Dua Lipa and Stormzy Take Top Prizes at Brit Awards

Breakthrough artists Dua Lipa and Stormzy took home the biggest awards of the night despite being the new kids on the block. Stormzy received the biggest prize of the night – the British Album of the Year for his debut album “Gang Signs and Prayer”.
Guests took the opportunity to show their solidarity with the Time’s Up movement and the victims of sexual harassment, showing that it’s not just a problem that the film industry feels passionate about. Artists and other guests wore white rose pins, some of which were handed out to attendees before they took to the red carpet.
Dua Lipa, who broke the Brits record for most nominations for a single female artist, received the first award of the night, Best British Female. When collecting her first ever Brit she took the chance to thank all the women who had inspired her and followed it up by saying “Here’s to more women on these stages, more women winning awards, and more women taking over the world.” Lipa was also recognised as this year’s Breakthrough Artist.
Stormzy also won big last night. He beat established acts like Ed Sheeran and Liam Gallagher to win the Best British Male award. He also received the biggest accolade of the night, the very last award, the British Album of the Year. After he was announced as the winner he took to the stage and included the rapped line “Theresa May where’s that money for Grenfell?” in his performance.
There was enough awards throughout the night to also recognise the achievements of other artists. Rag’n’Bone Man’s song “Human” won Best British Single. Jorja Smith had already been announced as the recipient of the Critics’ Choice Award earlier in the year. Lorde took home the award for Best International Female for her inspired work on “Melodrama”. Kendrik Lamar was awarded Best International Male for “Damn”, a politically and spiritually charged album. American rock band Foo Fighters won Best International Group for the fifth time.
British group the Gorillaz finally won Best British Group. They had been nominated nine times previously but never won. Albarn, Blur frontman and one of the two members of the Gorillaz, said: “I’ve got one thing to say and it’s about this country. This country is, believe it or not, quite a small little thing. But it’s a lovely place, and it’s part of a beautiful voice. Don’t let it become isolated. Don’t let yourselves become cut off.”
Harry Styles was awarded the only award voted for by the public – Best British Video – for “Sign of the Times”. Ed Sheeran, who didn’t win in any of the categories he was nominated in, was awarded the Global Success Award.
Many artists, such as Justin Timberlake, Dua Lipa and Foo Fighters, performed some of the biggest hits of the year on stage. There was even time to remember and pay tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena atrocity when Liam Gallagher took to the stage and performed Oasis’ “Live Forever”.
On the biggest night of British music, all the most successful and popular artists of the year were recognised for their astonishing work and attendees took the chance to advocate for important causes such as sexual harassment in the entertainment industry and the Grenfell Tower fire and to pay tribute to victims of terrorism.
> Naomi Round