Harry Styles kicks off BRIT Awards with a bang
Harry Styles kicks off BRIT Awards with a bang as he opens show with a performance of As It Was as Aitch swears live while accepting Hip-Hop/Grime award
Harry Styles kicked the BRIT Awards 2023 off with a bang as he opened the show with a performance of his song As It Was.
The singer, 29, brought the house down at London’s 02 Arena on Saturday as he gave a stellar rendition of his number one hit.
The star, who is up for four awards at this year’s ceremony, took to the stage in a red shimmering blazer and black trousers.
Host Mo Gilligan then took to the stage and welcomed attendes to the show, saying: ‘For the first time ever, we’re on a Saturday night. The tables are back in full effect.’
Aitch took home the first award of the night, winning the Hip-Hop/Grime Act gong.
Opener: Harry Styles kicked the BRIT Awards 2023 off with a bang as he opened the show with a performance of his song As It Was
Winner: Aitch swore live as he took home the first award of the night, winning the Hip-Hop/Grime Act gong
The rapper swore within seconds of stepping on stage, saying: ‘I’m s****ing myself because I thought I’d have time for a couple of more drinks before I came on here but obviously not!
He added: ‘I want to give a big up to my fans for voting, thank you very much. It’s possible no matter where you’re from.’
Beyonce took home the award for International Artist of the Year, beating out the likes of Kendrik Lamar, Lizzo and Taylor Swift.
The star was not present at the ceremony but recorded an acceptance speech, saying: ‘Thank you so much for this incredible recongition.
‘I’d like to say thank you to all of my fans in Britain for this award. The renaissance begins, I’ll see you on tour!’
Becky Hill won the Dance Act award for the second year award and paid tribute to some of her fellow artists in her speech.
She said: ‘I want to thank the Brits committee for putting me on the short list of the dance act for another year.
‘It’s such an honour to be nominated alongside Eliza Rose and Raye, who are an inspiration for women and people of colour in such an underrepresented scene.
Show: The singer, 29, brought the house down at London’s 02 Arena on Saturday as he gave a stellar rendition of his number one hit
Performance: The star, who is up for four awards at this year’s ceremony, took to the stage in a red shimmering blazer and black trousers
Thrilled: Becky Hill won the Dance Act award for the second year award and paid tribute to some of her fellow artists in her speech
‘Beyonce said it best in her Grammys speech, we all have the queer community to thank for the best genre on earth.’
Harry took home the Best Pop/R&B Award, which was presented to him by actress Salma Hayek.
The former One Direcion star said: ‘I know this was a fan voted award so to all my fans who voted thank you. I have so many wonderful memories at the BRITS so thank you for another one. It’s so good to be home.’
Host Mo Gilligan then appeared to fluff his introduction to a performance by Lewis Capaldi by calling him Sam Capaldi, however he apologised afterward, joking it was proof how strong the drinks at the BRITs are.
The next award, Best New Act, was won by Wet Leg with lead singer Rhian Teasdale admitting her nerves as she got on stage.
She said: ‘Thank you so much. It’s really cool to be doing this on an indie label, shout out Domino. This is so scary, being on the telly can feel like such a boys club but I want to thank all the women who worked on the production. I’m so nervous so I’m going to stop now.’
Harry, Wet Leg, and Sam Smith lead this year’s nominations as the stars battle it out for the coveted awards.
‘It’s good to be home’: Harry took home the Best Pop/R&B Award, which was presented to him by actress Salma Hayek
All three will perform on the night, with Lizzo, Becky Hill, Cat Burns and Stormzy also storming the stage.
Music bosses came under fire, however, when the shortlist was announced last month.
In a surprise snub, female artists were shut out of the Artist Of The Year, which last year introduced a gender-neutral overhaul by scrapping its male and female-centric categories.
The first gender-neutral award was handed to Adele last year, but in her acceptance speech she pointedly told the audience: ‘ love being a woman.’
Nominated for Artist Of The Year are Central Cee, Fred Again, George Ezra, Harry Styles and Stormzy.
Harry, Stormzy and Fred Again – real name Fred Gibson – are also up for album of the year, alongside The 1975 and indie duo Wet Leg, who are the only female act in the category.
Charli XCX, whose fifth studio album Crash topped the charts, and Florence and the Machine, whose album Dance Fever earned the singer her fourth UK number one, were notably absent.
Now, BRIT Award bosses are in talks to bring back separate categories for best male and female artist next year, after no women made the shortlist for its new gender-neutral prize.
The coveted Song Of The Year With Mastercard category will see Aitch with Baby Ft Ashanti, Cat Burns with Go, Dave with Starlight, and Ed Sheeran And Elton John with their festive hit Merry Christmas battle it out.
Also nominated are Eliza Rose And Interplanetary Criminal with Baddest Of Them All, George Ezra with Green Green Grass and Harry Styles with As It Was.
Concluding the Song Of The Year nominations are Lewis Capaldi with Forget Me, Lf System with Afraid To Feel, and Sam Smith And Kim Petras with Unholy.
Up for Group Of The Year are The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Nova Twins and Wet Leg, while International Group Of The Year saw nods for Black Pink, Drake And 21 Savage, First Aid Kit, Fontaines Dc and Gabriels.
Speaking after their four nods, Wet Leg said: ‘Somebody hold our horses while we get to grips with this wild news, being nominated for a BRIT award is too hard to comprehend, we never could have expected for our wee band to achieve this.’
Nominated for Alt Rock are The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, Nova Twins, Tom Grennan and Wet Leg.
Stormzy has landed another nod in the Hip Hop/Grime/Rap category, competing against Aitch, Central Cee, Dave and Loyle Carner.
Becky Hill has once again landed a nomination in the Dance Act category, having previously scooped the prize last year.
She is nominated against Bonobo, Calvin Harris, Eliza Rose and Fred Again.
Elsewhere, in the International Categories, Beyonce once again reigns supreme with two nods, alongside Taylor Swift and Lizzo.
Up for International Artist Of The Year are Beyonce, Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo and Taylor Swift.
BRIT AWARDS 2023: THE NOMINATIONS
Mastercard Album Of The Year
The 1975 – Being Funny In A Foreign Language
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
Stormzy – This Is What I Mean
Fred Again – Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
Artist Of The Year
Central Cee
Fred Again
George Ezra
Harry Styles
Stormzy
Group Of The Year
The 1975
Arctic Monkeys
Bad Boy Chiller Crew
Nova Twins
Wet Leg
Best New Artist
Kojey Radical
Mimi Webb
Rina Sawayama
Sam Ryder
Wet Leg
Song Of The Year With Mastercard
Aitch – Baby Ft Ashanti
Cat Burns – Go
Dave – Starlight
Ed Sheeran And Elton John – Merry Christmas
Eliza Rose And Interplanetary Criminal – Baddest Of Them All
George Ezra – Green Green Grass
Harry Styles – As It Was
Lewis Capaldi – Forget Me
Lf System – Afraid To Feel
Sam Smith And Kim Petras – Unholy
Best Alt Rock
The 1975
Arctic Monkeys
Nova Twins
Tom Grennan
Wet Leg
Rising Star
Flo
Producer of the Year
David Guetta
Songwriter Of The Year
Kid Harpoon – co-writer and co-producer on Harry’s House
Hip Hop/ Grime/ Rap
Aitch
Central Cee
Dave
Loyle Carner
Stormzy
Dance Act
Becky Hill
Bonobo
Calvin Harris
Eliza Rose
Fred Again
Pop/ R’n’B
Cat Burns
Charli Xcx
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Sam Smith
International Artist Of The Year
Beyonce
Burna Boy
Kendrick Lamar
Lizzo
Taylor Swift
International Group Of The Year
Black Pink
Drake And 21 Savage
First Aid Kit
Fontaines Dc
Gabriels
International Song Of The Year
Beyonce – Break My Soul
David Guetta And Bebe Rexa – I’m Good (Blue)
Fireboy Dml & Ed Sheeran – Peru
Mauro Castillo, Stephanie Beatriz, Carolina Gaitán, Rhenzy Feliz, Encanto – Cast, Adassa, Diane Guerrero – We Dont Talk About Bruno
Gayle – Abcdefu
Jack Harlow – First Class
Lizzo – About Damn Time
Calum Scott And Lost Frequencies – Where Are You Npow
One Republic – I Ain’t Worried
Taylor Swift – Antihero
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