Dua Lipa, Stormzy win as Brit Awards join ‘Time’s Up’ call

LONDON » Hometown London stars Dua Lipa and Stormzy were both double winners Wednesday at the U.K. music industry’s Brit Awards, where many guests wore white roses to symbolize the fight against sexual harassment and assault.

A star of the distinctly British grime genre of rap, Stormzy was named best male British solo artist, and also won album of the year, for “Gang Signs and Prayer.”

Taking the stage, he thanked God, his mother, his family his team and south London, where he grew up.

Stormzy said the album was “the hardest thing, I’ve never worked on something like this in my life.

“I’ve never given my entire being, I didn’t have anything left after... we made something I feel that is undeniable, that I can stand by today,” he said.

Lipa, whose self-titled debut was one of 2017’s breakout albums, was named British female solo artist and British breakthrough artist.

Lipa dedicated her solo artist trophy to all the female musicians who “have allowed us to dream this big.”

“Here’s to more women on these stages, more women winning awards and more women taking over the world,” said Lipa, who topped U.K. charts with her catchy breakup anthem “No Rules.”

Following up on gestures at the Golden Globes, Grammys and British film awards, guests at Britain’s biggest music awards show were given flowers or white rose pins to wear in solidarity with the Time’s Up movement.

Calls for change have swept through the entertainment industry since women began coming forward to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein last year.

The white rose symbol made an appearance at the Grammys last month. At the Globes and British Academy Film Awards women wore black to oppose sexual misconduct