‘Frontliners need a pay rise’

Brit awards’ double winner dua Lipa shines light on health workers

British singer Dua Lipa (pic) called for a “fair” pay raise for UK health workers as she was named a double winner at the Brit Awards in London.

An audience of 4,000 witnessed the glitz of Britain’s leading music prize ceremony at the O2 Arena on Tuesday night as part of a test return to mass attendance events in the age of the pandemic.

Among them were 2,500 key health workers and their guests who had received tickets in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic.

Lipa, who took home the British female solo artiste and album of the year titles, highlighted the words of nurse and academic Elizabeth Anionwu to say there was a “massive disparity between gratitude and respect” for those on the health front line.

“I think what we should do is we should all give a massive, massive round of applause and give (British Prime Minister) Boris (Johnson) a message that we all support a fair pay rise for our front line,” she said.

In her acceptance speeches, the

Levitating singer also paid tribute to Anionwu, who has campaigned against racial injustice for decades, as well as Folajimi OlubunmiAdewole and Joaquin Garcia, who jumped into the River Thames near London Bridge to try to save a woman last month.

Olubunmi-Adewole, 20, did not survive the rescue attempt.

The Brit Awards have been criticised in the past for nominations seen as skewing heavily male, but this year almost all of the main prizes went to female artistes.

Little Mix won best British group – becoming the first female act ever to do so.

In another history-making moment, Taylor Swift became the first female winner of the global icon award, for what organisers said was “her immense impact on music across the world and incredible repertoire and achievements to date”.

Swift said it was an “incredible honour” to receive the global icon title, which has previously been awarded to superstars such as Elton John and David Bowie.

“I’m really proud to be part of this musical community especially in a year where we needed music so much,” she said.

“And what we needed even more was the help and support of the NHS and the key workers that are here for us tonight.”

Other winners included Harry Styles, who won best British single for Watermelon Sugar, and Billie Eilish and The Weeknd, who won best international female and male artist respectively.

Audience members neither observed social distancing nor wore face coverings once seated, but needed to produce a negative coronavirus test result.