Not everybody may go dwelling with an iconic BRIT trophy.
Sabrina Carpenter accepts the International Success award on stage in the course of the Brit Awards 2025 on the O2 Area on March 1, 2025 in London, England.
The BRITs have had a reasonably chequered historical past in terms of honoring British music; critics say its focus is simply too slim and industrial, and that thrilling, difficult expertise will get crowded out. You’d be hard-pressed to make the identical grievance concerning the 2025 ceremony, nonetheless. Saturday evening’s (March 1) present precisely, pretty and thrillingly showcased a scene that feels on the high of its sport.
Charli XCX toasted her Brat summer time with a whopping 5 awards on the evening, and proved how U.Ok. acts can minimize by means of the din on a worldwide scale with an unique, uncompromising imaginative and prescient. Equally, Jade Thirlwall of Little Combine triumphed within the pop act class with only a handful of solo songs to her title, and Sam Fender continues to make his case to be thought of an all-time nice within the U.Ok. rock scene. Jazz group Ezra Collective, in the meantime, at the moment are a mainstream concern after years of relentless gigging and championing their style.
It was a ceremony that, on the entire, simply felt proper. The performances – significantly from Thirlwall, Lola Younger and Fender – showcased an unlimited array of personalities. Rising acts like Myles Smith and The Final Dinner Celebration used their platform to problem the trade to permit acts like them time to develop and develop – a daring transfer contemplating their contemporary standing as main label acts. Sabrina Carpenter and Teddy Swims gave the ceremony some worldwide glamor and intrigue.
However there are at all times winners and losers, such is the way in which of awards exhibits. Right here’s a number of snubs and surprises that Billboard U.Ok. noticed on the evening.
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Snub: Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina opened the present in dazzling style with a two-song medley of “Espresso” and “Mattress Chem,” flanked by dancers dressed within the conventional Kings Guard garb. She returned to the stage for a handy honorary award (world success) however misplaced out to Chappell Roan in each worldwide artist and worldwide track classes. (The 2 artists break up the spoils on the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2. Roan received greatest new artist, however Carpenter took greatest pop vocal album and greatest pop solo efficiency.) Given Carpenter’s chart dominance within the U.Ok. – Quick n’ Candy has scarcely left the highest 5 for over six months – she was thought of a favorite to return away with extra.
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Shock: Ezra Collective
Since The BRITs’ inaugural occasion in 1977, a jazz group like Ezra Collective would hardly have had a look-in. The style has been carelessly snubbed prior to now, however the current increase within the London jazz scene implies that critics and voters can now not be blind to its main stars. Following their Mercury Prize win in 2023, and headlining Wembley Area in 2024, the band took down some massive beasts – Coldplay and The Treatment – on their technique to a well-deserved victory in one of the best group class.
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Snub: Charli XCX
Properly, type of. Charli had a dominant evening amassing 5 awards — album of the 12 months, artist of the 12 months, dance act, track of the 12 months and songwriter of the 12 months. The one shock is that she didn’t do a clear sweep and decide up a sixth within the pop act class, too. As Billboard U.Ok. noticed within the winners room, nonetheless, balancing the 5 trophies was sufficient of a exercise for the Brat star.
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Shock: JADE
That mentioned, JADE was a well-deserved winner within the pop act race. Her debut solo single “Angel of My Goals” is a enjoyable fusion of high-camp and self-aware lyrics about her battles with music trade figures. She’s the primary member of Little Combine to seize with a solo trophy – the group are BRITs legends – and her efficiency of the aforementioned track shocked the room.
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Snub: Dua Lipa
Historically a BRITs favorite, Dua went dwelling empty-handed regardless of her 4 nominations. Radical Optimism hasn’t fairly chimed with awards voters this 12 months, and it follows her shut-out for Grammys nominations too. Given her dominance lately on the BRITs – she already has seven trophies to her title – this’ll be one thing of a disappointment.
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Snub: Central Cee
Central Cee has achieved the inconceivable: he’s U.Ok. rapper that’s been commercially dominant within the U.S. His debut album Can’t Rush Greatness not too long ago landed within the high 10 on the Billboard 200, the highest-ever inserting for a U.Ok. hip-hop album. However he didn’t decide up the hip-hop/grime/rap class award, dropping out to Stormzy who seemed somewhat sheepish to be up on stage. He mentioned that Cench ought to have collected the prize and that he disagreed with the fan-voted outcome.
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Shock: RAYE
2025’s ceremony didn’t attain the identical heights as her dominant sweep the 12 months prior, however RAYE did come away with a trophy in one of the best R&B class. She was the one 2024 BRITs winner to win in the identical class this 12 months. She confronted stiff competitors from Cleo Sol, Jorja Smith, Michael Kiwanuka and FLO, although RAYE’s breakthrough materials has come extra within the pop area. FLO – who received the Rising Star award in 2023 – are a extra conventional R&B lady group, and will really feel onerous completed by to not have received this award.
