Photo: Shirlaine Forrest
The BRIT Awards are almost upon us once again. With 2016's event resulting in major backlash in regards to the awards' lack of diversity, the BRIT's promised a 'shake-up' to the judging panel in a hope to accurately reflect the current UK music scene. We take a look at this year's list of nominees to see what's changed.
Controversy surrounding last year's diversity issue was so rife, the hashtag #BRITsSoWhite dominated social media, used by unimpressed music fans and artists alike. 2017's list does show improvement on this front, with the awards shining light on the thriving UK grime scene. Stormzy, who last year tweeted: "None of my G’s nominated for Brits? are you taking the piss?, embarrassing" has gone and snagged himself a nomination for British Breakthrough Act. Skepta is in the same category, and also up for British Male Solo Artist.
"They have to accept there is a new blueprint in music" Skepta's manager Grace Ladoja said on Instagram in response to the nomination. And it looks like, in some ways, we're getting there.
A photo posted by Amazing Grace Ladoja (@graceladoja) on
In another step forward, transgender artist Anohni is up for Best British Female - sharing the category with Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sande, Lianne La Havas and Nao. It should be noted though, that there is a lack of female artists in the British Album category along with International Group. Anohni ranked number 16 in our 51 best albums of 2016, with her record Hopelessness. Gigwise said of the album: "Hopelessness explicitly takes on Obama, climate change sceptics, government surveillance and drone strikes - but it’s also achingly beautiful."
David Bowie is up for two posthumous awards at the event: British Male Solo Artist and British Album of The Year. With his death a little over a year ago, and his absence still felt heavily within the music industry, it is reported that there is also another tribute planned for the Starman. Last year saw Lorde give a powerful rendition of 'Life On Mars'.
Book-ending a huge comeback year, Craig David is nominated for Best British Male sixteen years after being up for the award in 2001. His inclusion in the list could help pave the way for future comebacks, proving how successful nostalgia-driven returns can be.
Interestingly, this year's British Album of The Year nominations are all records lifted straight from the Mercury Prize shortlist. It's a somewhat uninspired move from the panel, where they could have used the opportunity to be unique and carve their own path with a stroke of originality and risk.
Having followed their rise to the top throughout 2016 here at Gigwise, it's great to see Stockport band Blossoms gaining this kind of recognition. Working tirelessly across the past year with growing festival slots and a number one debut album, the band could well be on their way to following in the footsteps of previous winners Arctic Monkeys.
Meanwhile, Little Mix have slotted into the British Group category alongside Radiohead, The 1975 and Bastille and Biffy Clyro - given they've had the highest first week sales for a UK girl group number one album since Spice Girls in 1997, they could be in with a chance.
See the full list below:
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST –
Craig David
David Bowie
Kano
Michael Kiwanuka
Skepta
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST –
Anohni
Ellie Goulding
Emeli Sandé
Lianne La Havas
Nao
BRITISH GROUP
The 1975
Bastille
Biffy Clyro
Little Mix
Radiohead
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Anne-Marie
Blossoms
Rag’n’Bone Man
Skepta
Stormzy
CRITICS’ CHOICE
Winner – Rag’n’Bone Man
Anne-Marie
Dua Lipa
BRITISH SINGLE
Alan Walker – ‘Faded’
Calum Scott – ‘Dancing On My Own’
Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
Clean Bandit feat. Anne-Marie and Sean Paul – ‘Rockabye’
Coldplay – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’
James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
Jonas Blue & Dakota – ‘Fast Car’
Little Mix – ‘Shout Out To My Ex’
Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson – ‘Girls Like’
Zayn – ‘Pillowtalk’
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The 1975 – ‘I Like It When You Sleep For You Are Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’
David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’
Kano – ‘Made In the Manor’
Michael Kiwanuka – ‘Love & Hate’
Skepta – ‘Konnichiwa’
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Adele – ‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’
Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
Clean Bandit feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie – ‘Rockabye’
Coldplay – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’
James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
Jonas Blue & Dakota – ‘Fast Car’
Little Mix feat. Sean Paul – ‘Hair’
One Direction – ‘History’
Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson – ‘Girls Like’
Zayn – ‘Pillowtalk’
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars
Drake
Leonard Cohen
The Weeknd
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Beyoncé
Christine and the Queens
Rihanna
Sia
Solange
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
A Tribe Called Quest
Drake & Future
Kings of Leon
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Twenty One Pilots
