Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Brits’ lipa year
Dua dominates awards & calls for NHS heroes to get pay rise
GIRL Power returned to the Brits as Dua Lipa nabbed two gongs and Little Mix made history by winning Best British Group. Previously nominated for the award three times, Little Mix, finally won, becoming the first ever girl group to win the prize.
Mums-to-be Perrie Edwards, 27, and Leighanne Pinnock, 29, alongside Jade Thirlwall, 28 thanked ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson, 29, who left last year, for the “beautiful memories”. Dedicating the award to groups such as the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud who never won the accolade, Leigh-anne said: “It’s not easy being a female in the UK pop industry. We’ve seen the white male dominance, misogyny, sexism, and lack of diversity. The fact that a girlband has never won this does speak volumes.” Held in front of a crowd of 4,000 people at London’s O2 Arena as part of the Government’s live event pilot scheme, organisers gave 2,500 tickets to people working on the pandemic frontline. Audience members at the indoor ceremony were not socially distanced or required to wear face coverings once seated, but required a negative result from a lateral flow test to gain entry.
Dressed in a Geri Halliwell-esque Union Jack dress Dua, 25, performed a medley of hits in a London-themed routine. Winning Album of the Year for Future Nostalgia and Female Solo Artist the singer accepted her awards styled like the late Amy Winehouse in a yellow dress and beehive hairdo. Dua called on Prime Minister
Boris Johnson to give a fair pay rise for NHS heroes.
She said: “It’s very good to clap for them but we need to pay them.
We should all give a massive round of applause and give
Boris a message that we all support a fair pay rise for our front line.”
Praising the dominance of women at the ceremony she said: “Change is happening. It’s something we’ve all been talking about for so long, to be part of it feels amazing.” Girls dominated the awards, Best International Group was won by US family trio Haim, Taylor Swift, 31, was named Global Icon, Arlo Parks, 20, won Breakthrough Artist, Bond theme singer Billie Eilish collected the International Female Solo Artist and Griff the Rising Star award. Elton John sang Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin, with Years and Years’ Olly Alexander, who said: “It’s a dream come true. I can’t believe it’s happened.” Former US First Lady Michelle Obama recorded a message for The Weeknd, 31, who won International Male Solo Artist. Rapper Headie One, 26, performed his No1 hit Ain’t It Different with AJ Tracey, but changed the lyrics to take a swipe at the Government over the delay in agreeing to footballer Marcus Rashford’s pleas to extend the free school meals scheme.
THE real winners at last night’s Brit Awards were the fans in the hall.
The return of mass events without masks and social distancing is music to many ears.