JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED...
LIVE MUSIC RETURNS FOR OUR NHS HEROES
DUA LIPA, Taylor Swift and Sir Elton John gave a massive Brits thank-you to our NHS heroes last night as live music emerged from a year of being silenced. Dua’s performance at the Brit Awards was applauded by 2,500 key workers inside London’s O2, on the night she won album of the year for Future Nostalgia and best female.
Dazzling on the red carpet in a gold frock and beehive hairdo, in an apparent nod to Amy Winehouse, the 25-year-old said: ‘I wanted to make it very British, quite London, have some fun with it.
‘To be in front of a live audience, to be at home, to be at the Brits... my adrenaline has been kicking in since last night.’
Coldplay kicked it all off by playing new single Higher Power from a barge in the Thames, while Dua’s performance opened with a clip of her boarding a Tube train before she appeared on stage wearing a Union Jack mini – reminiscent of Ginger Spice’s dress at the 1997 Brits.
Accepting her Brit for best female, the Levitating singer dedicated the award to nurse and campaigner Dame Elizabeth Anionwu and called for better pay for NHS front-line workers. ‘It’s very good to clap for them, but we need to pay them,’ she added.
Sir Elton delighted in his own fangirl moment by teaming up with It’s A Sin’s Olly Alexander. They debuted their cover of the Pet Shop Boys’ It’s A Sin, backed by ten gay icons including Princess Julia, Lavinia Co-op and Nando Messias.
Olly, 30, who turned up on the red carpet in a Gucci suit with feathered cuffs, called their duet ‘iconic... a dream come true moment’.
Arlo Parks spearheaded a wave of female winners, with best breakthrough, while Little Mix became the first all-girl band to bag best group.
‘Guys, we’ve just made history! I’m emotional,’ said Perrie Edwards, 27, who,
like bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock, is pregnant. They said their award was also for girl bands such as the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud, and thanked former bandmate Jesy Nelson.
Brits host Jack Whitehall, 32, and 26-year-old Nathan Evans performed a spoof of Nathan’s sea shanty Wellerman: ‘Soon may the Little Mix come, babies popping out one by one.’
Another history-maker was Taylor Swift, 31, the first woman to receive the Global Icon award. She said: ‘I’d like to thank anyone who decided I would be worthy.’ She also thanked her British boyfriend Joe Alwyn, 30, and expressed her regret at not being able to play Glastonbury last year.
Former US first lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance via video message, announcing The Weeknd won best international male. She said: ‘He’s made his impact not just on stage and in our earbuds but also donated millions to causes like Covid relief and Black Lives Matter. So let’s just say, in a tough year, he’s provided a light that’s pretty blinding.’
Harry Styles, 27, won best British single for Watermelon Sugar. He told the crowd: ‘I continue to be baffled by moments like this and they make me incredibly grateful to get to do this job every day. I’m really happy to be here and proud to be celebrating Britain.’
P!nk teamed up with Rag’n’Bone Man and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir to sign off the event with Anywhere Away From Here.