British singer Harry Styles gained the highest awards on Saturday on the UK’s greatest common music prizes, the Brit Awards, whereas acknowledging his “privilege” for triumphing in a supposedly gender-neutral class that featured no feminine artists.
Styles made a number of appearances on stage, successful awards for artist of the 12 months, album of the 12 months, tune of the 12 months for “As It Was” and greatest pop/R&B act.
“This night has been really, really special to me and I will never forget it,” Styles stated. “I’m so so proud to be a British artist in the world out there.”
The awards ceremony for the second 12 months working handed out a gender-neutral principal prize for British artist of the 12 months.
This title was launched final 12 months to extend inclusivity after non-binary singer Sam Smith was mechanically excluded from beforehand gendered classes in 2021.
Yet, controversially, the class had an all-male shortlist this 12 months, and Styles in his acceptance speech named ladies artists who have been initially shortlisted for the class however didn’t make the ultimate listing.
“I’m really really grateful for this and I’m very aware of my privilege up here tonight so this award is for Rina, Charli, Florence, Mabel and Becky”, he stated, referring to Rina Sawayama, Charli XCX, Florence Welch, Mabel and Becky Hill.
The Brit Awards chairman Damian Christian informed Music Week this month that it was “disappointing to see the lack of female representation”, blaming a scarcity of eligible 2022 releases by huge feminine stars.
Styles’ clutch of awards got here as little shock after the previous One Direction bandmember earlier this month gained the coveted Grammy award for album of the 12 months for “Harry’s House”, which was the UK’s biggest-selling album final 12 months.
Styles’ reference to his “privilege” on Saturday got here after he prompted mockery along with his Grammy acceptance speech by saying “this doesn’t happen to people like me very often”.
Critics identified that Styles as a white 29-year-old Englishman hardly falls into any underprivileged class.
U.S. star Beyonce gained the worldwide artist of the 12 months and greatest worldwide tune classes, whereas she didn’t attend in particular person.
It was additionally a giant night time for a number of younger acts making their recording debuts final 12 months.
Wet Leg, an indie rock band from the Isle of Wight off England’s south coast, gained the group of the 12 months class and in addition greatest new artist after releasing their catchy debut single “Chaise Longue” — which they carried out on the ceremony — and their eponymous debut album.
One of the band members acquired an enormous cheer on the present with a political apart that was bleeped out on the tv broadcast: “F**k the Tories”.
They beat the UK’s 2022 Eurovision Song Contest entry, Sam Ryder, who was the primary ever contestant from the flamboyant Europop occasion to be shortlisted for a Brit award — for greatest new artist.
Ryder got here second at Eurovision along with his tune “Space Man”, shedding to Ukraine however reaching the UK’s highest place on the contest for twenty years.
“I used to be on the wedding circuit before this,” he commented in the course of the Brits present, upbeat regardless of not successful. “I feel a responsibility to show immense gratitude.”
Rapper Aitch, 23, whose debut album Close to Home included NFT know-how, gained in the very best hip hop/grime/rap class, beating prime star Stormzy.
The Brit Awards have been first held in 1977. The occasion is run by British Phonographic Industry, a commerce affiliation that represents the UK music business.
© 2023 AFP