This year’s Brit Awards nominations have officially been released, which sees Anne-Marie, Dua Lipa, Jorja Smith, and George Ezra leading the nominations. The winners will be revealed next month, at the annual awards ceremony, which is due to take place at The O2 Arena, in London, on Wednesday the 20th of February 2019. It will be aired live on ITV and will again be hosted by Jack Whitehall.
This year’s nominations were unveiled on ITV’s The BRITs Are Coming preview show, on January 12, in a new 5pm slot. Hosted by Claro Amfo, it featured performances by Little Mix, Ezra, Jess Glynne, Not3s and Mabel, as well as Critics’ Choice winner Sam Fender.
In a press release, BRITs Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK and Ireland, Jason Iley said: “These nominations illustrate what an incredible year it has been for British talent and remind us what a great time it is to be a music fan, both in the UK and beyond.
Dua Lipa has become the most-nominated artist at the Brit awards for a second year in a row, after being nominated for five awards in 2018 and winning two, for British female and British breakthrough artist, the British-Kosovan singer is nominated four times in 2019.
She has two nominations for her hit song ‘IDGAF’, taken from her self-titled debut album last year but still eligible for this year’s awards, is nominated for British single and British video, while her summer smash hit, ‘One Kiss’, with Scottish producer Calvin Harris, is also nominated in the same categories.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old pop singer, Anne-Marie follows matching Lipa’s tally of four nominations. The Essex-born singer, who as well as being nominated for British single and British artist video for her hit ‘2002’, which is co-written by Ed Sheeran, is also nominated in the more prestigious categories of British female solo artist and British album of the year.
Counting feature collaborations, Jess Glynne is also up for four awards, which include British female solo artist, British single, for ‘I’ll Be There’ and, her hit with Rudimental ‘These Days’, which is also nominated in the video category.
For the second time in Brit Awards history, more women than men are up for the night’s biggest prize, album of the year, which sees former winner Florence + The machine is joined by Jorja Smith and Anne-Marie, with singer/song-writer George Ezra, and pop group The 1975 completing the shortlist.
Ezra, whose album ‘Staying at Tamara’s’ was the second-biggest selling of 2018 after ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack, has three nominations, which include British album, British male, and British single, for his hit ‘Shotgun’, which spent 12 weeks in the Top Three over the summer. As the only artist with one of the ten biggest-selling albums of the year in the male and album categories, his sheer success and cross-generational appeal means he will be a strong favourite to win both.
Neo-soul singer, Jorja Smith, who won the Critics’ Choice award in 2018, has also picked up three nominations. Smith’s debut album ‘Lost & Found’ sees her nominated for British album, with her picking up nominations for British female and British breakthrough.
In a line-up dominated by major label talent like Lipa, Glynne, Ezra and Anne-Marie, there are also interesting curveballs, including the 14-strong hip-hop boyband Brockhampton, who are nominated for best international group despite none of their songs ever reaching the UK Top 100.
Impassioned Bristol punk group Idles were nominated for British breakthrough alongside Mabel, Ella Mai, Tom Walker and Jorja Smith, while Cornish electronic experimentalist Aphex Twin was nominated alongside Ezra, Sam Smith, Craig David and Giggs for best British male, his fourth ever nomination.
British male
Sam Smith
Craig David
Aphex Twin
Giggs
George Ezra
Best British Female Solo
Florence + The Machine
Jess Glynne
Jorja Smith
Lily Allen
Best British Single
Anne-Marie – ‘2002’
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – ‘One Kiss’
Clean Bandit – ‘Solo
Dua Lipa – ‘IDGAF’
George Ezra – ‘Shotgun’
Jess Glynne – ‘I’ll Be There’
Ramz – ‘Barking’
Rudimental – ‘These Days’
Sigala & Paloma Faith – ‘Lullaby’
Tom Walker – ‘Leave A Light On’
Best British Group
The 1975
Arctic Monkeys
Gorillaz
Little Mix
Years & Years
Best British Breakthrough
Ella Mai
IDLES
Jorja Smith
Mabel
Tom Walker
Best British Artist Video Of The Year
Anne-Marie – ‘2002’
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – ‘One Kiss’
Rudimental – ‘These Days’
Little Mix ft. Nicki Minaj – ‘Woman Like Me’
Dua Lipa – ‘IDGAF’
Rita Ora – ‘Phoenix’
Jax Jones – ‘Breathe’
Clean Bandit – ‘Solo’
Jonas Blue – ‘Rise’
Rita Ora and Liam Payne – ‘For You’
Mastercard Best British Album
The 1975 – ’A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Anne-Marie – ‘Speak Your Mind’
Florence + The Machine – ‘High As Hope’
George Ezra – ‘Staying At Tamara’s’
Jorja Smith – ‘Lost & Found’
Best International Male Solo
Drake
Eminem
Kamasi Washington
Shawn Mendes
Travis Scott
Best International Group
Brockhampton
The Carters
First Aid Kit
Nile Rodgers & Chic
Twenty One Pilots
Best International Female Solo
Ariana Grande
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Christine And The Queens
Janelle Monáe