The BRIT Awards are back. Famous for its F-Bombs that ITV awkwardly cut out in the middle of acceptance speeches and performances, to Madonna falling off the stage, to Jarvis Cocker storming the stage in protest of Michael Jackson, the BRITs are famous for controversies but is also one of the biggest nights in the British music calendar.
On Tuesday, the BRITs return, and it’s going to be one hell of a show, with performances from some of the biggest acts in the world from Adele and Ed Sheeran, to British icons Liam Gallagher, Little Simz and Sam Fender, to rising star Holly Humberstone, it’s going to be one hell of a night. But the purpose of this article is to predict who is going to win each of the 12 awards being given out that night (not including Rising Star and Producer of the Year, both have already had their winners confirmed and announced). This year is going to be so different with the return of multiple awards and the introduction of gender-neutral categories, but who will win each award? Let’s predict…
Artist of the Year
Nominated: Adele, Dave, Ed Sheeran, Little Simz, Sam Fender
Will win: Adele
Should win: Little Simz
The first new award is the first gender-neutral category at the BRITs, and I’m beyond happy to see Little Simz and Sam Fender up for this. However, Adele will ultimately win, as she does every year she’s nominated for an artist category. Adele has had a sensational 2021, despite her only being present in the final quarter. However, Little Simz I believe deserves this more than all of the other artists here. Despite being on the scene for many years, it’s only within the last 12 months that she’s started gaining an insane amount of popularity. A BRIT Award for Artist of the Year will surely cement how incredible she is. If Adele doesn’t win, then I’m sure that Ed Sheeran will take it, and I’m sure you don’t need to hear my reasons why he would.
British Group
Nominated: Coldplay, D-Block Europe, Little Mix, London Grammar, Wolf Alice
Will win: Coldplay or Little Mix
Should win: Wolf Alice
The category for British Group is the only category at the BRITs (bar Best New Artist) that’s consistently strong, because the UK has some of the greatest bands in the world, and it’s great to see that London Grammar is nominated here too. Who will win? I can’t call it between Coldplay and Little Mix. Coldplay returned last year with their ninth record, “Music of the Spheres”, which despite me being a fan of Coldplay, isn’t a great record by any means, but with them selling out SIX nights at Wembley Stadium, their presence is undeniably stronger than ever. Little Mix on the other hand might also take it, as despite them making history last year by becoming the first female band to win the British Group award since the BRITs were introduced in 1977, their presence at the BRITs over the last ten years has been undeniable, and with their hiatus looming in the summer, this will be the last chance the BRITs will have to award them for a very long time, so that could be the main argument for why they will take it. Having said that, there’s only one band that deserves to win here, and that is, surprise, surprise, Wolf Alice. Not only are they one of my all-time favourite bands, critically, they’re also overdue a BRIT Award, and this year could be the year it happens.
British Single
Nominated: “Bad Habits” by Ed Sheeran, “Bed” by Joel Corry, RAYE and David Guetta, “Body” by Tion Wayne & Russ Millions, “Clash” by Dave featuring Stormzy, “Cold Heart” by Elton John and Dua Lipa, “Don’t Play” by Anne-Marie, KSI and Digital Farm Animals, “Easy On Me” by Adele, “Friday (Dopamine Re-Edit)” by Riton x Nightcrawlers featuring Musafa & Hypeman, “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals, “Holiday” by KSI, “Latest Trends” by A1 x J1, “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan, “Obsessed With You” by Central Cee, “Remember” by Becky Hill and David Guetta, “Wellerman (220 Kid x Billen Ted Remix)” by Nathan Evans, 220 Kid and Billen Ted
Will win: “Bad Habits” by Ed Sheeran
Should win: “Friday (Dopamine Re-Edit)” by Riton x Nightcrawlers featuring Musafa & Hypeman
British Single is always the weakest category at the BRITs in my opinion, and this year is no different. None of the tracks are that special in my critical opinion, the only one that holds any merit is “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals, but that should have been nominated last year as the song was originally released in 2020. I’m certain that Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits” will take this one, and if anything else does, I’ll be fairly surprised, but despite me not being a big fan of Sheeran, this track does slap. However, I think Riton and Nightcrawlers’ “Friday” should take this. It’s certainly the strongest song on this list; it revels in the nostalgia of Nightcrawlers’ original 1992 hit “Push The Feeling On”, bringing it to a whole new generation, and every single time this song comes on anywhere, the whole place goes off, it’s a great British anthem that I think deserves to win. Having said that, I secretly want “Wellerman” to take it just for the irony.
Best Pop/R&B Act
Nominated: Adele, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Griff, Joy Crookes
Will win: Adele
Should win: Griff / Joy Crookes
The first of the re-introduced categories, Best Pop/R&B Act is decided via TikTok, alongside the other three genred categories, a decision that for the life of me I don’t understand. Only one artist can win here, and that’s Adele. Adele’s track “Easy On Me” has become a big TikTok trend and so she would have users votes instantly, with the additional fact that she’s Adele. However, I think either Griff or Joy Crookes should win this. Griff has had a great year last year with some great tracks (though she text me while I was live reacting to the BRITs Nominations on my Instagram to say that she has no idea why she’s up for this), and Joy Crookes released her solid debut album “Skin” last autumn too. Will either of them win? No, because Adele’s nominated.
Best Dance Act
Nominated: Becky Hill, Calvin Harris, Fred again.., Joel Corry, RAYE
Will win: Becky Hill or Joel Corry
Should win: Becky Hill
Dance music was a big staple of British music last year, and at the forefront of that was two artists: Becky Hill and Joel Corry. Both of them came out with some solid tunes throughout the year and their entire career thus far. However, it has now been ten years since Becky Hill began her musical journey on The Voice UK, and it’s about time that she finally got a BRIT Award for her success. Joel Corry should also win, but I know for a fact that he will win a BRIT in future years, but this year, it’s Becky Hill’s time.
Best Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act
Nominated: AJ Tracey, Central Cee, Dave, Ghetts, Little Simz
Will win: Central Cee / Dave
Should win: Little Simz
This is the third award to be decided by TikTok users, and here we have another insanely strong category where quite literally anyone can take it. If we’re talking about who’s been the most commercially successful rapper last year, the winner will be Dave for certain, whereas if it was for the most critically acclaimed rapper, then it will be Little Simz. However, this is an award as voted for by the people of TikTok, and who has been the most successful up and comer on the platform? PinkPantheress. Her song, “Just For Me” is sampled on Central Cee’s “Obsessed With Me”, also a big TikTok trend over the last few months, so maybe Central Cee could be a dark horse here?
Best Rock/Alternative Act
Nominated: Coldplay, Glass Animals, Sam Fender, Tom Grennan, Wolf Alice
Will win: Sam Fender
Should win: Wolf Alice
When this category was announced to be returning, I got incredibly excited! Rock and alternative music will be prominent at the BRITs once again. When it was announced, Coldplay was up there. Coldplay isn’t rock or alternative anymore. Like, come on BRIT Awards?! Have some common sense! Moving on from my rant, if we’re discussing who could win this, based on TikTok, it would have to be Sam Fender, as “Seventeen Going Under” is the song that made him a household name thanks to the social media app. However, Wolf Alice have to take it. Critically, they are by far the strongest rock/alternative artist out of all of these in their entire careers thus far, never mind just the last 12 months, but I explained this already. Sam deserves another BRIT, so give it to him, this category is the one he’s the strongest in I believe.
Best New Artist
Nominated: Central Cee, Griff, Joy Crookes, Little Simz, Self-Esteem
Will win: Little Simz
Should win: Little Simz
If there’s one category I most look forward to at the BRITs, it’s Best New Artist. Every year, the line-up is strong and it’s a big catapult for new artists, whether that be Arlo Parks, Royal Blood, Ben Howard or Catfish and the Bottlemen, the artist who wins this category has made an impact, either in commercial or independent music. This year is no exception, with Central Cee, Griff and Joy Crookes all nominated. It’s also great to see Self-Esteem up for this too, but only one artist can take it: Little Simz. I disagree that she is a new artist, but she has certainly had her breakthrough over the last year. She has changed up what rap music is and her win here could do a lot for female rappers in the industry. It’s an award that has her name on it.
International Artist of the Year
Nominated: Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift
Will win: Olivia Rodrigo
Should win: Billie Eilish
The start of the international categories now, and the second of the gender-neutral awards. This is incredibly strong, as per usual, with Doja Cat, Lil Nas X and Taylor Swift all nominated. I’m pretty certain that after the year she’s had, Olivia Rodrigo will take the prize, which would certainly be well deserved despite my opinions on her music. However, critically, Billie Eilish has had the strongest year, with a phenomenal sophomore album, I know she’s already won this twice in a row, but come on, give her credit where it’s due and give her the hat-trick.
International Group of the Year
Nominated: ABBA, BTS, Maneskin, Silk Sonic, The War On Drugs
Will win: Maneskin
Should win: Maneskin
Another strong category of music here, with BTS and The War On Drugs being nominated once again. Maneskin has to take this, however, and they deserve it. The Italian rockers have changed how we listen to rock music and showcased diversity within the genre, and it would be great to have a Eurovision winner win a BRIT again. Speaking of Eurovision winners, ABBA is also up for this, and they could be a dark horse to take home the prize too, but Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s project Silk Sonic is certainly not worth ruling out either. Their album is solid and the singles have done very well. This is a category where it’s anyone’s game, and that’s incredibly exciting.
Best International Song
Nominated: “Black Magic” by Jonasu, “The Business” by Tiesto, “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay & 6LACK, “Girls Want Girls” by Drake, “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish, “Heartbreak Anthem” by Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix, “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” by Maneskin, “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat featuring SZA, “Love Niwantiti Remix (Ah Ah Ah)” by CKay featuring Joeboy and Kuami Eugene, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X, “Rapstar” by Polo G, “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd, “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, “Your Love (9pm)” by ATB, Topic & A7S
Will win: “Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo / “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X
Should win: “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” by Maneskin
Alongside the incredibly overcrowded Best British Single category, International Single is also incredibly mediocre but does have a lot more stronger tracks nominated, such as “Happier Than Ever”, “Heartbreak Anthem”, “Kiss Me More”, “Save Your Tears” and “Stay”, but I feel as though it will be a straight race between Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” and Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”, as two of the biggest songs of the last year, with Rodrigo just taking it. I however want “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” by Maneskin to win. When I wrote my Top 100 Songs of 2021 list, where said song made it to #44, I said: ‘“I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” is a catchy fun rock song that the whole world has adopted. Everything about it is utter perfection, and to say that it helped Måneskin become the first Eurovision artist ever to get two UK Top 10 singles in the chart at the same time, makes it even more historic and legendary.’ A BRIT Award win is exactly what that song needs to add to that legacy.
Mastercard Album of the Year
Nominated: “30” by Adele, “=” by Ed Sheeran, “Seventeen Going Under” by Sam Fender, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” by Little Simz, “We’re All Alone In This Together” by Dave
Will win: “30” by Adele
Should win: “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” by Little Simz
So, we’ve reached the big one, the Mastercard Album of the Year, and the response to this category is always mixed, there are always some great albums here, and there are always some not great ones either. “=” by Ed Sheeran is certainly the weakest of the five, then succeeded by Dave’s “We’re All Alone In This Together”. It’s obvious that “30” by Adele is going to take this, being the best-selling album of 2021 and one of the most critically positive albums of the year. However, as great as it is, “30” is like neither of her previous three records concerning the continuous standard that “19”, “21” and “25” have, it will win just because it’s Adele, not because the album is iconic. If we’re talking about albums that need to win because of their standard, I believe that Sam Fender’s “Seventeen Going Under” is a shout, despite it not being as strong overall as his debut, “Hypersonic Missiles”, the album is trying to do something different and it works, whereas “30” stays safe quite often. But the album I’m backing is my third favourite album of 2021: “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”, the fourth studio album by the sensational Little Simz. Produced by the BRIT Award winner of Producer of the Year and part of the secretive project, SAULT, Inflo, this album is honest, provocative and everything that a rap record should be. So that’s who I’m backing.
What about everything else…?
We have eight performers confirmed so far, and I’m beyond excited to see all of them. I’m excited for Little Simz as her live sets kill, and I’m excited to see her on a critical level too. I’m beyond excited to see what Rising Star winner Holly Humberstone does, as I’m a big fan of hers, as well as Sam Fender too. Liam Gallagher’s performing, and he’s always fun to watch and provides the perfect indie-party playlist with his back catalogue of solo material and with his previous bands Oasis and Beady Eye. Adele will be great to watch too, and I can’t wait to see Dave after one of the most empowering performances I’ve seen at the BRITs for a long time when he played “Black” in 2020. Either way, it’s going to be a phenomenal night.
The 42nd BRIT Awards will air this Tuesday at 8pm on ITV in the UK.
