by Harry Styles. Harry’s second solo No.1 

was the year’s fastest-seller, achieving 

ten weeks at No.1, 180 million streams and 

1.57 million chart units ‘sold’ since April. 

He already has British Single trophies for 

Watermelon Sugar (2021) and What Makes 

You Beautiful (2012) with One Direction. 

Scotland’s Lewis Capaldi’s 2020 British 

Song triumph turned out to be the most 

streamed song ever - the debut No.1 

Someone You Loved. Forget Me, nominated 

here, scored No.1 in September 2022, 

accompanied by a classically Capaldi promo 

in tribute to Club Tropicana by Wham! 

Now on his eighth BRIT nomination, George 

Ezra’s 2023 dreams rest with the Aprilreleased 

No.3, Green Green Grass, here in 

British Song. He was previously nominated in 

this category for Budapest in 2014 and in 2019 

when he won for Shotgun. Green Green Grass 

is taken from his third album Gold Rush Kid. 

And the BRITs just would not be the same 

anymore without Dave, whose March No.1 

Starlight changed things up, and featured 

Angelina Jordan singing the Sinatra staple, 

Fly Me To The Moon. He celebrates his third 

British Song nomination, previously shortlisted 

for Location (2020) and Clash (2022). 

Days gone by also offered inspiration for 

Manchester rapper Aitch’s track Baby which 

juxtaposed a rags-to-riches rap alongside 

an airy song sample from Ashanti, namely 

2003’s Rock Wit U. The Aitch track, which 

appears on the album Close To Home, made 

No.2 in March. It was his seventh top ten hit. 

The beat is getting faster for the next 

contenders. Of only fourteen unique chart 

toppers in 2022, two were dance acts 

debuts. LF System came straight outta 

West Lothian and into an eight week 

summer run at No.1 for Afraid To Feel. 

The platinum track, sung by Louise Clare 

Marshall, is based on the track I Can’t Stop 

(Turning You On) by 1970s funksters Silk. 

Still on the dance floor, Londoner Eliza Rose 

collaborated with Interplanetary Criminal 

A.K.A Manchester’s Zach Bruce, on B.O.T.A. 

(Baddest of The All). The September No.1 

made Rose the youngest female DJ to claim 

No.1, (and the only female DJ to do so since 

2002’s It Feels So Good by Sonique). 

The hedonistic groove continued with Unholy, 

an unforgettable blast from Sam Smith and 

German singer Kim Petras. Smith’s eighth UK 

No.1 represented a watershed moment, its 

hypnotic beat backing a tale of infidelity and 

sexual revolution. The collaboration was also 

the first duet by non-binary and transgender 

artists, respectively, to achieve UK No.1. 

The No.2 hit by 22 year-old BRIT School 

alumna Cat Burns, Go, officially became 

the fourth biggest single of the year. 

The Streatham singer’s expletive-laden 

break up song was catchy as hell, and 

soulful with it, as you would expect from 

a 2023 BRITs Rising Star nominee! It also 

pushed a few linguistic boundaries so 

don’t go singing it around grandma! 

Finally, Ed Sheeran and Elton John provided 

a little unexpected Christmas cheer, thanks 

to their December 2021 pop at playlists in 

perpetuity. The superstar pair threw everything 

from Santa to his elves at this frolicsome 

Christmas ditty, which also formed the basis 

for their Ladbaby charity collab Sausage 

Rolls for Everyone. Both versions had a turn 

at being the Christmas star atop the charts. 

60 

61

INTERNATIONAL 


Three acts nominated here - Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar 

and Beyoncé - are previous BRIT winners. Meanwhile, 

Lizzo received an International Female nod in 2020 

and Burna Boy has three shortlisted appearances. 

Classically-trained Lizzo has been keeping the charts 

busy since her breakout third album Cuz I Love You in 

2019 which included UK chart debut Juice in February 

2019 and its title track. Fans quickly discovered Truth 

Hurts and Good As Hell before a collaboration, Rumours 

with Cardi B, charted in August 2021. About Damn Time 

then blasted to No.3 in June 2022. Single 2 Be Loved (I 

Am Ready) also appeared on fourth album Special while 

Someday at Christmas arrived as a holiday track. 

Afrobeats ambassador Burna Boy celebrates his third 

appearance in International Artist categories following 

nominations in 2020 and 2021. His sound captures the 

zeitgeist with link-ups including Dave, J Hus and Stormzy, 

Mabel, Jorja Smith and Chris Martin. The Nigerian’s chart 

career began in 2012 but it was his fourth album, the 

collab-packed African Giant (2019) that sent his mix of 

afrobeats, dancehall and reggae global. P Diddy produced 

Twice As Tall in 2020, while his sixth LP, Love, Damini 

made UK No.2 in July 22 supported by singles Kilometre, 

Last Last, and the Ed Sheeran collab For My Hand. 

Making BRITs history for two decades and counting, 

Beyoncé has embarked on a new career era. She released 

her seventh studio album Renaissance in July 2022, which 

was preceded by the single Break My Soul. Of course, 

her list of achievements is staggering. To date, she has 

released seven studio albums, five live albums, one OST 

for The Lion King, two karaoke albums and 83 singles 

amassing over 200 million records sold as a solo artist on 

top of the 60 million sold by Destiny’s Child. Beyoncé has 

also won four BRITs from ten previous nominations - two 

for International Female, and two for International group; 

the first came for Destiny’s Child in 2002 and in 2020 she 

shared a trophy with husband Jay-Z for The Carters. 

Philedelphia born Taylor Swift celebrates her ninth and 

tenth BRIT nominations in 2023. She previously won 

International Female in 2012 and Global Icon in 2021, and 

after thirteen years in the music industry, she is one of the 

most successful recording artists of all time. The Nashville 

songwriter is the only artist to achieve eight consecutive 

chart-topping albums; and last summer she celebrated 

her single, Anti-Hero, and album, Midnights, being named 

as concurrent No.1s. The mellowed sound that made 

Red, 1989 and Folklore famous, also made her the most 

googled artist of 2022. Much anticipated, Midnights was 

the first album to sell a million physical copies since 1995. 

Erstwhile Taylor Swift collaborator and long time West Coast 

rap legend Kendrick Lamar returned to the chart in 2022 

with album Mr Morale & the Big Steppers, and single Count 

Me Out which was accompanied by a video starring Helen 

Mirren. The confessional, ‘conscious hip hop’ concept 

album followed, 2018’s Black Panther: The Album, which 

he curated. LA native Lamar first charted in the UK with 

the 2012 single Swimming Pools (Drank) from his second 

album Good Kid. M.A.A.D City The jazzy concept album To 

Pimp A Butterfly (2015) followed earning a BRIT nomination 

while Damn (2017), delivered an International Male win. 

BEYONCÉ 

COLUMBIA / PARKWOOD / 

RCA , SONY MUSIC 

BURNA BOY 


FLO KENDRICK LAMAR 

AGE POLYDOR 101/AWAL / INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

LIZZO 


TAYLOR SWIFT 


BLACKPINK 


DRAKE & 21 SAVAGE 

ISLAND / OVO / REPUBLIC; EPIC / 

COLUMBIA, 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC, SONY MUSIC 

FIRST AID KIT 


FONTAINES D.C. 

PARTISAN RECORDS 

GABRIELS 


INTERNATIONAL 


International categories celebrate an 

impressive rage of musical genres. Rock, 

pop, folk, rap and soul are here. 

Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Soderberg, AKA 

First Aid Kit, are a balm for all that is wrong in the 

world, with bright folk harmonies and uplifting lyrics. 

Following No.1 LPs The Lion’s Roar (2012), Stay Gold 

(2014), and Ruins (2018), they treated us to the Cohen 

tribute Who By Fire: Live Tribute to Leonard before 

their fifth collection “symbolising freedom and moving 

forward,” the optimistically 80s Palomino (No.3 in 

November 2022). First Aid Kit were previously featured 

on International Group BRIT shortlists in 2015 and 2019. 

Post punk rockers Fontaines DC (the DC stands for Dublin 

City) are Irishmen on a mission in a Celtic literary tradition. 

The fivesome met at music college, producing poetry 

collections and self-funded singles before releasing the 

2019 debut Dogrel (UK No.9), its follow-up, A Hero’s Death 

(No.2 in 2022) and, after the sparse landscape ofxLive 

at Kilmainham… Gaol in 2021, they released their third 

studio collection (the only record ever named for a deerthemed 

Gaelic swearword) Skinty Fia, No.1 in May 2022. 

Blackpink released Square One and Square Two in 2016 

and overseas success finally led to Blackpink’s UK chart 

debut, a Dua Lipa duet Kiss and Make Up (November 

2018). They remain in demand with international 

collaborators including Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and 

Cardi B. Blackpink’s second collection, Born Pink, was 

UK No.1 in September 2022; it included singles Pink 

Venom and Shut Up, and followed the No.2 collection 

The Album (2020). Blackpink are the first K-Pop act to 

celebrate five successive YouTube videos garnering one 

billion views; they’ve amassed 80 million subscribers 

on that platform, and are Spotify’s most-followed girl 

group. The band headline BST Hyde Park in 2023. 

What do you get if you cross a couple of English 

fellas writing a sunny LA soundtrack with an angelvoiced 

gospel singer who once competed on 

American Idol? The answer is Gabriels, a heavenly 

blend of soul, doo-wop and jazz/r&b, unusually 

named after a street of suburban housing stock in 

Sunderland. Well, God does work in mysterious ways 

and eventually the trio released the unrushed EPs 

Love and Hate In A Different Time (June 2021) and 

Blame (November 2021) before an album Angels and 

Queens Part One dropped in October last year. 

The last act is more of a coming together than a group 

but Canadian Drake’s post-Honestly, Nevermind gettogether 

with London-born Atlanta rapper 21 Savage 

brought much attention. The pair built on the energy of 

previous collabs from Sneakin (2016), Knife Talk (2021), 

Mr Right Now (from the Savage 21 album, Savage Mode 

II) as well as teaser Jimmy Crooks (2022). Together 

they created the No.1, sixteen track collection Her Loss, 

(Nov 2022) which included controversial singles Circo 

Loco and Rich Flex. Drake previously won International 

Male in 2017 and 2019. He was previously shortlisted in 

International Group alongside Future in 2017. He was also 

up for International Song in 2021, alongside Lil Baby. 

62 

63

INTERNATIONAL 


BEYONCÉ BREAK MY SOUL 

COLUMBIA / PARKWOOD / 

RCA, SONY MUSIC 

GAITAN/CASTILLO/ADASSA/FELIZ 

WE DON’T TALK ABOUT BRUNO 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC RECORDINGS / 

WALT DISNEY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

LIZZO ABOUT DAMN TIME 


DAVID GUETTA & BEBE REXHA 

I’M GOOD (BLUE) 


GAYLE ABCDEFU 


LOST FREQUENCIES/CALUM SCOTT 

WHERE ARE YOU NOW 

CAPITOL / INSANITY, SONY MUSIC / 

UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

TAYLOR SWIFT ANTI-HERO 


FIREBOY DML & ED SHEERAN 

PERU 

ISLAND / ATLANTIC, UNIVERSAL / WARNER 

JACK HARLOW FIRST CLASS 


ONEREPUBLIC I AIN’T WORRIED 

OR / INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

Although most of the music we streamed 

in 2022 was by British artists, we still 

made time to hear international acts. The 

shortlist represents the best of the best. 

One trend for 2022 was the resurgence of 

dance music. The genre accounted for 28 

percent of all tracks streamed, doubling its 

market share since 2021 and continuing 

a trend. Listen - pop songs and hip hop 

are upping the ante across the board to 

produce thumping crossover tracks. 

Such is the clamour for all things clubland 

that, at one heady point in the summer, 

the entire top five was populated by 

banging beach bar-worthy hits. 

After twenty years in the business French 

DJ David Guetta continues to team up with 

a dream roster of titanium-tonsilled divas. 

Bebe Rexha’s monster vocal appeared on 

a reimagining of Eiffel 65’s 1998 beat for 

a TikTok trending No.1 I’m Good (Blue). 

Hands in the air - Belgian DJ Lost Frequencies 

and pal, Yorkshireman Calum Scott (who 

previously released tracks including 

Dancing On My Own after finding fame on 

BGT), claimed the prize of 2022’s moststreamed 

global dance smash with the UK 

No.3 slow burn, Where Are You Now. 

US rap sensation Jack Harlow followed his 

2021 collab with Lil Nas X Industry Baby, 

with the smooth vibe of April No.2 First 

Class, which intersperses breathy samples 

from Fergie’s 2006 hit Glamorous with 

a shoutout to United Postal Services. 

Speaking of smooth vibes, Nigerian 

Afrobeats artist Fireboy DML, a.k.a 27 yearold 

Adedamola Adefolahan, was already 

garnering attention for his single Peru from 

the album Playboy, when the late Jamal 

Edwards hooked him up with Ed Sheeran. 

The pair’s rework peaked at UK No.2. 

Fireboy DLM also appeared on FIFA 21 and 

the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever OST. 

After releasing a handful of self-published 

singles, seventeen-year-old Texas native 

Taylor Gayle Rutherfurd, known as 

Gayle, released her major label debut 

and made No.1 in multiple countries 

- including the UK - with the no-holdbarred 

break-up anthem ABCDEFU which 

rocked to the top in January 2022. 

Three of the most established female 

artists in chart history feature next. 

Beyoncé, Lizzo and Taylor Swift have 

helped define the era’s soundtrack. 

Lizzo got funky on the future disco classic 

About Damn Time, released in April. 

The spangly era-hopping dance track, 

in which she stops worrying and starts 

partying, made No.3 in the UK and was a 

calling card for Special, her new album. 

Beyoncé is nominated for her first single 

from a solo album in six years, the August 

No.2 Break My Soul, which boasts samples 

including Show Me Love by Robin S 

and serves as a teaser for the Destiny’s 

Child graduate’s seventh solo album, 

the first part of a trilogy, Renaissance. 

While others are dancing, Taylor Swift 

delves into self-examination, experimenting 

with laid-back electronica, albeit with a 

folksy riff. Anti-Hero was the lead single 

form her tenth album Midnights. The track 

became her longest lasting UK number 

one with a five week run and was one 

of Spotify’s biggest tracks of the year. 

The cast of Encanto celebrated as the ear 

worm Latin track We Don’t Talk About Bruno 

became Disney’s first ever original song to 

make UK No.1. The single topped the charts 

for seven consecutive weeks from January, 

knocking Adele off the top spot. Its memegenerating 

singability never misses a beat. 

Finally if you went to the cinema in 2022 

the chances are you caught Top Gun: 

Maverick. One Republic are nominated 

for their evocative California-themed 

single from the soundtrack; I Ain’t Worried 

peaked at No.3 in September. It featured 

a whistling solo, catchy chorus, and Tom 

Cruise playing beach volleyball theme. 

64 

65

Guetta Blaster 

Hands in the air since 2002 

Superstar DJ and floor-filler 

extraordinaire David Guetta is, 

at last, getting a BRIT Award. 

With a 20 year career in the UK chart 

and a speed dial that looks like a who’s 

who of music, the EDM legend is 

celebrated as 2023’s top Producer. 

The triumphant resurgence of dance as 

a genre meant we’ve had a great run 

of club music. But no one - and I mean 

no-one - has had as good a run of club 

music as David Guetta - with an Official 

Chart tally of seven albums and sixty 

six hit singles, as of January 2023. 

& Raye. He’s also appeared in the 

International Male category twice. 

When he’s not DJing at hot ticket events 

against the globe’s most glamorous 

backdrops, Guetta is plugging in a laptop 

in his London, Paris or Ibiza studios, 

using it to create all his hits, alongside a 

portable keyboard he keeps in his bag. 

The 55 year-old Frenchman has explained 

his craft: “I am trying to walk a tightrope; 

trying to keep the DJ community happy 

while trying to spread the message 

about dance music to more people. 

That is the mission that I am on.” 

success than anyone, really, can 

imagine, Guetta explains: “I don’t do this 

for the money, I don’t do it for record 

sales, I don’t really care about that”. 

“I just want to make beats.” 

In 2023 The BRIT Awards thanks David 

Guetta for his contribution to music. 

Hands up if you think it’s about time. 

AD 

15MM GUTTER 

We all know the standout tracks. For 

starters, he’s had seven UK No.1 Singles: 

the behemoth When Love Takes Over ft. 

Kelly Rowland, Sexy Chick ft. Akon, and 

Club Can’t Handle Me, with Flo Rida on 

side. Then, (altogether now, please) join 

in with Sia, Titanium, or Lovers Of The 

Sun ft. Sam Martin. And then in September 

2022 and among a raft of rocking top 

tens, came I’m Good (Blue), a chart topper 

based around Eiffel 65’s song from 1999. 

Nicknamed the Godfather of EDM, 

David Guetta brought the genre into 

the mainstream, influencing most if 

not all of dance music’s chart hits. 

“All the big artists I talk to say that 

they are trapped in a formula 

and they are looking for the 

music of tomorrow.” 

“So dance music is now pop 

music. So now, as a dance 

producer, what do I have to 

do? I’m starting to do alien 

music, because pop is not 

pop anymore; we need 

to go alien to be 

independent.” 

And with 

greater 

Influenced? No, he’s made them. He has 

over 10 million global single and album 

sales. Don’t forget the ten billion steams. 

In that last couple of years he’s found 

a sweet spot; collaborating mostly 

with UK artists. Experiencing the 

magic first hand have been 

Anne-Marie, Raye, Rita Ora, Joel 

Corry, Little Mix and Galantis (on 

Heartbreak Anthem) Becky Hill 

on Remember, Hill (again), this 

time with Ella Henderson, and 

of course, Sigala and Sam 

Ryder on Living Without You. 

Rankin 

Aside from his win as 

Producer, David Guetta is 

BRIT nominated alongside 

Bebe Rexha for I’m Good 

(Blue) in 2023; he was 

up for another three 

gongs in 2022 - one in 

International Song and two 

in British Song alongside 

Becky Hill, Joel Corry 

66 

67

ALTERNATIVE / ROCK ACT 

PROMOTED BY ABSOLUTE RADIO 

Where the energy 

is electric and 

the memories 

unforgettable 

AD 

From our thriving home-grown music scene 

to attracting chart-topping superstars, Scotland 

has a world-class track record in hosting and 

delivering some of the best live music events 

and festivals. Home to the UK’s first UNESCO 

City of Music in Glasgow, state-of-the-art venues, 

and iconic settings, you can’t beat Scotland 

for variety and atmosphere! 

VISITSCOTLAND.com/events 

THE 1975 

DIRTY HIT 



NOVA TWINS 

MARSHALL RECORDS. 

BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC 

TOM GRENNAN 

INSANITY, SONY MUSIC 

WET LEG 


Crank up the guitars for Alternative/Rock. Loyal 

fans will ensure this category is hotly contested. 

Arctic Monkeys, those northern upstarts, 

have become our elder statesmen. 

The High Green, Sheffield four-piece are now on album 

seven. There’s a change of direction too, on last October’s 

The Car, or at least a fork in the road somewhere round 

about album six, the concept album Tranquility Base Hotel 

and Casino. Here, the spiky unmistakable riffs of floor-fillers 

I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor and Do You Wanna 

Know are smoothed, with bossa nova and piano-driven 

lounge music, still lyrically sparkling, on singles including The 

Car, Body Paint, and There’d Better Be A Mirrorball, instead. 

As Arctic Monkeys celebrate their enduring career, Domino 

Records label mates Wet Leg are just starting, having 

met at the Isle Of Wight College before signing their 

deal in 2019. The indie duo rose through social media 

to become lockdown’s sensations; by April 2022 they 

had a self-titled LP and six singles, not all of them porchbased 

like Chaise Longue and Wet Dream, but universally 

quirky and catchy. Wet Leg will join Harry Styles’s World 

Tour and will open for Pulp at Finsbury Park in July. 

The 1975 return to the BRITs’ shortlists in 2023 thanks to 

their fifth consecutive No.1 album, Being Funny In A Foreign 

Language. The Cheshire schoolmates are Matty Healy, 

George Daniel, Ross MacDonald and Adam Hann. Their 

lo-fi emo rock adventure began in 2013 with their self-titled 

first record, before I Like It When You Sleep Because You 

Are So Beautiful But So Unaware Of It in 2016. A Brief 

Enquiry Into Online Relationships followed in 2018 and 

Notes On A Conditional Form came two years later. The 

1975 have three BRITs wins from five previous nominations. 

It looks like Tom Grennan is also something of a workaholic. 

and after scooping two nominations in 2022 for March 2021 

second album, Evering Road, he’s prepping to release What 

Ifs and Maybes, this spring. In the interim he’s teased with 

tracks Remind Me (March 2022), All These Nights (July 2022) 

and the KSI link-up Not Over Yet which at No.4 is Grennan’s 

highest-charting single. A keen collaborator, he’s previously 

paired with Calvin Harris (By Your Side) and Ella Henderson 

(Let’s Go Home Together). Indeed, guest vocals on Chase 

and Status’s All Goes Wrong (2016) first made his name. 

If you could encapsulate a career into a couple of 

album titles, Nova Twins have just about cracked it. The 

genre-busting London duo met at school and spent six 

years supporting an impressive array of rockers. They 

released a debut LP, the defiant challenge of Who Are 

The Girls? In February 2020. A gloriously shouty punk 

rock follow-up, Supernova, was released in June 2022; 

it was preceded by five genre re-defining anthems that 

are now going down a storm in the mosh pit: Antagonist, 

K.M.B., Cleopatra, Puzzles and Choose Your Fighter. 

68 

69

AD 

AITCH 


CENTRAL CEE 

CENTRAL CEE 

DAVE 


LOYLE CARNER 


STORMZY 


HIP HOP/GRIME/ 

RAP ACT 

PROMOTED BY CAPITAL XTRA 

The Hip Hop, Grime and Rap category, 

in many ways, sets the agenda for the 

British music industry these days. 

The acts included here use their voice to advocate 

for societal change and political movements, 

these voices are loud and they know how to 

work the game. The balance has shifted. 

In a much-lauded field, Stormzy feels like a father 

figure of sorts. The 29 year-old has three BRIT Awards 

already on his shelf from five previous nominations, two 

coinciding with his first album, Gangs Signs and Prayer 

(2017), and one with the 2019 follow up Heavy Is The 

Head. After a sell out show in March at London’s O2 

arena, Stormzy’s third collection, This Is What I Mean, 

was released in October 2022, with taster singles 

Hide & Seek and Firebabe receiving rave reviews. 

Another artist who knows a thing or two about owning 

the O2 stage - indeed The BRITs’ stage - is Dave. Also 

known as Santan Dave, Streatham’s finest is five years 

younger than Stormzy and riding the wave of album 

two. We’re All Alone In This Together (2021) followed 

the debut concept album Psychodrama (2019); between 

them they form quite the canon of work. Dave’s single 

Starlight (March 2022) became his second No.1 single. 

The multi instrumentalist already has two BRITs at 

home. He won in the British Album category in 2019 

and in the inaugural shortlist in this category in 2022. 

One of the most noticeable trends in this category 

is the art of the collaboration. Manchester’s Aitch is 

always in demand. His output has been prolific since 

his breakthrough tracks, the YouTube-busting Straight 

Rhymes (2018), Taste (Make It Shake) in 2019 and 2020’s 

Rain, (with AJ Tracey and feat. Tay Keith). Hits in 2022 

included War, with ArtDee, Baby, featuring samples from 

Ashanti, My G, with Ed Sheeran, and Psycho, an Anne- 

Marie duet. His debut album Close to Home came out 

in August 2022. This is his third BRITs nomination. 

Where other artists are all about the collaboration, 

Central Cee had no features on his debut mixtape 

at all. The rapper’s rise to the top has been fast and 

impressive - the Shepherd’s Bush drill rapper came 

to the fore in 2020 with Loading, and the March 2021 

guitar-laden track Day In The Life. His first mixtape 

Wild West came out in March 2021 with the follow up 

No.1, 23, released in February 2022. Singles included 

Obsessed with You, Retail Therapy, Khabib, and Cold 

Shoulder. He has three previous BRIT nominations. 

FInally it’s a return to the fray for former BRIT school 

student Loyle Carner, whose poetic and introspective hip 

hop works won fans aplenty when he released his debut 

Yesterday’s Gone in 2017 and its follow-up Not Waving But 

Drowning in 2019. In October 2022 Carner released his 

third collection Hugo, which made UK No 3, with singles 

Hate, Georgetown featuring John Agard, and Nobody 

Knows (Ladas Road) paving its way. Loyle Carner has 

previously been nominated for two BRIT Awards, British 

Breakthrough Act and British Male Solo Act, both in 2018. 

70 

71

DANCE ACT 

PROMOTED BY KISS FM 

We love a bit of euphoria here at The BRITs. 

Who could forget Becky Hill’s excitement winning the 

Best Dance Act trophy in 2022? The Worcestershire 

singer, who emerged from The Voice in 2012 was 

also nominated for Song of The Year. A Queen of 

collaboration, her string of link-ups includes Wilkinson, 

Oliver Heldens, Sigala, MK & Jonas Blue, Tietso, David 

Guetta (twice) and Galantis ‘aving it large alongside. 

Following a compilation Get To Know… in 2019 she 

released her official debut Only Honest On The 

Weekend in 2021. She released Crazy What Love 

Can Do with David Guetta and Ella Henderson in April 

2022, and by August she was performing History 

alongside Joel Corry. Expect a new album in 2023. 

Calvin Harris, the Scottish musician, producer, DJ and 

singer-songwriter, released his collab-heavy sixth studio 

album Funk Wav Bounces Vol.2 in August 2022. Five 

years since his Dua Lipa duet One Kiss topped the 

chart they teamed up again alongside Young Thug on 

Potion (June 2022). The LP also features Jorja Smith, 

Stefflon Don, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and 

Snoop Dogg. This genre return follows a back-to-dancebasics 

Love Regenerator project in 2020. Harris’s main 

canon boasts over fifty singles, with ten hitting No.1. 

He’s so far won two BRIT Awards (Producer and Single 

in 2019); this nod is Calvin’s twentieth nomination. 

It’s a well documented, if somewhat double life for 2020 

British Producer winner Fred again.. . On one hand, he’s 

the mild-mannered creator of the Actual Life trilogy of 

albums, released in April ’21, November ’21 and October 

’22 respectively, with the most recent instalment hitting 

No.4. Tracks transform the minutiae of life - voice notes, 

insta snippets and the like, into favourites. On the 

other hand Fred’s an in-demand producer known for 

sprinkling musical magic on a host of acclaimed albums, 

famously Ed Sheeran’s albums No.6 Collaborations 

Project and = and Stormzy’s Heavy Is The Head. 

Sometimes we just need to chill. That’s where LAbased, 

Brighton-born DJ Bonobo - otherwise known 

as Simon Green - comes in, with his inimitable brand of 

electronic, atmospheric and etherial mood music; some 

might call it jazz, some might call it trip hop. Bonobo 

released the seventh album of his quarter century 

career in January 2022, and like its 2017 predecessor 

Migrations it reached UK No5. Bonobo is best known 

for on-repeat songs including Break Apart, Elysian 

and Recurring, and in-person shows are in demand 

as the tracks are recreated with a full live band. 

Fresh as a daisy and new to the group is Hackney singer 

and DJ Eliza Rose. She teamed up with Interplanetary 

Criminal - aka Zach Bruce - to write and put out the 

UK No.1 anthem B.O.T.A (Baddest of The All), The track 

featured a sample from Lisa & Cult Jam’s 1991 house track 

Let The Beat Hit ‘Em, with lyrics inspired by the tag line 

on a poster for the Blaxploitation move Coffy, pinned 

to Rose’s boyfriend’s bedroom wall. Eliza Rose is also a 

fiction writer, completing her debut novel which just like 

the B.O.T.A. video, has an Alice In Wonderland theme. 

BECKY HILL 

BECKY HILL POLYDOR, UNIVERSAL MUSIC 

BONOBO 

NINJA TUNE 

FLO CALVIN HARRIS 

AGE COLUMBIA, 101/AWAL SONY MUSIC 

ELIZA ROSE 

WARNER RECORDS / ONE HOUSE, 

WARNER MUSIC 

FRED AGAIN.. 


CAT BURNS 

RCA / SINCE’93, SONY MUSIC 

CHARLI XCX 

ASYLUM / ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC 

DUA LIPA 


HARRY STYLES 


SAM SMITH 


POP/R&B ACT 


The Pop/R&B Act shortlist is a treat for fans 

of good music. We have four experienced 

runners, and one newcomer ready for more. 

Harry Styles has been a popstar for twelve years now, six 

in One Direction, and six as a solo artist. His unstoppable 

success brought hit-of-the-year As It Was which achieved 

No.1 in 24 countries, including topping the chart in the UK 

for ten weeks and in the US for 15 weeks. He also toured 

the US including a 15 night run at Madison Square Garden. 

Styles’s acting career continues apace with The Policeman 

in which Styles plays a gay law enforcement officer who 

is repressed in the 1950s, Don’t Worry Darling directed 

by Olivia Wilde, and as Starfox in Marvel’s Eternals. 

The last time she appeared at The BRITs she ruled it. 

Now with six BRIT wins from sixteen nominations, Dua 

Lipa is shortlisted again in 2023. The London-born singer 

released a self-titled album in 2017 containing singles 

Be The One, IDGAF and New Rules, before her followup 

Future Nostalgia delivered singles Don’t Start Now, 

Physical, Levitating and Break My Heart (It also won the 

British Album gong). Dua’s duets are plentiful including 

No.1s with Calvin Harris on One Kiss in 2018 and Elton 

John on Cold Heart (Pnau Mix) in 2021. After a collab, 

Sweetest Pie, with Megan Thee Stallion, she returned 

to work with Calvin on the track Potion in 2022. 

Sam Smith added much ooh la la to the chart in September 

2022 with Unholy, a pulsing duet with Kim Petras. A 

follow-up, Gimme, featured Jessie Reyez and Koffee. 

Both tracks - along with April 2022’s Love Me More - 

feature on Sam’s newly-released album Gloria, hailed as 

a “personal revolution’ of ‘emotional sexual and spiritual 

liberation’. Sam has now notched up an impressive eight 

UK number ones. Don’t forget the three BRIT awards 

from fourteen nominations. Those awards were Critics’ 

Choice in 2014, followed by British Breakthrough and 

a coveted Global Success Award the year after that. 

Like Sam, Charli XCX is fond of a dancefloor and a 

collaboration. The Cambridge-born, Essex-raised singer 

found attention by posting to MySpace. She became 

a songwriter in demand by Iggy Azalea, Gwen Stefani 

and Rhianna, before concentrating on her own hits. 

The versatile singer has release five albums. As well 

as True Romance (2013), Sucker (2015), Charlie (2019), 

How I’m Feeling Now (2020), she released Crash in 

April 2022 which became her first No.1 album. The 

dance-pop sounds included Baby, Good For You, New 

Shapes featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline 

Polachek, and Beg for You featuring Rina Sawayama. 

#AlwaysBRIT singer songwriter Cat Burns was a London 

busker who self-released two EPs before the covid 

lockdowns. The hiatus brought TikTok fame for Go, which 

won her a record deal, and an eventual No.2 hit as part of 

the vulnerable Emotionally Unavailable EP. After reworking 

the track as a duet with Sam Smith, Burns debuted two 

more tracks, People Pleaser and Sleep At Night. As well 

as a slot supporting Years & Years, she continues her 

stint supporting Ed Sheeran, this time in North America, 

in 2023. She also plays her first US festival in June 

alongside Kendrick Lamar at New York’s Governor’s Ball. 

72 

73

DAME VIVIENNE WESTWOOD 

DESIGNER AND ACTIVIST 

8th April 1941–29 December 2022 

(L-R): Dua Lipa, Rina Sawayama, Charli XCX, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Paloma Faith, 

Katherine Jenkins, Jessie J, Charli XCX, Jess Glynne JM Enternational 

Helen Lamont 

The death of iconoclast and BRIT 

Awards hero Dame Vivienne 

Westwood shocked the music 

world and sents waves through 

the creative industries. 

The acclaimed fashion designer, 

who was at the forefront of the 

punk movement in the 70s, crafted 

a creative bond between music 

and fashion like no other. 

A former teacher, she and soon-to-be 

husband Malcolm McLaren opened 

a designer boutique that became 

known as SEX at 430 Kings Road in 

Chelsea, that served as a hang-out 

for the movement and dressed the 

coolest names in punk and pop. 

Behind the counter you’d find The 

Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde or the 

much-missed punk muse Jordan 

Moody who sadly also died last 

year. John Lydon auditioned to 

be in The Sex Pistols there. 

The eccentric looks of New Wave 

and New Romantic icons had roots in 

Westwood’s androgynous and often 

shocking styling. For the young, those 

looks defined youth and rebellion. 

She later became known for the ‘mini 

crini,’ slogan t-shirts, bondage, corsets, 

tweeds, and fabulous tailoring, all part 

of an exquisitely-twisted but instantly 

recognisable ‘British,’ Westwood style. 

The ultimate disruptor, Westwood 

continued to create until the end; 

she also used her fame to spread 

a message of protest. Often she 

would would leverage interview time 

against coverage for CND or later, 

Climate Change causes. In recent 

years, she lobbied hard in support of 

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. 

When The BRITs first started, 

Westwood was dressing its partygoers 

in her outfits. The Sex Pistols wore 

her God Save The Queen t-shirts 

and safety pins, later Adam Ant 

and Bow Bow Wow would rock the 

pirate look before clubbers raved 

emblazoned with her trademark orb. 

The BRITs red carpets have seen 

many a designer frock over the 

decades. But few have been as 

coveted as the ones lovingly 

created by Vivienne Westwood. 

Instantly recognisable, her silhouette 

has been worn at The BRITs by stars 

aplenty. Lana Del Rey played the scarlet 

woman in Vivienne Westwood in 2012 

while Ellie Goulding went pastel pink 

on the red carpet in 2014. Charlie XCX 

rocked risqué floor length gowns in 

2015 and 2016; Jess Glynne chose floor 

length silver satin in 2019, while Dua 

Lipa rocked three separate Westwood 

outfts on BRITs night in 2021, including 

a mini kilt ensemble and playful 

minidress adorned in yellow polkadots. 

Perhaps the most fan girl celebration 

of all was 2011, when Paloma Faith, 

Ellie Goulding, Jessie J, and Katherine 

Jenkins all wore Westwood couture 

to the O2’s grand proceedings. 

This homage came in the year the 

BRIT Trophy itself went Westwood. 

Blazing a trail for the impressive list 

of creatives that would later follow, 

she reimagined The BRITs trophy for 

a new era. Swathed in a union flag 

and imbued with attitude; Westwood’s 

own Britannia. It was fitting. 

Just like her frocks. 

THE GRAND 

DAME OF 

FASHION 

The BRITs pays tribute to 

Dame Vivienne Westwood, 

Icon of music and fashion. 

74 

75

THE 

WORLD’S 

MOST 

AWARDED 

TEQUILA * 

WOULD LIKE 

TO CONGRATULATE 

ALL NOMINEES 

PROUD TO BE THE 

OFFICIAL TEQUILA OF 

THE BRIT AWARDS 2023 

The 

Stream 

Team 

UK artists find their place 

in the world… at the top 

of the charts! 

What an amazing year it has 

been for British music. And what 

an astounding year it has been, 

in particular, for one man. 

Harry Styles’ As It Was achieved a 

ten week run at No.1 on the singles 

chart, at the same moment his third 

collection, Harry’s House, was the UK 

album No.1. With the highest number of 

streamed units, As It Was was also the 

most streamed song of the year, and 

the fastest-selling, with 94,000 chart 

units in the first seven days of release. 

The hit wasn’t just a UK seller. It topped 

the chart in 35 countries, including 

fifteen weeks at No. 1 in the USA. 

Wait a minute though - turns out, Harry’s 

As It Was was not Stateside’s biggest 

seller. That honour went to another 

UK act, Glass Animals. Nominated at 

The BRITs 2021, their 2021 No.1 song 

Heat Waves celebrated 91 weeks in 

the Billboard chart - the longest ever. 

It’s also the first song to ever remain in 

the Spotify chart for two whole years. 

In fact, 2022’s Top Five biggest selling 

singles in the US included four UK acts 

- Glass Animals, Harry Styles, Adele, 

and Ed Sheeran - they put the great in 

Great Britain. It’s not a fluke, though, 

because what was the US biggest 

single of 2021? Levitating by Dua Lipa. 

The global strength of UK artists is 

mirrored here at home. Indeed all ten 

of the biggest tracks of the year were 

released by, or featured, UK artists - 

that’s chart history in the making. Most 

were contemporary - the top three 

76 

*BASED ON 1800® AWARDS FROM U.S.& ACADEMIA MEXICANA DEL TEQUILA FROM 2001 TO 2022. 

† 

1 BOTTLE = 1X70CL BOTTLE. 1800® AND OTHER TRADEMARKS ARE OWNED BY AGAVERA CAMICHINES, S.A. DE C.V. 

©2023 PROXIMO SPIRITS UK. DRINK 1800 TEQUILA RESPONSIBLY. 

77

L-R: Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Glass Animals, 


spots went to Harry Styles, Bad Habits 

by Ed Sheeran and newcomer Cat Burns 

with Go - but we also rocked vintage. The 

move to streaming services’ ‘on demand’ 

music means a whole back catalogue is at 

your fingertips and, thanks to the Stranger 

Things soundtrack, it finally gave Kate 

Bush a No.1 for Running Up That Hill. 

Meanwhile the biggest selling albums by 

British Artists are Harry’s House by Harry 

Styles which sold in the 460,00 units in 

the UK and Ed Sheeran’s = which sold 

433,000 chart units in 2022. Among a 

multitude of Greatest Hits collections 

Adele, Arctic Monkeys, George Ezra 

and Lewis Capaldi also did well. 

Around the world we have seen trends 

become global. Latin American acts 

are increasingly mainstream, with 

equal measure in English language 

markets at last; this is exemplified 

by the beats of We Don’t Talk About 

Bruno from Encanto travelling far. 

Meanwhile K-Pop, represented in this year’s 

BRITs shortlists by Blackpink!, can sell out 

arena tours worldwide; it’s no longer only 

BTS at the forefront. And Afrobeats artists, 

with Burna Boy leading the charge, are not 

just selling music but changing the way we 

Helen Lamont 

enjoy it; Afrobeats melds with hip hop, 

rap and grime, to create a new sound. 

British DJs continue to thrill as Calvin 

Harris claims another year as the 

world’s favourite UK DJ, and UK acts 

continue to put bums on seats in live 

venues near and far, with 70s rockers 

Genesis enjoying the highest-grossing 

tour by a UK act in 2022 worldwide. 

As we’ve seen elsewhere dance 

music had a massive year in the UK 

chart, with the whole Top Five being 

taken over by dance in August. At the 

moment, dance music accounts for a 

massive 26% of all hits in the chart. 

Ravers and rockers alike have kept 

demand for vinyl growing for the 

fifteenth consecutive year, notching 

up 5.5m sales. Eight out of the ten 

biggest selling albums were brand 

new records. In the UK, vinyl now sells 

more copies that CD formats, as the 

loyal fans and new adopters combine. 

Of course, the annual Record Store 

Day contributes to build excitement 

(Taylor Swift’s top seller Midnights put 

out a special edition for the occasion), 

In vinyl singles, the biggest seller was 

Sex Pistols’ God Save The Queen. 

We love music because its good 

for the soul. But the economy 

loves music because it makes 

money - and plenty of it. 

Music industry exports are worth 

£590.8m per annum to the UK 

economy. And at a time when 

inflation is up and markers are down, 

on something, at least, we can be 

happy. British music is going strong! 

As well as the performance of 

music sales in the UK itself, the 

BPI keeps a close eye on how UK 

artists are performing overseas. 

In 2021, the most recent figures 

available, British music exports grew 

by 14.7 percent year-on-year. 

And British success does not rely on 

one or two artists. Sure, we have big 

hitters. Harry Styles ruled the roost 

in 2022, and riding a wave of global 

success are Dua Lipa, Glass Animals, 

Adele, Ed Sheeran and Dave. 

However, more artists are being heard 

in every way. Pink Pantheress and Rex 

Orange County found fame that was 

far-reaching. Indeed, 400 UK artists 

each reached a high threshold of 

100m global audio streams - up from 

300 artists just twelve months prior. 

Dance act SAULT, rappers M1llionz 

and Yxng Bane, and rock band Asking 

Alexandra, are all making their name. 

Some artists are bigger overseas 

than they are in the UK - including 

rock singer Bishop Briggs, X Factor’s 

Ella Mai, and singer-songwriters 

Cavetown and James TW, they 

are no doubt all keen to replicate 

overseas success on home soil. 

Still others are setting out on their quest 

to do both. Sixty acts to date, Rina 

Sawayama, Beabadoobee and Wolf 

Alice among them, received funding to 

grow their world audience through the 

BPI/Government Music Industry Export 

Scheme (MEGS). These grants enabled 

artists signed to SME labels to introduce 

acts to export audiences, winning new 

fans at a grassroots level overseas. 

For more information on MEGS funding, 

see bpimegs.optimytool.com/en 

78 

79

GOOD 

THINGS 

COME IN 

SMALL 

VENUES 

Anne-Marie. Opposite page: Craig David 

Patrick Gunning 

BRITs Week in Aid Of 

War Child returns with 

exclusive shows! 

Yay - shoehorning yourself in to 

small, hot sweaty venue with a 

select few likeminded souls is once 

again on our list of top treats. 

Packing ‘em in tight are the fabulously 

bijou venues hosting BRITs Week, the 

much-anticipated series of small-scale 

shows by the coolest artists, all of 

whom jumped at the chance to be part 

of the traditional fundraising streak. 

Originally announced as a run of 

thirteen gigs, Three more - The 1975 

at Gorilla in Manchester (Feb 1) and 

Sugababes at Highbury’s Garage 

(Feb 8) and Louis Dunford at SCALA, 

London (Feb 8) - were added to the 

line-up as a last minute treat. 

Otherwise, it all began as planned 

on January 29, with Watford 

rockers The Hunna creating 

a big noise at La Fayette. 

Off to try out a new multimedia venue 

next, buried deep underground next to 

Tottenham Court Road tube station. Two 

gigs took place at the newly-launched 

and highly stylised HERE at Outernet, with 

Metronomy bringing their brand of electro 

pop on February 1st. The crew loading in 

as they loaded out, belonged to Years & 

Years who appeared on February 2nd. 

Yeah, if you managed to bag a ticket 

for that lil diamond, well done on that! 

Beabadoobee brought a one-off 

adventure to Lafayette on Feb 3, 

while on the same night, over in East 

London’s XOYO, things got poetic 

with local lad Kojey Radical. 

Feb 4 saw a change of pace with 

ukulele’s-at-the-ready indiepop hero 

Cavetown at Omeara, while Feb 

5th brought a change of air entirely 

at one of just two non-London gigs 

this season. Big up to The Snuts 

who rocked Stereo in Glasgow. 

Another city sampling the BRITs Week 

magic was Bristol, where Easy Life 

brought their indie pop vibe to the 

Trinity Centre on February 7th. Sea Girls 

set the roof on fire at Oxford Street’s 

legendary 100 club on the same night! 

The biggest show of BRITs Week took 

place at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush 

Empire, where Xtra Mile Recordings 

held a birrova party for their 20th 

anniversary, featuring the inimitable 

Frank Turner + the Sleeping Souls. 

After a smorgasbord of sonic adventures 

BRITs week finally came to an end on 

February 10 with two shows, former 

BRITs Rising Star nominee Rina 

Sawayama delighted crowds at Lafayette, 

while Omeara played host to genrebusting 

rock twosome Bob Vylan. 

Tickets for BRITS Week shows could be 

obtained through two methods. Each 

show had a small number of tickets 

available for standard purchase. But 

tickets could also be won in a prize raffle, 

where each entry costing just £5 was 

entered into a draw to win exclusive 

entry to the hottest shows of the year. 

BRITs Week takes place thanks to the 

concerted efforts of AEG Presents, the BPI, 

and War Child. The Event Series is sponsored 

by Mastercard, who also sponsor The BRITs. 

War Child, the charity for children affected 

by conflict, is marking its 30th anniversary 

in 2023. As conflicts continue around the 

world, their work has never been more 

needed to ensure that children receive care 

and education in even the most challenging 

of circumstance. Together with their local 

partners they deliver vital, life-saving work 

in 16 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia 

and the Middle East, and Latin America. 

THE HUNNA 

TUESDAY 31ST JANUARY 

METRONONMY 

WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 

THE 1975 

WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 

YEARS & YEARS 

THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 

BEABADOOBEE 

FRIDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 

KOJEY RADICAL 

FRIDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 

CAVETOWN 

SATURDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 

THE SNUTS 

SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 

EASY LIFE 

TUESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 

SEA GIRLS 

TUESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 

LOUIS DUNFORD 

WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 

SUGABABES 

WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 

FRANK TURNER 

& THE SLEEPING 

SOULS 

THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 

BOB VYLAN 

FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 

RINA SAWAYAMA 

(ACOUSTIC SHOW) FRIDAY 

10TH FEBRUARY 

80 

81

We Drank Wine 

Adele drank wine, Mo and Maya 

did shots, and Anne-Marie fell 

over. Here’s The BRIT Awards 

2022 recap… 

Sam Fender 

Adele. opposite: Ed Sheeran with Bring Me The Horizon. 

Opposite: Adele 

Helen Lamont JM Enternational 

Ah, The BRIT Awards. Remember 

the days when the alcohol-fuelled 

antics of rockers and rappers were 

the stuff of urban legend? You do? 

Well, think back to 2022 when a 

galaxy of music stars (who hadn’t 

gotten out much in the preceding 

two years, admittedly) got to really 

kick back at The BRITs. Mo Gilligan 

ensured good cheer was had in 

generous measures, “you get a 

drink, and you get a drink, and 

you get a drink…” and fourteen 

winners - the fifteenth, producer of 

the Year Inflo, received his trophy 

earlier on the BRITs Red Carpet - 

got to ‘ave it large as audiences at 

home and abroad all cheered on. 

To be fair it was a year of getting 

back to how things are supposed 

to be - but it was also a year of 

change and onward momentum. 

Out went the Male and Female 

gendered categories. In came British 

Artist of the Year and International 

Artist of the Year - this decision 

freed up some space to introduce 

new genre categories, voted for 

by you, the Great British Public. 

The big winner on the night was 

Adele, who took her career BRITs 

total to twelve by accepting three 

statuettes, namely Artist of The Year, 

Song of the Year (for Easy on Me) 

and Album of the Year, for 30. 

Ed Sheeran opened the event 

with one of those not-so-crazy 

collabs The BRITs is famous for. A 

couple of verses into Bad Habits 

and kerrrrraanng - in crashed the 

guitars of Bring Me The Horizon, 

making the genre-hopping ballad 

sound like its bass beat was always 

meant to bounce back up through 

a beer-soaked rock palace floor. 

The second performance came from 

Anne-Marie, KSI and Digital Farm 

Animals, with a tripartite medley of 

their collaborations. The performance 

started with Anne-Marie encased high 

up in a red filigree heart as the first 

bars of Kiss My… beat out then - ohoh 

- she came a cropper on the way 

down the stairs in what will forevermore 

be called her ‘Madonna Moment’. “I 

didn’t need that ankle anyway” she 

scoffed on Twitter later; but what a 

trouper! Didn’t miss a beat and onto 

Don’t Play Games With My Heart! 

The music continued with Little Simz, 

with one of the most talked about show 

moments. She was up there in a black 

leather trench coat, while Emma Corrin 

(who is Princess Diana in another life) 

espoused the greatness of being a 

woman, (which she is), before Little 

Simz sang her hit Woman, but had 

a go at being a man, namely Kanye 

West, with a pastel-clad 70s lounge 

singer-style homage to Gold Digger/ 

Diamonds from Sierra Leone. Wild 

guess but its likely Kanye tributes will 

be thin on the ground from now on. 

Little Simz wins Best New Artist later 

in the show and brings her mum up 

to receive the accolade, cheering 

“Look what you done, mum”! 

Effortless cool is what Liam Gallagher 

was going for, if indeed he could be 

bothered to curate a mood, so we see 

him sauntering off a chopper landing 

pad (he did get off the chopper, he’s 

not just hanging around there) mosey 

through the back corridors of the O2 

Arena before striding purposefully 

onto the stage, maracas magically 

appearing in hand, to join Bonehead 

and the rest of his band rocking out 

on the marvellously understated 

track Everything’s Electric. 

After that, its Rising Star winner Holly 

Humberstone’s turn, here to collect 

her award from the fabulous Griff 

then deliver a pared-back London is 

Lonely, all wistful and light. Not lonely 

tonight though was it? Oh no, spoke 

too soon, looks like there’s been an 

on-stage power cut and Hol’s left on 

her tod by the piano, as her dancers 

are enchanted away into the half light. 

Adele - who was supposed to be 

on stage in Las Vegas but was 

unexpectedly free to come to 

Greenwich for good old time - was 

up next, transported from the ladies’ 

lounge of a 70s Showbar, for the weepy 

torch song that launched a thousand 

karaokes, I Drink Wine. Yes, it felt like a 

variety star of yesteryear might appear 

from behind the sequinned shimmer 

curtain to sell us Cinzano at any given 

moment, but my, this performance 

was fine (you could say, a corker). 

And then Alternative/Rock category 

winner Sam Fender performed 

Seventeen Going Under, and there 

was something so open and raw, about 

it that…. oh wait, there’s just a little 

catch in the throat there. And no really. 

Speck of dust in the eye. Honestly 

it could all get a bit too emotional. 

Probably best just to look at the fella 

on the right, who came as a Geordie 

Muppet. Saxophone-playing Zoot from 

Electric Mayhem. That’s the one. 

If there was an award for Best 

acceptance speech surely the 2022 

gong would go to International Group 

82 

83

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Outstanding performance 

in the electric category. 

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winners Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and 

Anderson .Paak) who joked about 

who’d get custody of their trophy, 

with special mention to Billie Eilish, 

who bagged International Artist 

again. Billie was in the US, as we 

were reminded that covid regulations 

varied across in The States, with Dua 

Lipa thanking fans for her Pop/R&B 

trophy from Florida. US teenager 

Olivia Rodrigo, meanwhile, took 

International Song in person at the O2 

arena - the second year she’d braved 

covid restrictions to come to town. 

Group of the Year Wolf Alice looked 

delighted to clamber on stage, 

cheekily taking the opportunity to 

suggest a duet with award presenters 

Maneskin, and who could help but 

be delighted for the beaming Dance 

Act winner, Becky Hill, who bawled 

“I am incredibly happy!” And she’d 

“never been so heartwarmed”… 

in all the years that rolled back 

between now and her former life 

as a twelve year old raver. Bless. 

After accepting his Songwriter of the 

Year award from actor Brian Cox, Ed 

Sheeran returned for a second outing, 

this time to perform the spine tingling, 

tinkling music box waltz of The Joker 

and the Queen - simplicity defined 

but a BRITs moment to treasure. 

And BRITs regular and 2022 Hip Hop/ 

Grime/Rap winner - and guy who just 

“really, really, really, loves music, man” 

- Dave caused quite the stir with his 

acceptance speech, before getting out 

his guitar and flame thrower combo 

to close the show with a version of 

In The Fire that featured a gospel 

choir plus verse each for muckers 

Giggs, Ghetts, Fredo, and Meeks. 

As the final curtain fell, celebrations 

would continue. But our gang were 

lowkey wiped-out by their first ‘normal’ 

rock and roll night post covid. Adele 

proclaimed she was on her way back 

to her chi-chi London pied a terre for 

sneaky McDonalds and, it’s suspected, 

most likely the odd sip of Whispering 

Angel. Meanwhile Sam Fender 

intended to tuck into an 

after party spread laid on 

by his favourite pasty making 

fellas at Greggs. 

Sure, Brits and BRIT winners 

have all it takes for success 

reaching up into the stratosphere. 

But we love them even more, when 

they’re just that little bit down to earth. 

Dave 

Below: Wolf Alice 

84 

85

Transform 

and Roll Out! 

The BRIT School has been 

changing the lives of its students 

for 30 years and counting! 

Opposite page: BRIT Dance Showcase - one of 250 shows a year. 

Slawn masterclass at the BRIT School 


2022 saw south London’s 

famous BRIT School, renowned 

for its famous alumni including 

Adele, Jessie J, Amy Winehouse 

and recently, Cat Burns, 

launch #BRITTransforms. 

As well creating a nifty line in 

hashtags, the aim of the venture is 

threefold. First, to hold an annual 

theatre review show celebrating 

the school and its former students. 

Second, to undertake the school’s 

most comprehensive survey ever. And 

third, to raise £10m by fund-raising, 

much needed to keep BRIT afloat. 

It all started with a bang to get your 

attention; the inaugural BRIT Transforms 

Revue was held in March 2022 in the 

Garden, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with 

performances by current BRIT students 

as well as former pupils Katie Melua, 

Cush Jumbo, Dan Gillespie-Sells and 

Kiera Nicole Brennan in attendance. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose invaluable 

support provided the evening’s event 

space saying: “The BRIT School is one 

of the greatest success stories of our 

culture in Britain today. It is incredibly 

diverse and extraordinary in the breadth 

of the training that it gives in all of 

the disciplines necessary in theatre 

and music. I’ve never been more 

impressed anywhere – in any country 

in the world – it’s just astounding.” 

Meanwhile the school’s board of 

trustees has been updated to include 

the talents and insight of Cush Jumbo 

OBE, with Josh Berger CBE becoming 

the board’s Chair. Berger said: “The 

BRIT School takes young people from 

every background and turns them into 

our next generation of talent. I’ve seen 

first-hand the critical importance that 

The BRIT School plays in providing a 

free arts education and I am excited 

and proud to be able to help build on 

its legacy – the school is indispensable 

to the future of the creative 

industries in the UK and beyond.” 

The BRIT Transforms survey results 

were also breathtaking. Flow Associates 

analysed questionnaires sent to every 

former BRIT student - around 10,000 

people - who graduated from the 

school from 1993 to 2021. A mammoth 

98% of those who responded agree or 

strongly agree that “BRIT made me feel 

welcome, regardless of my financial or 

ethnic background or sexual orientation.” 

A staggering 87% of respondents 

agreed or strongly agreed that their 

family would have struggled to afford 

a private secondary arts education 

if they had not had the chance to 

attend The BRIT School for free. 

And 60% of respondents consider 

themselves still to be working in 

the creative industries (many polled 

are well into their 40s by now). 

That invaluable first step into 

dream careers is why PRS for 

Music awarded The BRIT School a 

famed ‘Heritage Plaque’, to forever 

acknowledge the school’s unique 

place in musical history. The Heritage 

wall plaque is on permanent display 

on BRIT’s Obie Theatre wall. 

The BRIT School’s Principal Stuart 

Worden is proud to be able to offer 

an unparallelled equality of education, 

but that’s where continued fundraising 

comes in. He said: “The BRIT Transforms 

Revue demonstrates how the school 

has impacted on the lives of our many 

students. I am particularly proud of how 

our values - to be original, ambitious, 

responsible, inclusive, kind and free - 

are reinforced by our graduates’ views 

that we supported them, that they could 

be themselves, that we were kind and 

inclusive and that BRIT played a part as 

they went onto remarkable careers in 

the creative industries and beyond.” 

“We cannot, however, continue to do 

this work without real investment and 

we hope everyone can play their part 

in our BRIT Transforms Campaign to 

keep the school a beacon of creative 

excellence. With the thrill of Josh 

Berger’s arrival, the Board of Trustees 

and the extraordinary BRIT family, I know 

we will continue to achieve great things.” 

BRIT built an impressive reputation 

for delivering a first class academic 

education alongside nine practical 

specialisms. Serving over 1400 students 

each achieving high standards in 

GSCE and A Level courses, students 

gain industry-standard experience 

in one of these strands: Film and 

Media Production, Interactive Digital 

Design, Dance, Visual Arts & Design/ 

Fashion, Music & Music Technology, 

Production Arts, Musical Theatre, 

Theatre and Applied Theatre. 

Ongoing support from the arts industries 

is one of the reasons BRIT is unique. 

Students can access in-person and 

online talks with experienced players, 

masterclasses and mentoring, or learn 

on instruments and equipment they 

would not otherwise be able to afford. 

Facilities are state-of-the-art, often 

thanks to generous industry sponsors, 

and partnership opportunities. Currently, 

the campus boasts two professional 

theatres (and twelve rehearsal spaces), 

a TV studio, and two radio studios. 

There are two music technology 

suites, two video editing suites, two 

music studios, three interactive digital 

design suites, and theatre lighting 

workshops. But it a constant struggle 

to ensure they are up-to-date. 

BRIT has also become an increasingly 

generous part of the wider community. 

The school will play an integral part 

in Croydon’s ‘City of Culture’ 2023 

celebrations, and offers a wide range 

of productions for local people to 

see. A Nordoff Robbins Centre for 

Excellence is situated in the school’s 

grounds and outreach to the vulnerable, 

such as in hospices and care homes, 

continues apace. BRIT offers arts 

education for kids 8+ as part of their 

Saturday programme BRIT Kids which 

takes place on site and online. 

Learn more about BRIT School 

brit.croydon.sch.uk 

86 

87

Mo Gilligan visiting the BRIT School 


SOMETHING OLD, 

SOMETHING NEW 

As the fundraising arm of the 

music industry, The BRIT Trust 

is always looking for new and 

innovative ways to raise money. 

With £28m raised to date, the 

charity knows how much good their 

contributions can do - and how 

partners old and new rely on them 

to continue. The pressure is on. 

The BRIT School and Nordoff Robbins 

Music Therapy have been recipients of 

BRIT Trust funds since inception. These 

days, key charities across the mental health 

sector - MIND, Music Support and Key 4 

Life - have increasingly come to the fore. 

Although there is a wide and varied 

calendar of events planned throughout 

the year to top up BRIT Trust’s coffers, 

there is always more to do. One such 

venture is the increasingly popular 

Annual White Label Auction. 

It’s easy to see why the White 

Label auction goes from strength to 

strength - everyone wants a piece 

of music history and there’s nothing 

quite like the hold-in-yer-hand feel 

of hot-off-the-presses virgin vinyl. 

Originally introduced as preview copies 

for artists, record companies and a few 

favoured DJs, ‘White Labels’ capture 

those moments of music history, 

just before our favourite anthems 

are released out into the world. 

To support The White Label Auction 

held on June 7th last year on Omega 

Auctions, the UK’s record industry dug 

deep into their archives and somehow 

found a way to part with 175 cherished 

items, including discs by Adele, Spice 

Girls, the Sex Pistols, The Cure and many 

more. The auction has raised in excess of 

£100,000 over its three editions to date. 

The other event to which the BRIT 

Trust (whose mission statement is: ‘to 

improve lives through the power of 

music and the creative arts’) is indebted 

is the annual MITS (The Music Industry 

Trusts Dinner). Founded in 1992 it has 

honoured many wonderful artists in 

that time ranging from Gary Barlow to 

Annie Lennox, from Sir Elton John to 

Kylie Minogue, and from Peter Gabriel 

to Sir Tom Jones and many, many more. 

Last year it was held in memory of the 

late and legendary Jamal Edwards, 

founder of SB.TV, and the nurturer of so 

many incredible artists – Ed Sheeran, 

Stormzy and Jessie J to name a few. 

Proceeds from all these events and more 

are gathered together then redistributed 

among hand-picked good causes, all 

of which embody the Trust’s guiding 

ethos, which is to enrich lives through 

The BRIT Trust is a registered charity (Charity No. 1000413) 

music. Of course, the biggest challenge 

is finding enough to go around. 

The BRIT Trust was founded in 1989 

and since its inception it has channelled 

funding where its most needed including 

vital mental health support during covid. 

In 2022, The BRIT Trust also made six 

key grants to grassroots organisations. 

The worthy recipients were Poplar 

HARCA, which runs clubs for young 

people in London, Britten Pears Arts, 

a mentoring programme for young 

professional musicians in Suffolk, the 

Leeds-based non-profit for music 

development Come Play with Me, 

London Youth Choirs, the Avenues 

Project for young people in Kilburn, 

and The Liam Colgan Music Fund, 

which set up songwriting masterclasses 

and two music awards in the Scottish 

Highlands, under the auspices of 

the John Preston Memorial Fund. 

NORDOFF ROBBINS 

Nordoff Robbins is a music therapy 

provider that works alongside the 

NHS, although it receives no NHS 

funding. Recognised as a sector 

leader, and best practice training 

provider, it is widely respected for 

its dedication to breaking down 

barriers through the power of music, 

creating space for people to express 

themselves and connect with others. 

Nordoff Robbins is a mainstay of care 

in their sector yet it must fund itself to 

survive. Incomes fell across the board 

during the pandemic and its aftermath, 

with modelling suggesting an expected 

forty percent shortfall. Inversely, 

services are increasingly needed, so 

generous BRIT Trust sponsors have 

worked hard to alleviate the income 

shortfall, ensuring online and in person 

therapy programmes continue. 

In music we are fearless, in music 

we are connected, in music we are 

equal, in music we have potential. 

BRIT SCHOOL 

The BRIT School is the leading 

Performing and Creative Arts school 

in the whole of the UK, and for those 

lucky enough to be accepted, it’s free 

to attend. The school is experiencing its 

greatest popularity since it first opened 

its doors in 1991, with thousands of 

alumni now pleased to say they went 

there, chiming with the awareness 

campaign #AlwaysBRIT. The BRIT 

School welcomes student from KS4 

age 14 into one of nine vocational 

multi-arts strands. The school is 

experiencing its strongest performance 

in academic subjects, while state of 

the art facilities - BRIT Radio, YouTube 

TV studio and recording studios 

serve to provide hands-on practical 

experience across the board. 

PREVIOUS BRIT 

TRUST GRANT 

RECIPIENTS INCLUDE 

THE FOLLOWING 

ORGANISATIONS: 

Access to Music, Arts & Kids/London, 

Sinfonietta, Avenues Youth Project, Bigga Fish, 

Black Arts Alliance, Blackheath Halls, Blantyre 

Music Project (Lanarkshire), British Performing 

Arts, Medicine Trust, Canford Summer School, 

Charterhouse in Southwark, Chicken Shed, 

Community Music, Commission for Racial 

Equality, Community Music East, Dame Vera 

Lynn Trust, Drugscope, ELAM, Global Rock 

Challenge, Heart’n’Soul, Heathfield Community 

College, Irene Taylor Trust (Music in Prisons), 

Key4Life, Lenton Community Association, LIPA, 

Making Music, Mencap, Midi Music Company, 

Music & Sound Experience (Wales), Music 

and the Deaf, Musicians’ Benevolent Trust, 

Musicians In Focus, Musicians Union, National 

Foundation For Youth Music, National Music 

Day, Pimlico School, Portishead Youth, Princes’ 

Trust, Raphael Walters, Release, Rock School, 

Roundhouse Trust, Royal Commonwealth 

Society, Save The Children, St David’s Hall 

Cardiff, St Luke’s School, Terrence Higgins 

Trust, Tim Macbeth Two Moors Festival, West 

Lothian College, Young Persons Concert 

Foundation, Youth Music Theatre UK 

LIFE WATER 

We take clean water for granted 

but not every community is lucky 

enough to do the same. The BRIT 

Awards is partnered with Life Water, 

a socially responsible brand. 

JULIE’S BICYCLE 

The BRIT Awards works hand-inhand 

with environmental advocate 

Julie’s Bicycle on all aspects of 

planning and producing the show. 

This close liaison ensures that 

good sustainability practices are 

employed synergistically across 

the show’s many sectors, and we 

always strive to achieve more. 

888 

89

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Congratulations to all winners and nominees of The BRITs! 

OVER 

50 YEARS 

OF EXPERIENCE 

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Voting 

Academy 

2023 

GARY BONES • JOEL BORQUAYE • JAMES BORRER • RAMIN BOSTAN • HOLLIE BOSTON • 

HEIDI BOSTON-THOMPSON • SUMIT BOTHRA • REBECCA BOULTON • LUNICK BOURGESS • 

PHIL BOWDERY • LAURA BOWER • ANDREW BOWLES • EDITH BOWMAN • 

HELEN BOWNASS • EMMA BOWNES • SIMON BOYLE • GEMMA BRADLEY • 

JADE BRADSHAW • JONNY BREAKWELL • LAUREN BRENNAN • 

WOZZY BREWSTER OBE FRSA • AMALIE BRIDEN • PAUL BRIDGEWATER • JOE BRINE • 

ELLA ROSE BROADHURST-WILSON • JO BROCK • JOHNNY BROCKLEHURST • 

SHARON BROOKS • SHANAE BROOKS • SARAH BROOKSBANK • LAURA BROSNAN • 

YOLANDA BROWN • SARAH BROWN BROWN • ALAN BROWN • ROBERT BRUCE • 

GRAHAM BRYCE • LISA BUCHAN • ROSS BUCHANAN • AARON BUCKINGHAM • 

STEPHEN BUDD • ELIZABETH BUDDIE • ELISA BUFFET • JENNIFER BULCRAIG • 

JESSIE BULL • JUSTIN BULLEY • ALEX BURFORD • NICK BURGESS • NATHAN BURKE • 

JONATHON BURKE • ROB BURN • BEN BURRELL • FLEUR BUTLER • CLARE BYRNE • 

NIAMH BYRNE • SHAUNI CABALLERO • JAMES CABOOTER • MELANIE CAGER • 

OLI CAMERON • JESS CAMILLERI • JODIE CAMMIDGE • JOEL CAMPBELL • STUART 

JAMES CANP • DAN CAPLEN • PETER CAPSTICK • HENRY CARDEN • COLETTE CAREY • 

CHANNETTE CARLEO • ELOISE CARR • KIM • PAT CARR • MALAIKA CARR HAJI • 

SHANNON CARRAGHER • CHARLIE CARRINGTON • JENNIFER CARROLL • 

ED CARRUTHERS • JESSICA CARSEN • SARAH CARSON • DANIEL P. CARTER • 

MILLIE CARTER • ADRIAN CARTER • ISABELLE CASSIDY • GENNARO CASTALDO • 

A Prize For 

Everyone! 

With only fifteen shiny BRITs 

trophies to distribute, the stunning 

Slawn-designed bronze award is 

a strictly limited edition affair. 

What organisers would like to extend to 

everyone else, is sincere thanks for taking 

part in the BRITs process. The ceremony 

could not happen without you, especially 

if you took part in the public votes. 

RICHARD CASTILLO • ALLAN CATLIN • JOHN CATTINI • CLIVE CAWLEY • 

GABRIELLE CAWTHORNE • HERMEET CHADHA • CHRIS CHADWICK • 

HANNAH CHADWICK • DANIEL CHALMERS • MATT CHAMBERS • JIM CHANCELLOR • 

MATT CHARBONNEAU • DOTTY CHARLES • NICK CHARLES • JO CHARRINGTON • 

SHENIECE CHARWAY • FUZZ CHAUDHREY • LISA CHEUNG • JANNAT CHOUDHURY • 

ANNIE CHRISTENSEN • DAMIAN CHRISTIAN • KEVIN CHRISTIAN-BLAIR • 

PANDORA CHRISTIE • NATHAN CLARK • FIONA CLARK • RICHARD CLARKE • AMY CLEAR • 

PAUL CLEMENTS • JANE CLEMETSON • LYDIA CLINCHANT • CLAIRE CLOSE • BEN COATES • 

TED COCKLE • JOSHUA COHEN • ARIEL COHEN • ANNABELLA COLDRICK • RAFFAELLA COLEMAN • 

MARK COLLEN • RUTH COLLETT • HARRIET COLLINS • HANNAH COLSON • NEIL COMBER • 

NICOLA CONNAL • TOM CONNAUGHTON • DARINA CONNOLLY • PHILIP CONNOLLY • LIAM CONROY • 

CHRIS COOKE • SOPHIE COOKE • DAVID COOPER • GILES COOPER • BEN COOPER • DAVE COOPER • 

CIAN COOPER DAVIES • ISABEL CORNELL • LEWIS CORNER • HOWARD CORNER • JOHN CORNWELL • JOEL CORRY • 

RAYE COSBERT • HARRISON COSSTICK • FRANCESCA COSTA • CLAIRE COSTER • SIMON COSYNS • SARA COX • 

A specially warm ‘gracias’ goes out to the 

BRIT Awards Voting Academy, an over 

1200-strong collective of industry souls 

who shoulder the responsibility to choose 

the remaining award winners. It’s no easy 

feat - so well done and a congratulatory 

pat on the back to everyone who 

filled out those voting papers. 

The BRITs Voting academy strives 

to be representative, in all ways, of 

our industry. The invited collective 

receive no payment for their 

involvement, and are drawn from 

all aspects of the music-making 

sphere. So thank you to the writers, 

artists, producers, publishers, and 

promoters; thank you to the retail and 

radio crews, the venue managers, tour 

personnel - journalists and influencers too. 

Receiving a BRIT is a big moment in 

any music career and its one we hope 

artists will cherish. The Academy 

members might not be up on the 

stage or making speeches, but it’s 

a role that is vital. We recognise 

the efforts made by all of you. 

MICHAEL CRAGG • PAUL CRAIG • CAMERON CRAIG • JAMES CRAIGIE • LAURA CRAWLEY • ALEX CRITCHLEY • LILY CROCKFORD • 

PAUL CROCKFORD • JOY CROOKES • ADELE CROSS • MAGGIE CROWE • AUSTEN CRUICKSHANK • ROB CRUTCHLEY • 

CAROLINE CULLEN • LISA CULLINGTON • JAMES CURRAN • CARRIE CURTIS • DAN CURWIN • NATASHA CUTTS • 

IMAN D-FULLER • AJ DA COSTA • AUSTIN DABOH • KAREN DAGG • IKRAN DAHIR • RHIAN DALY • SHAMUS DAMANI • 

RICCARDO DAMIAN • ANDY DANIELL • LUCY DANN • MARCO DARCY • TOM DARK • SHIVANI DAVE • JACKIE DAVIDSON • 

ANDREW DAVIES • NAN DAVIES • HARRI DAVIES • CATHERINE ANNE DAVIES • SALLY DAVIES • OWAIN DAVIES • 

JEREMY DAVIES • JESSICA DAVIES • HANNAH J DAVIES • HOWELL DAVIES • AMBER DAVIS • RICHARD DAWES • 

ALAN DAY • MITA DE • CHARLOTTE DE BURGH-HOLDER • GIUSEPPE DE CRISTOFANO • SARAH DE LA 

RUE • CHARLIE DEAKIN‐DAVIES • JONATHAN DEAN • PAUL DECHERT • MARTIN DELL • TIM DELLOW • 

CHRIS DEMPSEY • HANNAH DENCHFIELD • ISAAC DENSU • ANNA-MARIE DESCARTES • 

SARAH DESMOND • CHARLOTTE DESMOYERS-DAVIS • RACHAEL DEVINE • RORY DEWAR • 

BARRY DICKINS • LIZZIE DICKSON • LIMELIGHT DJ • MATTHEW DODDS • 

CONAL DODDS • DAVID DOLLIMORE • CAROLINE DOLLIMORE • 

ALISON DONALD • NUALA DONNELLY • ANNETTE DONNELLY • 

JOE DOUGAN • CLAIRE DOUGHERTY • VICKY DOWDALL • 

JACK DOWLING • CECILIE DREYER • CHRISTIE DRIVER-SNELL • 

ANYA DU SAUZAY • COURTENAY DUBOIS • 

DIAMOND DUGGAL • BRADLEY DUGGAN • 

STEPHANIE DUNCAN-BOSU • 

FRANKIE DUNN • ANTHONY DUNNING • 

B E N D U R L I N G • 

SANDY DWORNIAK • 

JEMMA DWYER • 

ALICE DYSON • 

91

92 

DANIEL EALAM • 

NEALE EASTERBY • 

JONATHAN EDDY • 

ALEX EDEN-SMITH • 

CHARLOTTE EDGEWORTH • 

NATALIE EDWARDS • ZOE EDWARDS • 

AZI EFTEKARI • HANNAH EGE • 

ANIEFIOK EKPOUDOM • YASIN EL ASHRAFI • 

ROY ELDRIDGE • JESS ELDRIDGE • EVELYN ELEAZAR • 

SIAN ELERI • BETHAN ELFYN • JASON ELLIS • SOPHIE ELLIS • 

ELAINE ELLIS • GEOFF ELLIS • SAM ELLWOOD • EMMA ELWOOD • 

RHIAN EMANUEL • SUSIE EMBER • ARIT EMINUE • KITTY EMPIRE • 

RICHARD ENGLER • GEORGE ERGATOUDIS • KATE ETTERIDGE • RUSS EVANS • 

NINA EVANS • MYVANWY EVANS • PIPPA EVERS • HANNAH EWENS • JACQUELINE EYEWE • 

JULIE EYRE • AMIKA EZER • EVE FAIRLEY-CHICKWE • JENNI FALCONER • STEFANIE FALEO • 

HAJA FANTA • JESLEY FANTOLGO • COLIN FARQUHAR • CILLIAN FARRELL • JOSIE FAULKNER • 

LUKE FERRAR • CHANTELLE FIDDY • MATT FINCHAM • MARK FINDLAY • CAITLIN FINE • HAMISH FINGLAND • 

DEREK FISCHER • LAUREN FITZGERALD • LUCY FITZGERALD • HELEN FLEMING • PAUL FLETCHER • 

TONY FLETCHER • CLIFF FLUET • LUKE FLYNN • PAUL FLYNN • SIMON FORBES • DEE FORD • NICK FORD • 

LUCY FORD • EAMONN FORDE • JACK FOSTER • JAMES FOSTER • MEL FOX • LIZ FOX-RICE • REBECCA FRANK • 

KIM FRANKIEWICZ • TOMAS FRASER • CHRIS FRASER • RIO FREDRIKA • BRUCE FRENCH • JULIAN FRENCH • AMY FRENCHUM • 

BOBBY FRICTION • ALICE FROST • LUCY FULFORD • CHRIS FULLER • KEIR FULLERTON • IONA FYFE • STUART GALBRAITH • 

SCOTT GAMBLE • GEORGE GARNER • NATALIE GAY • CHRISTINE GEISSMAR • DAN GENNOE • PAUL GERRARD • ABI GETTO • 

LUCIANO GIAIMO • OSCAR GIBSON • PAT GILBERT • ELLIE GILES • JAMES GILLESPIE • MARK GILLESPIE • FIONA GILLOTT • CHARLIE GIRLING • 

EDWARD GLEAVE • JEREMIAH GOGO • PHOEBE GOLD • KAYLEE GOLDING • SHANI GONZALES • ROYSTON GOODEN • RICH GOODWIN • 

LESZIAH GOODWIN • LIZ GOODWIN • ESHAN GOPAL • JAKE GOSLING • SARAH GOSLING • JOE GOSSA • CARINA GRACE • CASSANDRA GRACEY • 

LEONA GRAHAM • EVANGELINE GRAIN • CHARLENE LOUISE GRANT • DIONNE GRANT • HILARY GRANT • TOM GRAY • KEELEY GRAY • ANDY GRAYS • 

ANGIE GREAVES • ANGELA GRECH • ASHLIE GREEN • JAMES GREEN • JONATHAN GREEN • EMMA GREENGRASS • DAISY GREENHEAD • 

DOUGLAS GREENWOOD • CLAIRE GREGORY • NATASHA GREGORY • TOM GRENNAN • CRAIG GRIEVE • YVETTE GRIFFITH • RICHARD GRIFITHS • 

KATY GRIMWOOD • VICTORIA GROSVENOR • CHARLOTTE GUNN • JO-ANN GWYNNE • IGOR HAEFELI • CLAIRE HAFFENDEN • MARK HAGEN • 

JO HAGEN • ARWA HAIDER • PIERRE HALL • SARAH HALL • MARTIN HALL • ROB HALLETT • STEPHEN HALLOWES • ELEANOR HALLS • TIM HAMPSON • 

LAURA HAND • FIONA HANLON • RICHARD HANNAN • KAMRAN HAQ • NIGEL HARDING • RACHAEL HARDMAN • EMMA HARDY • TONY HARLOW • 

ANNELIESE HARMON • REMI HARRIS • PRU HARRIS • ADAM HARRIS • KARA HARRIS • TRENTON HARRISON-LEWIS • JO HART • MOLLY HART • 

ANNA HARVEY • KERRY HARVEY-PIPER • RICHARD HASWELL • BOBBY HAVENS • DAVID HAWKES • PAUL HAWKINS • CHRIS HAWKINS • LEE HAWTHORN • 

ALED HAYDN-JONES • MARK HAYTON • LOUISE HEALEY • TREVOR HEATH • CHARLENE HEGARTY • CHRIS HELSEN • ELLIE HENMAN • SALLY HERBERT • 

CLAIRA HERMET • JO HERON • PHIL HEYES • LUCY HEYMAN • MARK HIGGINS • LOUISE HIGGINS • DREW HILL • ELE HILL • JENNIFER HILLS GREENE • 

RICHARD HINKLEY • KATE HOLDER • JOSH HOLLAND • JILL HOLLYWOOD • ADEM HOLNESS • STEVE HOMER • WILL HOPE • HANNAH HOPE • 

GRACE HOPPER • EVE HORNE • PATRICK HOUGH • YAZMIN HOW • ED HOWARD • PATRICK HOWE • ALISON HOWE • SILAS HOWISON-WAUGHRAY • 

BROGAN HUBBER • KEVIN HUGHES • GREG HUGHES • PATRICK HUGHES • DOROTHY HUI • GUS HULLY • NESSA HUMAYUN • EL HUNT • CATH HURLEY • 

SHAHZAIB HUSSAIN • NOHA HUSSEIN • REBECCA HUTCHINSON • LAUREN HUTCHINSON • TOM HUTTON • JACKIE HYDE • NELS HYLTON • ALVIN IKENWE • 

JASON ILEY • NATALIE INDGE • TIMOTHY INGHAM • DANNY INGHAM • JAMES INGHAM • NOSHEEN IQBAL • JESS ISZATT • JENNIFER IVORY • 

CHI CHI IZUNDU • MALCOLM JACK • LOUISE JACKSON • DEAN JACKSON • OLLIE JACOB • HEIDI JACOB • JAMES JACOB • MATT JACOB • OLIVER JACOBS • 

BREA JAKES • DELLESSA JAMES • BETHAN JAMES • NATALIE JAMIESON • SARAH JAMIESON • VICTORIA JANE • PRIYA JASPAL • JORDAN JAY • 

ATEH JEWEL • SEJ JHEETA • SHABS JOBANPUTRA • ANGE JOE • NADIA JOHN • TRISTAN JOHNSON • SEAN JOHNSTON • ADRIAN JOLLY • DYLAN JONES • 

SOPHIE JONES • SAMMY JONES • SIMON JONES • JULIA JONES • THOMAS JONES • PHIL JONES • LUCY JORDACHE • NIALL JORDAN • FAYE JORDAN • 

DAVID JOSEPH • ANGELLE JOSEPH • TARA JOSHI • FREDERICK JUDE • NATALIE JUDGE • CHARLOTTE KAIN • MAYA KALEV • AMMAR KALIA • 

JOANNA KALLI • EMMA KAMEN • JESS KANGALEE • ANNA KARATZIVA • NATTY KASAMBALA • MANSI KATTA • ALEX KATTER • BOBBY KAUR • 

JASON KAVUMA • ANNA KAY • ALEX KEAGUE-DAVIES • MICHAEL KEENEY • TARA KEFAYATI • JENNIFER ANN KELLER • EMMA KELLY KELLY • AISHA KEMP • 

ADAM KENNEDY • HELEN KENNEDY • ALEX KENNEDY • DANIELLE KENNEDY-CLARK • EMILY KENT • ZOE KENT • JENNIFER KEOGH • BEN KERR • 

FADUMO KHAMIS • RA’ED KHAN • SEMERA KHAN • NADIA KHAN • ROBERT KHAN • ALIM KHERAJ • LES KIDGER • ELLIE KIFVEL • LUCY KILNER • 

MOLLIE KING • OLIVER KING • RUPERT KING • THOMAS KING • CRAIG KINNEAR • JONATHAN KLEIN • HARRY KNYT • SERIOJA KOHLI • OLIVIA KOLO • 

JESSICA KORAVOS • NAMINA KOROMA • SOPHIE KOSTROWSKI • LOUISE KOVACS • DAYALAN KULENDRAN • EMMA KWAKYE • HENRIE KWUSHUE • 

ROSIE KYRKE-SMITH • TOBY L • SUZANNE LACHAPELLE • MICHAEL LAMBERT • SAFIYA LAMBIE-KNIGHT • REBECCA LAPORTA • JEREMY LASCELLES • 

JAY LAWRENCE • AMY LAWSON • GREG LAWTON • WIZDOM LAYNE • JAYNE LEADBETTER • JOHN LEAHY • KERRY LEATHAM • ORLA LEE • JORDAN LEE • 

PATRIZIA LEIGHTON • MIRIAM LESSAR • YASMIN LEUNG • TOBY LEVESON • NICK LEVINE • EMERALD LEWIS • TOM LEWIS • ROB LEWIS • TIA LEWIS • 

MEL LEWIS • RONNIE LEY • NATHAN LIDDLE‐HULME • ALMA LILIC • DUA LIPA • SARAH LIPMAN • DANIEL LISTER • STUART LITTLEWOOD • JULIA LLOYD- 

GILCHRIST • DANIEL LLOYD‐JONES • SARAH LOCKHART • ANTHONY LOCKWOOD • RYAN LOFTHOUSE • ARINA LOGACHEVA • REMEL LONDON • 

JAY LONDON • STEVE LONG • PAULETTE LONG • THOMAS LONGWORTH • SACHA LORD • LAURA LUKANZ • HONGI LUO • MAX LUTKIN • MERVYN LYN • 

DORIAN LYNSKEY • MAKESHA MACFARLANE • PAUL MACK • TOBY MACKENZIE • EMMA MACKIE • MARK MACKIE • AVRIL MACKINTOSH • TOM MACKLIN • 

EMILY MADDICK • HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR MADDIX • GRACEY MAE • SHANNON MAHANTY • CARLY MAILE • HAYLEY MAITLAND • TIM MAJOR • 

MARIKA MALLIARIS • PAUL MALONE • COLLEEN MALONEY • ANDY MALT • RENOWNED MANAGEMENT • CLAUDIA MANCINO • DAVID MANDERS • 

MABEL MANN • NATASHA MANN • HOLLY MANNERS • JAMES MANNION • LUCY MAPSTONE • HAYLEY MARCHANT • SHAYNA MARIE • CATHERINE MARKS • 

JEREMY MARSH • JULIAN MARSHALL • RICKY MARSHALL • JOHN MARSHALL • CHARLES MARTIN • STEPH MARZIANO • DAISY MASKELL • SHEENA MASON • 

GUY MASSEY • TINA MATTHEWS • SARAH MATTHEWS • OLIVIA MATTHIAS • TAPONESWA MAVUNGA • ALISTAIR MAWAS • BEN MAWSON • 

AMANDA MAXWELL • MISH MAYER • SAM MAYERS • FIONA MCAULEY • KARA MCCABE • ABBIE MCCARTHY • MIKE MCCORMACK • NEIL MCCORMICK • 

PAUL MCDONALD • HELENA MCGEOUGH • KENNY MCGOFF • MARY MCGOVERN • CHARIS MCGOWAN • JAMES MCGUINNESS • FARON MCKENZIE • 

NICOLE MCKENZIE • PADDY MCLEAN • CRAIG MCLEAN • HANNAH MCMICHAEL • KIM MCNALLY-LUKE • MOLLY MCNULTY • NOREEN MCSHANE • 

MICK MEADOWS • JOCELYN MEEK • JACK MELHUISH • LIANA MELLOTTE • JENNY MENSAH • THEA DEANNE MERCADO • MERCK MERCURIADIS • 

ROSA MERCURIADIS • ANNA-SOPHIE MERTENS • MICHAEL MICHEL • LOLA MICHELLE • TIM MILES • RACHEL MILLAR • JESS MILLER • EDWARD MILLETT • 

SCOTT MILLS • NICK MILLS • ALEX MITCHAM • MARK MITCHELL • CHINWE MLEMCHUKWU • DAVID MOGENDORFF • SAGAL MOHAMMED • 

PAOLA MONALDI • PHIL MONGREDIEN • TONY MOOREY • SIMON MORAN • DEIRDRE MORAN • AMY MORGAN • JACK MORLEN • 

CARLENE MORLESE • BEN MORTIMER • ANNA MOTA • MAGGIE MOUZAKITIS • EMILY MOXON • LAURENCE MOZAFARI • AMEL MUKHTAR • 

RUBY MULRAINE • PARIS MUNRO • COLLEEN MURPHY • ROBIN MURRAY • CONRAD MURRAY • SAM MURRAY • NICOLA MURRAY • 

ANDY MUSGRAVE • NICK MYERS • HANNAH MYLREA • LIZO MZIMBA • CHARLESY N/A • RBC N/A • KYE N/A • MISTAJAM N/A • 

GHADIR N/A • JAMILA NABUKEERA • SHIKAYLA NADINE • ROYA NADRY • KIRAN NANDRA • NINA NANNAR • 

MELISSA NATHOO • ADAM NEALON • HANNAH NEAVES • MICHAEL NEIDUS • JENNY NELSON • ROBBIE NELSON • 

OLLIE NESHAM • LEON NEVILLE • PIP NEWBY • CIARA NEWELL-BAILEY • RYAN NEWMAN • 

JULIAN NICCOANNAN • ERIK NIELSEN • KARL NIELSON • STEPHANIE NIEUWENHUYS • NICHOLA NITM • 

DAN NOBLE • ALISTAIR NORBURY • MILLI NUCKCHADY • SHARON O’CONNELL • DAN O’CONNELL • 

ROISIN O’CONNOR • CLODAGH O’DONOGHUE • MIKE O’KEEFE • DERMOT O’LEARY • 

SHANE O’NEILL • EUNICE OBIANAGHA • JAMIE OBORNE • MEENAL ODEDRA • 

STEVEN ODUFUYE • GREGORY OJO • ABISOLA OKE • IBUKUN OKUSANYA • 

TOBI OLADIGBOLU • MJ OLAORE • FEMI OLASEHINDE • SINEAD OLDNALL • 

SAGE OLITO • ISH OLOKUNBOLA • ORE OLUKOGA • ASHANTI OMKAR • 

TOBI OMOLOJA • PRECIOUS OMOREGIE • GRACE ONEILL • 

SULINNA ONG • TOBE ONWUKA • GABBY ORLEANS- 

LINDSAY • BISOLA OTUN • CHARLOTTE OWEN • 

STEVE OWEN • NICKIE OWEN • 

MICHAEL OYEDIRAN • A OZDAMAR • 

IPEK OZSOY • MALVIKA PADIN • 

MEGAN PAGE • SAM PALM • 

MARK PALMER • 

JULIAN PALMER • 


Voting 

Academy 

2023 

MARIA PANAYI • 

ANNA PAPASAVVA • 

R I C H A R D P A R K • 

J O A N N E P A R K E R S O N • 

STEVE PARKINSON • DIPESH PARMAR • 

RUTH PARRISH • ANNA PARRY • 

NICK PARRY • TRISTAN PARSONS • ROB PASCOE • 

STEFANIA PASSAMONTE • JAY PATEL • COLIN PATERSON • 

JAMES PATERSON • JOSEPH PATTERSON • TOM PAUL • 

CHLOE PEAN • ED PEARSON • JADE PEARSON • HATTIE PEARSON • 

MONIQUE PENNIE • JACK PEPPER • JONATHAN PERRY • DANIELLE PERRY • 

ANDREW PERRY • JASON PERRY • CHARLIE PERRY • FRANCINE PERRY • 

ROBYN PETERS • EMILY PHILLIPS • STEPHANIE PHILLIPS • CAMILLA PIA • 

KATE PIATKOWSKA • DAVID PICHILINGI • ELIZABETH PIKE • EMILY PILBEAM • NETANYA PILIKIAN • 

ANU PILLAI • ABBIE PINK • SHAHNA PINNOCK • STEVE PITRON • SIMON PLATZ • DANIEL POKU • 

ALEXANDRA POLLARD • DAVID POLLOCK • OLIVE POMETSEY • ROB POOLE • SIMON PORTER • 

ED POTTON • SAM POTTS • CHARLIE POWELL • BEN PRICE • CHRIS PRICE • COOKIE PRYCE • DARYL PRYOR • 

WILL PUXLEY • GEORGE QUANN-BARNETT • JOEL QUARTEY • JANETTE QUAYE • PETER QUICKE • ARUSA QURESHI • 

MADELINE RADCLIFF • MARK RADCLIFFE • KAITY RAE • ASHLEIGH M RAINBIRD • MARK RALPH • GUILLERMO RAMOS • 

ABBEY RAYMONDE • JAMES REA • ASHLEY READ • DAVY REED • REBECCA REES • STELLA REID • NICK REILLY • DAVID RENSHAW • 

ELLA RENTON • EMILY RICHARDSON • JADE RICHARDSON • BECKY RICHARDSON • KIRSTY RICHARDSON • LEE-ANNE RICHARDSON 

PRING • JACOB RICKARD • SHARON RILEY • JUDITH RIVERS • DAN ROBERTS • PAUL ROBERTS • CALLUM ROBERTS • NATHAN ROBERTS • 

CHLOE ROBERTS • MARTIN ROBERTS • COLIN ROBERTS • MICHAEL ROBINSON • DESPA ROBINSON • MARC ROBINSON • PETER ROBINSON • 

JAZZ ROCKET • CALEB RODE • CATHERINE ROE • GEORGIE ROGERS • KERRI-ANN ROPER • BRIAN ROSE • LUCIANO ROSSI • LAUREN ROTH DE WOLF • 

MEL ROUND • DAVID ROWE • HENRIETTA ROWLATT • JAMES ROZZI • LIAM RUDDEN • ELLIE RUMBOLD • MATTHEW RUMBOLD • SCARLETT RUSSELL • 

RIC SALMON • DAVE SALMON • MARTA SALOGNI • DON SAMKANGE • RACHAEL SAMUEL • DARI SAMUELS • PAUL SAMUELS • 

GEMMA SAMWAYS • CLARE SANDERS-WRIGHT • JAMES SANDOM • JULIE SANDRIN • NICOLA SAUL • JACK SAUNDERS • 

JOHN SAUNDERSON • MARK SAVAGE • PHILIP SAVILL • CHRIS SAWYER • NEIL SAXBY • CHARLOTTE SAXE • 

ALEX SAYERS • PAUL SCAIFE • GIANCARLO SCARAMPI • JUSSY SCOTT • PHOEBE SCOTT • DUNCAN SCOTT • 

LYLE SCOUGALL • DUNCAN SEAMAN • ADRIAN SEAR • HELEN SEARLE • EMMA SECCOMBE • ELENA SEGAL • 

MIKA SELLENS • DJ SEMTEX • MARCO SENSI • SARA SESARDIC • SAMANTHA SEWELL • SHAHESTA SHAITLY • PROF 

JONATHAN SHALIT OBE • CONNIE SHAO • EDDIE SHAW • HANNAH SHEEDY • PAUL SHEEHAN • SALEEM SHEIKH • 

LISA SHENTON • GRACE SHERIDAN SHARE • JAZMIN SHERMAN • SUE SHERRING • ADAM SHERWIN • ANDY SHIER • 

CLAIRE SHOMADE • JOSHUA SHREEVE • BETH SIDWELL • CRAIG SILVEY • SEBASTIAN SIMONE • DAVID SIMPSON • 

GEORGE SIMPSON • LAURA SINCLAIR • VICTORIA SINDEN • CLAIRE SINGERS • SAM SINGH • LEILA SINGH • LISA SKEPPNER • 

ANDY SKINNER • CLAIRE SLEVIN • ADAM SLOUGH • PAUL SMERNICKI • CATHERINE SMILES • THOMAS SMITH • 

HARRIET SMITH • ALASTAIR SMITH • JAY SMITH • MICHAEL SMITH • MADELINE SMITH • JEFF SMITH • 

CAROLE SMITH • CHRISTIAN SMITH • PATRICK SMITH • PHILIP SMITH • TRINA SMITH • JENNIFER SMITH • 

PORSCHE SMITH • CHARLOTTE SMITH-OATES • BEN SMOOTHY • WILL SMYTH • DAVID SMYTH • JOYCE SMYTH • 

STE SOFTLEY • KATE SOLOMON • KOSI SOMPETA • GLENN SONKO • DAVID SONUBI • TIMI SOTIRE • 

JESSICA SPAINE • SAM SPENCER • MIKE SPENCER • JAMIE SPINKS • NICOLA SPOKES • JASMINE SRIH • 

HANA STADDON • SORAYA STANLEY • CAMERON STANTON • DAVE STAPLETON • RICHARD STEEL • 

GARY STEIN • HUW STEPHENS • TOM STICHBURY • JAMES STIRLING • HARRISON STOCK • LEA STONHILL • 

KATIE STRACHAN • CHRIS STRAW • GEORGIA STRAWSON • STEPHEN STREET • DARREN STRUWIG • 

CLAIRE STURGESS • JADE STYLE • CLAIRE SUGRUE • CAROLINE SULLIVAN • MARK SUTHERLAND • 

EMMA SWANN • VICKI SWEENEY • JACQUI SWIFT • DANIELLE SWINDELLS • PAUL SYLVESTER • LINZI SYMONS • 

PHILIP TAGGART • JASMINE TAKHAR • MARTIN TALBOT • AMMO TALWAR • CHRIS TAMS • STACEY TANG • 

ANDREW TANSEY • ALI TANT • MAZIN TAPPUNI • DJ TARGET • MATT TASKER • CHRISTIAN TATTERSFIELD • 

KATIE TAVINI • TINEA TAYLOR • KAREN TAYLOR • ELLIOT TAYLOR • SAMANTHA TAYLOR • MARGHERITA TAYLOR • 

PIPPA TAYLOR • MATT TAYLOR • GEOFF TAYLOR • CARMELIA TCHOUA • HONOR TEIDEMAN • LUKE TEMPLE • 

SUNTA TEMPLETON • HANNAH TERRY • NATHAN TETTEY • AMY TETTEY • RICHARD THANE • BEE THOMAS • 

JEN THOMAS • DOMINIC THOMAS • HELEN THOMAS • LAVIEA THOMAS • GEORGE THOMAS • CLARE THOMPSON • 

NATHAN THOMSON • TOM THOROGOOD • JAMES THORPE • ADRIAN THRILLS • JANE THURLOW • STEVE TILLEY • 

ROB TOBIN • BRENT TOBIN • MARIA TORRES • CHARLIE TORRIBLE • ROUGH TRADE • ANDREW TRENDELL • 

ANDREA TRIPODI • CAROLINE TROUT • ADAM TUDHOPE • KEVIN TUFFY • ELIZABETH TURNBULL • 

BRIONY TURNER • HUGO TURQUET • ANNA TURUNEN • KATHARINA (TERRY) TYLDESLEY • LEE TYLER • 

CLAIRE UMNEY • GEORGINA UPTON • DINA VAN DER ELST • ANDY VARLEY • NINA VASU • KENNY VAUGHAN • 

JOANNE VAUGHAN-JONES • ADAM VELASCO • DAVID VENTURA • ALAIN VERHAVE • PHIL VERNOL • 

EDIE VERNOL • TIM VERNON • LISA VERRICO • INDY VIDYALANKARA • MATT VINES • SIM VIRDI • MARTIN VOVK • 

NATALIE WADE • TONY WADSWORTH • DAN WAITE • SUZY WALBY • TRAVIS WALBY • CHRIS WALKER • 

DANIELA WALKER • LINDA WALKER • BENJAMIN WALKER • ALEX WALL • SARAH WALL • DOMINIC WALLACE • 

ANDREW WALSH • MIKE WALSH • SARAH WARBURTON-JONES • SEAN WARD • SIMON WARD • CHRIS WAREING • 

OLIVIA WARNFORD-DAVIS • ADEM WATERMAN • JOS WATKIN • LUCIE WATSON • ROSS WATSON • ELLY WATSON • 

MICHAEL WATSON • ANGELA WATTS • HALINA WATTS • HELEN WEATHERHEAD • SELINA WEBB • LANA WEBB • 

ALICE WEBB • LEANNE WEBSTER • JON WEBSTER • SELINA WEDDERBURN • REBECCA WELLEY • LAURA WESTCOTT • 

KIRSTY WHALLEY • AMY WHEATLEY • STUART WHEELEY • JO WHILEY • RICHARD WHITE • KIARON WHITEHEAD • 

MATTHEW WHITEHOUSE • REBECCA WHITFIELD • LU WHITING • JORDAN WHITMORE • HENRY WHITTINGDALE • 

ALICE WHITTINGTON • WILL WILKIN • STEPH WILKINSON • ADRIENNE WILLEN • HOLLY WILLIAMS • 

NAOMI WILLIAMS • PAUL WILLIAMS • SOPHIE WILLIAMS • NICOLE WILLIAMS • JENESSA WILLIAMS • 

ANDREW WILSON • PETE WILSON • HARRY WILSON • LIBERTY WILSON • SHASHI WILSON-JOSHI • 

ROBERT WINTERS RONALDSON • ANDREW WISE • POLLY WITHINGTON • PHIL WITTS • 

BEN WOLFORD • SALLY WOOD • CHARLES WOOD • LUCY WOOD • KARIN WOOLFE • 

MATT WOOLLISCROFT • AGNES WOOLRICH • LOUISE WOOLSEY • BOB WORKMAN • 

RACHAEL WORSLEY • FAYE WRIGHT • LISA WRIGHT • KATE WRIGHT • 

DOUGLAS WRIGHT • LAUREN WYATT • KATE WYN JONES • 

SAM WYNN • COURTNEY WYNTER • ANTHEA XTRA MILE • 

KIERAN YEATES • EUGENE YEMELIN • 

CHRIS YORK • TOM YOUNG • 

PHIL YOUNGMAN • IAN YOUNGS • 

NATASHA YOUNGS • 

THANDO ZULU • 

93

WE’RE LONDON’S ORIGINALS 

Since 1786 we’ve been the makers of English hospitality in all its quirky 

glory, fine venues, characterful dining and impeccable delivery. 

PROUD TO BE THE OFFICIAL CATERER TO THE BRIT AWARDS 2023 

AND THE WINNER IS… 

OUR PLANET! 

The BRIT Awards goes all-in 

to look out for Planet Earth. 

AD 

GALA DINNERS & AWARDS RECEPTIONS & PARTIES WEDDINGS & CELEBRATIONS OUTDOOR EVENTS 

#LondonsOriginals 

@payneandgunter 

www.payneandgunter.co.uk 

advert_02.indd 4 11/01/2023 16:18 


The BRITs and its partners are 

serious about sustainability. 

Everything that happens on stage 

(and everything that happens off it) 

is seen through a sustainability lens. 

Every three years The BRITS meets 

meets with environment champions 

Julie’s Bicycle, which acts as a mentor. 

Targets are set, and there are always 

tweaks to improve previous plans. And 

every year, The BRITs finds new ways 

to be eco friendly. If not - who will? 

Literally nothing is done at The 

BRITs without thinking ‘Is this the 

most sustainable method?’ 

An example of this is in menu planning 

and the preparation of food across 

the whole venue, including at parties, 

and those on the arena floor. 

For the first time, The BRITs has used 

Swedish start-up Klimato to formally 

monitor the carbon footprint of all food. 

No beef is served at The O2 ever and 

and meat at The BRITs is chosen for its 

sustainability factor as well as its flavour. 

Venison, as a wild meat source, avoids 

the carbon footprint farming makes. 

When planning a menu, we ensure 

there is next-to-no waste when 

cooking. All parts of meat cuts and 

all parts of the plant are used. Food 

choice is influenced by the miles raw 

ingredients must travel, so where 

possible, local is always the name 

of the game. There is no air freight 

involved in preparing BRITs menus. 

Finally, leftovers and kitchen waste 

are removed to the O2’s onsite eco 

digester, which reduces waste to just 

1% of its original state. The O2, and 

its owner AEG, is ahead of the game 

when it comes to all things eco. 

That’s because AEG runs 1Earth, 

a long-term programme to ensure 

best environmental practice in its 

sector. And that’s why everything 

used on site, on BRITs night and 

beyond, has been chosen to ensure 

it delivers without adding waste. 

In concessions, carbon-counted 

snacks are served in NoPla (no 

plastic) containers that can be fully 

composted. Single use cups are 

paper-only and cutlery is made of 

wood. Concessions are also cashless. 

Luckily flavour is not reliant on 

carbon counting. Everything to eat 

at The BRITs tastes really good! 

JULIE’S BICYCLE - ON 

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS 

Julie’s Bicycle is the unseen force 

behind The BRITs eco endeavours. An 

invaluable charity partner, its experts 

are on hand to audit and advise 

BRITs producers on how to make 

best practice happen - everywhere! 

The charity launched in 2006 when 

there was everything do in the 

entertainment sector to spread the 

green message. Their work has 

expanded across the creative sectors, 

and in recent years Julie’s Bicycle has 

broadened its remit to work alongside 

government and big business. 

Consultants work alongside project 

leaders from the get-go, ensuring 

everyone prioritises sustainability goals. 

Julie’s Bicycle inspires artists and 

creatives to amplify the green message, 

through a mentorship programme. 

In providing key data, the artist is 

empowered to speak with confidence 

- on stage, on TV or through social 

channels, on topics that can sometimes 

feel overwhelming. The charity teaches 

that simple messages told effectively 

provide opportunities for viral reach 

which brings high engagement 

on climate topics and more. 

In 2017, the NGO held the inaugural 

Creative Green Awards to highlight 

innovation in sustainability in creative 

sectors. They also introduced a 

Creative Green certification scheme, 

which is an industry-standard 

benchmark recognising business 

commitments to eco goals. 

A desire to ‘get on board’ the 

sustainability train is now a must-have 

in any creative sector. Julie’s Bicycle 

has worked hard to embed this, not 

least though their partnership with 

Arts Council England, where a joint 

vision plan, Strategy 2020-2030, 

requires ‘environmental responsibility’ 

as one of its four key socially 

progressive investment principles. 

In order to receive Arts Council 

England funding, all applications 

must adhere to a ‘Just Transition 

Framework’ which puts a commitment 

to diversity, as well as environmental 

sustainability principles, at its core. 

Information and resources are 

available from juliesbicycle.com 

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Congratulations to all of tonight’s 

nominees and winners! 

OUR MEDIA PARTNERS 

Julie’s Bicycle is the charity at work behind 

the scenes to make the music industry 

greener, mobilising creative climate action 

in the arts and culture since 2007. 

AD 

We are delighted to be working with 

The BRITs again this year. 

Little Simz: The BRIT Awards 2022 

JM Enternataional 

Proud grant partners of EarthPercent, the music 

industry’s climate foundation. 

Join the creative climate movement: 

juliesbicycle.com 

@JuliesBicycle 

#CreativeClimateAction 

THE BRIT AWARDS 

COMMITTEE 2023 

Committee Chair Damian Christian 

(Atlantic Records) 

Jeff Bell (Partisan Records/Indie Rep), 

Stuart Bell (BRITs PR/Dawbell), 

YolanDa Brown OBE (BPI Chair), 

Jodie Cammidge (Universal Music), 

Gennaro Castaldo (BPI Director of Comms), 

Maggie Crowe OBE (BPI/BRITs Director of 

Events & Charities), 

Giuseppe De Cristofano (co-Chair BRITs 

Digital (BPI/BRITs), 

Anya Du Sauzay (co-Chair BRITs Digital 

(Warner Music), 

Kate Etteridge (BRITs PR/Dawbell), 

Mel Rudder (Warner Music), 

Stacey Tang (Sony Music), 

Geoff Taylor MBE (BPI CEO), 

Sally Wood (BRITs TV Executive Producer) 

For The BPI, OCC & Voting Academy 

Kiaron Whitehead, Chris Austin, 

Elisa Buffet, Chris Walker 

EVENT AND SHOW 

BAL Event Director Maggie Crowe OBE 

Event Manager Adrian Carter 

Director of Digital Giuseppe De Cristofano 

Business Development and 

Partnerships Manager Lucy Bannatyne 

Accreditation and Transport Co-ordinator 

Dina Van der Elst 

Senior Digital Content Manager 

Toby Leveson 

Event Assistant Emma Mackie 

Ticketing Manager Ashley Read 

Ticketing Julia Armstrong 

Event Co-ordinators 

Ollie Paxton and Henri Calderon 

Finance Dominic Thomas 

Legal Liam Alt, Fernanda Akamine, 

Jonathon Burke 

Technical Support Alan Brindley 

BRITs Digital Somethin’ Else 

Media Relations DawBell PR 

National TV & Radio Promotion 

LD Communications 

International TV Sales ITV Global 

Award styled by Slawn 

Design & Photography JM Enternational 

Venue Sam Oldham, 

Danielle Kennedy‐Clark, Nic Burlace, 

Amie Croft, Rachael Hardman 

Mastercard Agnes Woolrich, 

Charlie Carrington, Andy Wise, 

Adam Kennedy 

Television Show Produced by BRITs TV 

ITV Katie Rawcliffe, Lily Wilson 

ITV2 Gemma John-Lewis 

BRITs TV 

Executive Producer Sally Wood 

Director Phil Heyes 

Line Producer Rebecca Hutchinson 

Band Production Maggie Mouzakitis 

VT Producer Claire Pothecary 

Award Presenter Producer Jill Morgan 

Production Coordinators 

Mimi Parsons and Molly Cannon 

Camera Supervisor Rob Sargent 

Programme Sound Toby Alington 

OB Facilities EMG 

ITV2 BACKSTAGE SHOW 

Producer Sam Wynn 

Director Diccon Ramsay 

Production Manager Kirsten Jackson 

Assistant Producer Jack Thie 

Production Coordinator Lauren Fox 

OUR CHARITIES 

& INITIATIVES 

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97

OUR CONTRACTORS & CONTRIBUTORS 

AD 

We Celebrate You 

LEPPARD 

& 

ASSOCIATES 

RIVERS 

Liam Gallagher performs at The BRIT Awards 2022 

JM Enternataional 

STAGE PRODUCTION 

BRIT Awards Productions 

Kate Wright, Tony Wheeler, Lisa Shenton, 

Malcolm Birkett, Chris Caddy, Ciara White, 

Yvonne Ryan, Sarah Huberman, 

Zakk Callaghan, Dan Pittaway, 

Anthony Mossman, Amanda Crane, John Hunt, 

Keeley Wills, Freya Newland 

Accreditation Ginger Owl 

Stage Management Mike Grove 

Production Design Misty Buckley Design 

Lighting Designer Tom Sutherland 

Lighting Crew Boss Richard Gorrod 

Lighting Company PRG Europe 

Rigging Outback Rigging 

Sound Designer Colin Pink 

PA Supplier Britannia Row Productions 

Crew Catering Eat Your Hearts Out 

Staging StageCo 

Set Four-Square Productions 

Screens Ogle Hog 

Pyro FFP 

Lasers ER Productions 

Local Crew Showstars 

Site Crew Bizmonkeys 

Stage Crew Stage Miracles 

SpotOps Pro Spot 

Backstage Monitors Soundbite Productions 

Furniture & Backstage Lovely Things 

Draping Blackout 

Health & Safety J-EMSS 

Backstage Security Show & Event Security 

Power ATD & Templine 

Cabins Qdos Event Hire 

Structures Neptunus 

Kitchen Supplier Jongor 

Carpet Sweeney Todd Flooring 

BRITs CLUB 

Production BRIT Awards Productions 

Production Manager Chuck Crampton 

Event Production Keeley Wills, Kaz Hill, 

Paul Bissoni, Jason Burridge, 

Harry Wilding, Harry Guthrie 

Designer Bruce French 

Lighting Designer (InterContinental 

and Indigo At The O2) Stuart Pring 

SHOW PROGRAMME 

Editorial Helen Lamont (Editor), 

John Marshall (Art Editor), 

Will Amery (Design & Production), 

Jan Green (Proofreading) 

Advertising Leppard & Rivers Associates 

Judith Rivers 

Publisher JM Enternational 

Printer Fingerprint 

Special Thanks To Slawn and William Walsh 

Congratulations to this year’s talented 

songwriters and performers, along with their 

respective publishers and record companies, 

nominated for a BRIT Award! 

It is an honour for PPL and PRS for Music to 

support the BRIT Trust and the outstanding 

work it does to improve lives through music. 

Please be reminded that you are not permitted to record or film any part of 

The BRIT Awards 2023 event without a specific licence from BRIT Awards Limited. 

RECYCLABLE 

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Nurturing the future of creative 

talent with The BRIT School. 

Priceless ® 

Discover more at mastercard.co.uk/BRITs 

Mastercard and Priceless are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark, of Mastercard International Incorporated.

The BRIT Awards 2023 with Mastercard - Show Programme

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