Women lead from the front at BRITs
They boss international and new artist categories
The BRIT Awards have dished out the most female nominations for a decade – despite fears women will be the losers in a new gender-neutral format.
Eighteen female artists and allwomen groups were given nods, including Adele and Little Simz, who each have four.
The international artist category has four females – Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat and Taylor Swift – and one man, Lil Nas X.
Best New Artist category is also dominated by women, with Self Esteem, Griff, Joy Crookes and Little Simz.
But with 43 male nominations there is still a way to go to balance the gender divide. Organisers want the awards to be
EXCLUSIVE
genre-based, with new categories including Best Rock/Alternative Act, Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act, Best Dance Act and Best Pop/R&B.
Ed Sheeran and Adele will contest Artist of the Year, Pop/R&B, Song of the
Year and Mastercard Album of the Year, with Sheeran tipped for victory.
When the decision to go genderneutral was revealed last month, antiwoke campaigners blasted BRITs bosses.
Loudmouth Piers Morgan said: “It won’t be long before it’s illegal to call yourself a man or woman.”
Organisers had considered axing gendered categories in 2019.
The decision finally came after nonbinary singer Sam Smith, who won in 2014, felt excluded from May’s show.
He said: “Music for me has always been about unification, not division. Let’s celebrate everybody regardless of gender, race, age, ability, sexuality, and class.”
As it turned out, there were no trans or non-binary artists named when nominations for the February 8 event at London’s O2 Arena were revealed on ITV last night.
I’m all for gender neutrality if it means more people feel included.
Plus, ABBA are up for Best International Group, which means for one night we can all be Dancing Persons...
OK, it doesn’t have the same ring to it, but whatever!