The BRIT Awards 2018 With Mastercard - Show Programme

WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY
AT THE O2 LIVE ON
#BRITs brits.co.uk

CONTENTS
05 Chairman’s welcome
07 Mastercard celebrates 20 years!
09 Food and thought
11 Heavenly! Our social partners
13 The Afterparty - a sneak peek
15 Thank you, Sir Anish Kapoor
17 Exclusive! Host Jack Whitehall
20 BRITs Launch
27 Who’s up for what? Nominations revealed
Apple Music
Ad
TONIGHT’S PERFORMERS &
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM
OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
32–49 Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Rag'n'Bone Man,
J Hus and Stormzy
Contents
THE 2018 NOMINEES
51–63 Sam Smith, Foo Fighters, Jorja Smith,
Kendrick Lamar, Rita Ora, Liam Payne
and Justin Timberlake.
64 British Video
67 British Male
69 British Female
71 British Group
73 British Breakthrough
74 British Single
77 Global Success
81 International Male
83 International Female
85 International Group
86 British Producer: Steve Mac
88 Critics’ Choice: Jorja Smith
MORE…
92 BRITs Week - get Ed Sheeran for a fiver!
94 Rewind! The BRIT Awards 2017
99 25 Years of The BRIT School
103 In BRITs we Trust
107 The BRIT Awards Voting Academy
110 VIP beauty at BRITs Spa
113 Thank you and goodnight!
Ed Sheeran and Stormzy: The BRIT Awards 2017
JM Enternational
#BRITs
brits.co.uk
03

GOOD EVENING
AND WELCOME TO
THE BRIT AWARDS 2018
WITH MASTERCARD
Follow the rabbit to unforgettable live
music at The ø and ø Academy venues
nationwide with Priority Tickets
O2 phone
Forward
Media
The BRIT Awards is a dazzling celebration
of some of the most talented artists in
the world today. The UK has consistently
punched above its weight in the arts,
particularly in music, and it is an honour
to play a part in producing the biggest
night in the UK’s musical calendar. I am
delighted that the British music industry
has continued to flourish and the global
appreciation for homegrown talent is
still thriving. It’s worth noting that our
industry generated a very healthy £4.4
billion to the UK economy in 2017.
Once again, I am struck by the breadth of
diverse styles of music represented in the
nominations, and I am looking forward to
witnessing some memorable performances
tonight from arguably the most exciting
line-up ever, namely Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa,
Stormzy, Rita Ora, Justin Timberlake, Liam Payne,
Kendrick Lamar, Rag’n’Bone Man, Jorja Smith,
Foo Fighters and Sam Smith. For Dua Lipa,
Kendrick, Foo Fighters, Rita Ora, Rag’n’Bone
Man and Jorja it will be their very first BRITs
performance, and surely not their last!
Chairman
Dua Lipa leads the way with five nominations,
making her the most nominated female artist
in a single year in BRITs history. Ed Sheeran’s
all-conquering global dominance continues,
as he is nominated for four awards, while East
London rapper J Hus gets three. Rag’n’Bone Man,
who was named British Breakthrough Act and
won the Critics’ Choice Award at last year’s BRITs,
is also nominated for three - which is the icing
on the cake for him, after an incredible year in
which he sold more than a million albums in the
UK. Little Mix, Stormzy and Clean Bandit are all
up for two awards, while former One Direction
members Harry Styles, ZAYN and Liam Payne are
vying for the coveted British Artist Video Of The
Year. Nominations for Stormzy, Liam Gallagher,
Loyle Carner, Jessie Ware, Laura Marling, London
Grammar, Royal Blood, Wolf Alice, The xx, Sampha
and Calvin Harris, once again underline what an
incredibly creative melting pot the UK remains.
Ten years on from launching the BRIT Critics’
Choice award, the winners of the category
have now collectively sold more than 70
million records. Following in the footsteps of
Adele, Sam Smith and Rag’n’Bone Man, this
year’s Critics’ Choice winner has already been
named as R&B chanteuse Jorja Smith, who
was nominated alongside Mabel and Stefflon
Don. These artists represent our industry’s
future, which looks very bright indeed.
The BRITs do not solely represent the UK’s
finest. They also recognise artists from across
the globe, where again, a broad range of
genres and styles feature. Nominations in the
International categories include Alicia Keys,
Foo Fighters, P!nk, Drake, Taylor Swift, LCD
Soundsystem, Bjork, Beck, Haim and Lorde.
Congratulations to the nominees
across all of the categories.
Our thanks go out to comedian and actor
Jack Whitehall for taking the helm this
evening with his boundless humour and
charisma. We are also very grateful to Emma
Willis, who did a wonderful job hosting our
nominations launch ‘The BRITs Are Coming’.
Thank you to Mastercard, who have been our
dedicated headline sponsor for 20 years. We
are eternally grateful to ITV, who have been
our exclusive partner now, for more than 25
years and have dedicated prominent slots on
the main channel and on ITV2 for the awards
this evening. The network also gave the live
nominations show a primetime Saturday slot
for the second year, a tradition I look forward
to continuing for a third year! The ongoing
support, particularly from Kevin Lygo and Shu
Greene is deeply valued and appreciated.
We are extremely lucky to have continued
support from our Digital Music Partner Apple
Music and Award media partners - BBC Radio1,
Global’s Capital FM and The Sun's Bizarre
column. Our social media partners - Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Vevo,
Tumblr and Musical.ly have also continued
to allow music fans from across the globe to
engage with the show through their platforms.
It is difficult to articulate quite how much work
goes into this evening. The hours, effort and
emotion can be truly exhausting. However, it is
a show that everyone feels genuinely proud to
be a part of and along with the blood, sweat and
tears from the team, laughter always prevails. You
need to be surrounded by brilliant people and I
have been fortunate enough to work with some
of the best executives in the creative industries.
BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor has consistently
been the voice of reason; BPI Director of Events
& Charities, Maggie Crowe OBE forever surprises
me with her endless enthusiasm and ebullient
attitude; BRITs Executive Producer, Sally Wood
has, for months, answered my daily phone
calls with a rapturous “good morning!” She is
eternally positive and determined and without
her, I would be lost. BRITs Show Director, Phil
Heyes’ devotion and passion is inspiring to be
around and the creative team, helmed by Misty
Buckley, has once again made an intricate and
exorbitant vision a reality. Misty is imperturbable
and always manages to find the solution to any
problem. Sometimes those behind the scenes
don’t get the recognition they deserve, but the
talent behind the cameras is just as brilliant as
the talent on stage. They really are my A-team!
The design that visionary British Indian
sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor has produced for
this year’s Award is a truly striking piece of art.
He has previously created some of the most
adventurous works of our lifetime, and this year’s
BRIT award is no different. Previous designers
of the award include Dame Zaha Hadid, Pam
Hogg, Tracey Emin, Philip Treacy, Damien Hirst,
Sir Peter Blake and Dame Vivienne Westwood.
I am continuously amazed by the incredible
work the BRIT Trust does and the dedication
from Nordoff Robbins, who do so much to
transform the lives of vulnerable children
and adults through music. Last year alone,
the BRIT Awards raised more than £1.5million
for charitable activities, including the BRIT
School of Performing Arts and Technology
- who continue to improve our industry,
nurturing and producing technicians and
artists across the creative industries.
The BRITs Week concerts have once again raised
much-needed funds for War Child. A massive
thank you to all of the artists who performed
and helped to support the charity’s crucial work
which is to protect and educate children.
I would like to wish all of the nominees and
performers the best of luck this evening. I
hope you all have a wonderful night and enjoy
the show. I’m really looking forward to it.
#FollowTheRabbit
Jason Iley
BRIT Awards Chairman
05

GHD Hair
JM Enternational
Mastercard
editorial
2006 – Prince played a 12-minute medley of hits
including Purple Rain, Fury and Let’s Go Crazy
20 years as proud sponsor of
The BRIT Awards with Mastercard
Mastercard® is celebrating
20 years of sponsoring The
BRITs. It’s the most prestigious,
exciting, and unpredictable
night in British music, and
each year thousands of
Mastercard cardholders get
to experience it for
themselves.
From the unforgettable duet by Tom Jones
and Robbie Williams (1998), to Prince’s
dazzling medley (2006) and Adele’s
tear-jerking performance (2011), there have
been so many iconic moments.
The BRITs means something to everyone.
Tonight, millions of people around the
globe will be part of the Awards, whether
they’re at home on the sofa, watching
online, or checking out the red carpet
fashion on their phone – or like you lucky
people, here at The O2 itself. The BRITs is
a music and cultural phenomenon which
we’re hugely proud to be a part of.
We are privileged to be working with the
BRIT Awards charity The BRIT Trust and its
beneficiaries the BRIT School and Nordoff
Robbins. This year we’re collaborating
with award-winning composer
David Arnold to create a piece of music
with the power to start something priceless
between people. Watch our film at
mastercard.co.uk/BRITs to find out how.
So tonight, dance like you don’t care,
sing loud and do all the things that
make you love The BRIT Awards.
Start Something Priceless.
07

GET READY FOR
THE BRITs 2018
Here’s all you need to know
about tonight’s dinner
arrangements and more.
The O2
A shout out to all of
this year’s BRITs nominees
Congratulations from
all of us at The O 2
Welcome
The event will be broadcast live on ITV1.
The BRITs is a red carpet, black
tie event and we hope you enjoy
this glamorous evening.
Dinner service takes place ahead of The
BRIT Awards, which commences at 8.00pm.
Fine dining guests are seated in three
areas – Diamond Dining, the Arena itself,
and in our exclusive Sapphire Suites. On
arrival, you’ll find all the info you need
on dining cards situated on your table.
Please be aware that Diamond Dining is
in The Intercontinental Hotel at The O2.
There, your leisurely meal will be served
with a treat; don’t miss a wonderful
musical interlude after dinner is served.
When Diamond Dining dinner is over,
staff nearby will help you transfer to
your arena seat, but please do leave 20
minutes minimum to complete your
move. We politely ask that you are ready
for a BRITs security check en route.
Regardless of your dinner location,
we can assure you that luxury is at the
heart of your BRITs dining experience.
Please don’t hesitate to ask your server
for any assistance you may need.
If you have pre-arranged drinks, the whole
order has been prepared and set aside for
your party. And if you’ve placed a large
order, we’ll start you off with a selection
of your chosen tipples. Your server will
happily replenish should stock run low.
Leftover and specially ordered Diamond
Dining drinks may be transferred to
plastic bottles to consume in the Arena.
Our generous sponsor supplies every
table with complimentary bottles of
Life Water. And a wide selection of great
wines from global producers is available
to order, so please ask for a wine list. Why
not try a bottle of English Sparkling?
It’s the perfect accompaniment when
you want to celebrate The BRITs.
A quick word about tonight’s food,
which consists of locally-sourced quality
produce. Meals have been designed with
a nod to The BRIT Awards’ 2018 designer,
Anish Kapoor, and we echo the sculptor’s
signature colour palette with geometric
presentation, plus accents in black and red.
The starter is a vegetarian’s delight,
sure to impress meat eaters as well
with its delightful beetroot ravioli
and melt in your mouth goats cheese
parfait – it’s an explosion of flavour.
Then there’s a BRITs first for the main course,
with the introduction of duck at long last.
Billed as Goosnargh duck (because it hails
from that Lancashire region), it is as earthy,
filling and flavoursome as they come. If
you have ordered a vegetarian meal, you’ll
be happy; the exotic and warm Merguezblend
spiced chickpea and mushroom roll
is a parcel of foodie delight. And everyone
can enjoy dessert; presented in a structural,
colourblock design in homage to the
blood red and Vantablack of Kapoor’s
artistic creations (you’d never guess there’s
a frothy white chocolate mouse inside)!
Enjoy your meal, and we hope you
will fall in love with the food at The
BRIT Awards. Have a great night.
MENU
STARTERS
Heritage Lancashire beetroot and
Golden Cross goats cheese parfait,
beetroot dust, toasted oats, rhubarb
caviar, golden beetroot ‘ravioli’
MAIN COURSES
Goosnargh duck breast with a blood
orange and fennel seed dust, duck
bacon, Lincolnshire celeriac dauphinoise,
artichoke puree, root vegetable pearls
VEGETARIAN MAIN COURSE
Merguez-spiced chickpea and mushroom
roll, Lincolnshire celeriac dauphinoise,
artichoke puree, root vegetable pearls
DESSERTS
Lemongrass scented white chocolate
mousse, poached Yorkshire rhubarb,
white chocolate powder
09

UNLOCK YOUR
NEXT ADVENTURE
BUCKLE UP AND SING
Tonight’s BRIT Awards ceremony reminds us that
no road trip is complete without fantastic music.
With locations in over 168 countries, you
can always rely on Avis to make your next
adventure one worth singing about.
For enquiries and bookings,
Avis
visit avis.co.uk
Social
SHARING IS CARING
Wanna be part of The BRIT Awards?
Everyone can get involved from any
place on the planet, via social media.
You can play a vital role in tonight’s
proceedings in so many ways!
The vote is still open in the British Artist
Video of The Year category. Choose your
favourite act from the shortlist, then
follow the instructions given during
the show. Your opinion could sway the
vote, so be sure to have your say.
Perhaps tonight’s on-stage drama could
influence your opinions. If you’d like to
enjoy any performance from tonight’s
event again, just pop over to Apple Music,
where you can relive the best moments.
Meanwhile our Social Squad are poised
all over the O2 Arena to bring you news
and gossip. If you’ve missed the red carpet
arrivals, on-stage events or backstage
shenanigans, follow the BRITs official
accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube,
Twitter, Snapchat, Musical.ly and Tumblr.
And for anyone with those apps open, why
not broadcast yourself? Voice opinions,
stream video and share photos – we’d
love to see them. You don’t have to
appear on stage to be in on the action.
After all, there’s a lot to ‘like’ at The BRITs.
#BRITs
brits.co.uk
Celebrating 20 years of priceless music
OFFICIAL SPONSOR
Follow and listen to BRITs exclusively on
OFFICIAL DIGITAL MUSIC PARTNER
11

Live Nation
would like to congratulate
all nominees for
The 2018 BRIT Awards
with Mastercard
I’m delighted for Tempus magazine to be
the headline partner of The BRITs’ Official
Aftershow Party. Since relaunching Tempus
in 2017, events have been a key part of
our strategy and the Aftershow Party is the
ideal opportunity to showcase our luxury
publication’s dedication to the finer things
in life. From supercar simulators to the
world’s first cryptocurrency casino, and a few
surprises in between, it will be a VIP party
like no other. We hope to see you there.
Live Nation
Award styled by Sir Anish Kapoor
MEET UP,
MAKE MERRY
The BRIT Awards Official Aftershow Party
will take place in the O2’s Intercontinental
Hotel. While the show happens,
Diamond Dining will be transformed
into the ultimate party location.
Lucky ticket holders should follow the
red carpet to the Intercontinental, where
party guests are welcome to enjoy the
amazing reception, with multiple bars, a
huge dance floor and surprises aplenty.
This year, the Official BRIT Awards Aftershow
Party has an exciting headline partner.
Tempus, the luxury magazine brand,
has added opulent experiences to the
night. Party guests will also receive a
limited edition Tempus goodie bag.
Fancy life in the fast lane? Have a roaring
time with two Formula E simulated
racers. Top class drivers including
Brazilian Lucas Degrassi will challenge
partygoers to race. Elsewhere, teams
will ferry celebrity guests to other party
venues via a fleet of Lamborghinis.
If all this wind in your hair has ruined
your up-do, Lee Stafford Hair Academy
Shaun
Party
Prince, CEO, Tempus Magazine
stylists can transform your hairstyle
in a dedicated grooming area.
And once your locks are perfect, there
are multiple Instagram opportunities
plus classic photo booths, so you
can always say ‘we were there’.
Special guests on the evening include
superstar DJ Greg Wilson, and host-withthe-most
Acantha Lang, who presided
over New York’s The Box. Expect famous
faces to drop by and mingle in the
lush Anish Kapoor-themed rooms.
Further inside the party you’ll discover eight
mysterious bungalows. Each is home to
an off-the-wall mini world of weird. Please
be trepidatious. Will you encounter police
cells you have to escape from? And beware
the flashmobs of clowns jumping out!
There’s much to do here - you could
learn drumming, or pole dancing,
or receive some loving therapy,
courteousy of hugging man Kalakala.
Perhaps you’ll take home a souvenir; choose
from fun prizes won by defeating piñatas, or
body art temporary tattoos from Inkwear.
Only the very brave can pop their nose
through the door of a very suspicious
outbuilding. Who are the guys in hazmat
gear? And is it really wise to scoff cake
when there are captured aliens around?
Step outside to see London’s skyline at its
best. Fill your lungs with fresh air on the
terrace, and fill your belly with fish & chips,
hotdogs or halloumi from our gourmet
food stalls. Grab a coffee and gather outside
- there will be fireworks at the hotel at
22.50pm. Then why not take a whirl on our
amazing Ferris Wheel? You won’t find better
views of Canary Wharf and The Thames.
Finally, we’ve heard there’s some sort of
party taking place on the upper level. It’s
all very hush-hush. It features motor racing
and a high-stakes, make-believe money
games room. Players can win big, with
pleasure flight and holiday prizes up for
grabs. If you want VIP access you’ll have
to sweet talk a Tempus Angel who can
arrange secret access to this Princely event.
13

Clearscore
BLOCK
Sir Anish
Kapoor
BUSTER
The BRIT Awards is
delighted to reveal the
new 2018 BRIT Award,
created by acclaimed
sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor.
Sophie Baker
The BRIT Awards has an eight-year
tradition of inviting iconic British artists
to design the award, and we’ve seen all
manner of wonderful interpretations.
But Kapoor’s reimagined Britannia,
cast and encased in a solid block in the
artist’s signature blood red hue is special;
like nothing we’ve seen before. He told
journalists, “I am pleased to have designed
the BRIT award for 2018. Sculpture is
often a process of positive and negative
form. I have made the award using both.”
BRITs chairman Jason Iley explained,
“Sir Anish has created some of the most
adventurous and memorable works of
our life time which is reflected in the
new BRIT award. He constantly pushes
boundaries and challenges the norm and I
love the way he has reimagined this year’s
award. The beauty of this award is that
it challenges perspectives. Every which
way you look at it, you discover more.”
The BRIT Awards is delighted that Anish
Kapoor accepted the invitation to work
on the project. Among the world’s most
acclaimed sculptors, he is perhaps best
known for monumental works; often
realised on an architectural scale. These
have been exhibited and can be seen
worldwide in a host of locations, these
include: In the UK, Orbit (2012) is situated
in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in
East London, and Temenos (2010) is in
Middlesbrough. Marsyas (2002) exhibited
in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in 2002.
Further afield, Leviathan (2011) was installed
at the Grand Palais, Paris, Cloud Gate
(2004) in Millennium Park Chicago, and
Ark Nova (2013) became the world’s first
inflatable mobile concert hall in Japan.
Anish Kapoor was born in Mumbai
in 1954 and has lived and worked in
London since studying at Hornsey
School of Art and Chelsea School
of Art and Design in the 1970s.
The 2018 BRIT Award is a triumph in
small-scale award design, and Kapoor,
too, has received numerous awards
and accolades in a career spanning four
decades. In 1990 he was awarded the
‘Premio Duemila’ at the Venice Biennale, and
in 1991 he won the Turner Prize. He was
awarded the ‘Commander of the Order of
Arts and Letters’ and the ‘Premium Imperiale’
in 2011, and the ‘Padma Bhushan’ in 2012.
In 2013, Anish Kapoor was awarded a
Knighthood for services to the visual arts.
15

ACCENTURE WISHES
EVERYONE
AN AMAZING
NIGHT AT
The BRIT Awards
Accenture Host 1
2018
Helen Lamont JM Enternational
“ I’m waiting for
the madness
to start!”
Host Jack Whitehall
loves it when live shows
don’t go to plan…
If ever there was a man suave
enough to pull off a spangly
tuxedo, it’s Jack Whitehall.
The comedian - best known for
shows including Fresh Meat, Bounty
Hunters and Bad Education - is
set to host this year’s BRITs.
In the run-up to show time Jack imagines
he’ll be found backstage, “pacing, pacing”.
“I’m looking forward to it, but
it’s kind of terrifying.
“This is the biggest night of the
music year. This is the kind of show
you dream of hosting as a kid.”
Luckily the 29 year-old has plenty of
experience. He’s toured the nation with his
own riotously successful stand-up shows,
and also regularly appears on the sports
quiz A League of Their Own. The latter gave
him plenty of opportunity to pick up tips
from a three-times BRITs host, and fellow
quiz captain, James Corden.
“I’ve been his mate for a while so
yeah, I was there while he was
doing it (from 2011 to 2013).
“He’s been very supportive, giving
me a few pointers on what to
expect - and how best to do it.”
With a mischievous twinkle that just about
masks his genuine fear, he confides he’s
concerned about a specific problem.
“There’s always the worry that on live
TV you could say something that
could, you know, end your career.”
“I’ve got a self destruct button.
I just hope I don’t press it!”
And that’s the thing about live TV, isn’t it?
Wrangling the unruly and dealing with
the unexpected. Especially when there
are copious amounts
of alcohol involved,
or when you’ve got
Liam Gallagher, who
caused uproar when
he collected a BRIT on
his last visit in 2010,
on the noms list.
Naughty Whitehall
confesses, “If we’ve got
someone who’s rowdy
or out of control I will be
tempted to, you know, poke
the wasps nest - rather than
trying to calm things”.
In fact, you could almost
say he’s gleeful as the
prospect: “I quite enjoy
that, I like the madness.”
“People enjoy it when
stuff goes wrong.”
Nevertheless, Whitehall
will be working hard to
“be the glue that holds it all
together” at tonight’s event.
It’s an amazing opportunity for
the music lover, who is ready to
switch things up after a spell
filming an upcoming BBC/Amazon
drama Good Omens alongside
David Tennant, Michael Sheen
and Anna Maxwell Martin.
He says, ‘It will be fun to
do something completely
different; that’s how to
keep things exciting”.
“I have been to The BRITs
before,” he nods - and
it’s really rather revealing.
“I vaguely remember it. But
I don’t remember leaving.”
17

Congratulations to all nominees
ITV
Luckily he has plenty of pals
in the music industry who’ll
make him feel right at home.
“I’ve got quite a few friends in music, but
I’m not sure which of them will be there.
“Who do I like? I like Ed Sheeran. I’m actually
a big Justin Timberlake fan. When I was
growing up I was really into The Corrs for
some reason. And Annie Lennox.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of Aerosmith
or Death Metal on that list there.
“No, but I love boybands. I got to perform with
5ive once. I could do all the dance routines.
Just, you know. A few seconds out of time.”
Luckily, perhaps, our host has also been
swotting up on the current charts, making
sure his knowledge is fast approaching expert
level. And he does assure us, “I am a music fan
and I go to lots of festivals and concerts. I am
really excited to see a lot of the artists we have
on. I probably have most of their albums!”
“The last album I bought was - let
me think - I’m going to say Stormzy.
I’m not sure that mine is really the
endorsement Stormzy wants, but yeah!”
“People always think I must know James
Blunt. And I do know James Blunt. I
also need to find Skepta. Those are the
guys people assume I know well.”
Jack reckons it’s probably best not to invite
his parents, including his cameraloving
and regular sidekick father Michael,
to the award show, as that would add
more pressure. ”Yeah I won’t tell them, then
they won’t turn up. Or I could mention
it the day before and say, “Oh what, you
already have plans? What a shame…”
“Do you know what? I’d really like Craig David
to be my plus one, or on my table. I have a
lot of love for Craig David.” Don’t we all.
In a few hours time, we’ll know, absolutely,
if the event has been successful. We
wonder what the night holds for us,
at The BRITs this evening, and we
wonder what it holds for our host.
Jack lets his guard slip. All this talk of having
“thick skin like a rhino” holds no water at all.
“When you turn your phone on after an
event, there are many messages. Some abuse,
some congratulations. It would be more
healthy to bury your head in the sand and
keep away from it all but I can’t help myself.”
And tonight? “We’ll see how it goes. If it goes
Host 2
well, yes, it could be off to a party later.”
And if it goes badly? He shudders a little. “If it
goes badly, I’ll be stumbling down to a boat on
the Thames, and going to live somewhere else…”
Award styled by Sir Anish Kapoor
Sponsored by
19

LAUNCH
FLIPPING
BRILLIANT
Stars turn out for the
BRITs Are Coming launch show.
LAUNCH
Liam Payne
Inset: Liam Payne with Maya Jama.
JM Enternational
Backstage at The BRITs Are Coming,
Liam Payne is looking at doughnuts.
A big delicious-looking plate of
special BRIT Awards doughnuts.
To the left of him, there are red carpet
interviews. They’re very glamorous. To
the right of him, there are photographers,
doing their classic click/flash/click thing.
But in front of him, there are doughnuts.
“The thing is,” he smiles. “I love doughnuts.
Jam doughnuts. Iced doughnuts. Donuts in a
car. Donuts in a pool. Any kind of doughnut”.
But there’s a problem. He looks wistful.
He sighs. “I’m about to go on stage and
it wouldn’t sit well”. Such self-restraint!
Only an artist as stellar as Liam could
remain as calm as he currently seems
amid the mayhem around him.
While all the backstage chatter continues,
and it’s down the dumper for Liam’s chance
of a yum-yum, you can’t help but notice
an invited audience of very excited music
fans have filed in. They’re ushered, with
much shushing, into a hot and heaving TV
studio on London’s South Bank, where for
the next sixty minutes they will go full on
crazy. Up on stage and sporting a sheer
silk organza bomber jacket by Markus
Lpupfer, Emma Willis – last year’s host of
the big show no less, and returnee for The
BRITs Are Coming – is waiting to go live.
And, action! You know, its amazing the
outstanding calibre of artists who now
perform on the BRIT Launch show. Clean
Bandit, Paloma Faith, J Hus, Liam (no
doughnuts) plus Jorja Smith and Stormzy
are all dropping in as performers.
Peeking at the action from side-of-stage
or hanging out in the green room are
celebs who know a good party when they
see one: among them Maya Jama and
Professor Green (who, its announced, will
be handling the BRITs red carpet on the
big day), Critics’ Choice runner-up Mabel
looking beyond gorgeous, Jax Jones
and vocalist Raye, and Conor Maynard
(who has also been seconded onto the
BRITs team as YouTube Live host)!
After sharing a quick video montage
of 2017 ‘s marvellous moments, Emma
announces the first of ten hotiy-anticipated
shortlists including British Male and British
Female. Just the right time to introduce
the first performer, waiting in the wings.
Paloma Faith arrives on the BRIT stage, her
appearance all Diana Ross-does-Chain
Reaction meets Frozen. With a massive
mane of crimped hair and a striped Gucci
trousersuit shimmering in monochrome
glamour, she sings. And boy can she warble.
You’ve got to wonder if Paloma came on
the right night, as her no-holds-barred
production number of Cry Baby is complete
with massive Perspex boxes, a 70s vibe
and a good three dozen weeping shirtless
men; just the sort of spectacle that might
squeeze onto the big budget, grand
occasion main BRIT stage.
But then you remember its wonderful
Paloma. And you know why she’s in the
running for the British Female win.
20
21

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE ARTISTS WE WORK
WITH ON THEIR BRIT AWARD 2018 NOMINATIONS
SJM
Concerts
The next band on stage are Clean Bandit
who perform I Miss You plus nominated
smash Symphony. The eagle-eyed among
you will notice that Zara Larsson has
morphed into in-demand chanteuse
(and former The Voice contestant) Joy
Music. There is so much to see, and we
are transfixed by the Harry Potter-esque
visual trickery stageside. Is Grace Chatto’s
cello really made of LED screens? Is
the drum kit suspended in thin air, and
piano balancing precariously on a magic
Launch 1
pile of dusty books? Magical stuff.
You can imagine the conversation they had
when three times nominee and amazing
ball of energy J Hus told organisers of how
he’d present his nominated single Did You
See. In keeping with the song’s car-switch
lyrics, (and in homage to Jaws) he probably
told them ‘you’re gonna need a biggest
studio’. Not one but two Mercedes-Benz
G Class SUVs graced the stage, (well, one
does need one to transport one’s DJ in).
This seems rather OTT and exciting – until
we’re told how, at his Brixton Academy
gig, he actually had four of these.
Next up – if the crowds will stop
screaming – is Liam Payne. Before he
took to the stage he explained, “One of
the last performances of Strip That Down
I might do for the telly for a while, so
I’m gonna go out and enjoy myself.”
“When you have just hit a billion
streams you think, I better to out and
sing this! We got more dancers, we’ve
got a nice little production thing.”
And so Liam brings on the lightshow,
the lasers, and the muscly dancers who
ooze urban cool; then some girls, just
beside him, are getting their groove on.
The former boybander looks relaxed – “I’m
super happy. I’m just having fun with it,”
delivering a stomping global club hit
in a Wolverhampton ‘drawl’. Fantastic.
Photo: © Aron Klein
23

The Agency
PROUD SUPPORTER OF
Group
Launch 2
United Talent
WWW.UNITEDTALENT.COM
The last performer of the night is, it turns
out, from just up the road in Walsall in the
West Midlands. Jorja Smith is presented
with her BRITs 2018 Critics’ Choice award
by Rag’n’Bone Man – last year’s Critics’
Choice Award winner, turned fastestselling
solo male. He explains, “It’s a
massive honour to hand out this year’s
BRITs Critics’ Choice award to a unique
talent, a strong female blazing her way in
the music industry [while] staying true to
her vision. Basically she’s going to smash
the life out of 2018… Jorja Smith…!”
And wearing a simple black button-neck
polo and ankle-skimming skirt, she begins
performing Let Me Down, with Stormzy
interludes. The ‘conversation’ in song
continues in a ‘he said, she said’ fashion,
full of emotion, with Stormzy looking ever
more the superstar and Jorja, though a little
nervous, delivering vocals as clear-as-a-bell.
True, she entranced a nation with her
self-penned collaboration, but let it slip it
was her mum, dad and brother back home,
all glued to the TV for the performance,
whose opinion she was craving.
Almost as soon as the show had begun,
Emma wrapped up its loose ends,
pushing the finish line ever-nearer.
The show’s almost over, and all of our
nominees have been mentioned.
Our hostess is whipping the crowd into
a frenzy in anticipation of the big show.
“Best of luck to all of out nominees
- and make sure you tune into The BRIT
Awards 2018, hosted by Jack Whitehall”.
And so, Jorja is off to pop the cork on
some pink champagne bubbles. Paloma’s
wondering if she’s got ten minutes to
spare before her baby’s next feed. Liam,
we like to imagine, is at last off in search
of his doughnut. And backstage, overthe-moon
nominee Jax Jones explains:
“I’m feeling very blessed. I’m feeling
like I wanna do ten back flips. I can’t do
them, but that’s how gassed I am.“
“I’m feeling like we smashed it.”
25

CONGRATULATES
ANNE-MARIE
ARCADE FIRE
CLEAN
AEG
BANDIT
ED SHEERAN
GORILLAZ
Presents
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
LONDON GRAMMAR
SAMPHA
THE XX
WOLF ALICE
PLUS 2018 BRITs CRITICS’ CHOICE NOMINEES
STEFFLON DON AND MABEL
Nominations
Intro
DIDN’T WE
DO WELL?
Essential facts
and figures plus
the BRIT Award
Nominations 2018
You might want to keep the BRIT Awards
Nominees list, overleaf, as a historical
document illustrating key music trends
as the industry settles into 2018.
Then again you might want to play
BRIT Winner Bingo (recommended).
Either way, here’s all the info you
need on tonight’s nominations.
Learn who’s up for what, who the
biggest winners may be, and who’s
the most successful nominated
act in BRITs history, below.
Dua Lipa has had a phenomenal year. The
21 year-old Kosovar Albanian Londoner
is the most nominated artist on the 2018
shortlist, with five nods spread across
the categories of British Album, British
Breakthrough, British Single, British
Artist Video Vote and British Female.
She got special mention in the Critics’
Choice category in 2017, but these are
Dua’s first bona fide nominations.
Ed Sheeran, who as an established
artist can’t be included in the British
Breakthrough category, of course, almost
mirrors that haul with four nominations
– British Album, British Single, British
Artist Video Vote, and British Male.
Ed already has ten nominations (now
fourteen) and four BRIT wins to his name.
On a roll, Rag’n’Bone Man receives
three nominations – British Male, British
Album, and British Single (the artist
otherwise known as Rory took home
Zaha Hadid-designed trophies for
British Breakthrough, as well as Critics’
Choice, in 2017). Meanwhile rapper J
Hus also has a hat trick of possibilities
– British Album, British Breakthrough,
and British Single, again. He’s an artist
who, in terms of recognition at least,
erupted into the mainstream this year.
After that, the category lists are thrown
wide open. Seven acts - Calvin Harris,
Clean Bandit, Jonas Blue, Liam Payne,
Little Mix, Loyle Carner and Stormzy –
all have two chances to win while the
remainder of our 40 nominated artists
ensemble have singular ambitions. This
27

includes all of our overseas nominees
due to shortlist restrictions (Taylor
Swift and Pink! have also sneaked a
stake in the British Single and/or British
Artist Video Vote categories thanks to
crafty collaborations, although they
wouldn’t count as formal wins).
THE FULL 2018
NOMINATIONAL LIST
Vivendi
Don’t forget that two BRIT wins have
already been decided. Steve Mac has
scooped British Producer and Jorja
Smith was presented with the Critics’
Choice Award at the BRITs Launch.
One vote, for British Artist Video
Vote, is decided on by a public
vote held on social media.
The gong for Global Success is awarded
on the basis of commercial success in all
territories excluding the figures for Great
Britain and Northern Ireland. Therefore,
there is no shortlist (but an amazing
opportunity for the biggest hitters to win).
All the other winners are chosen by the
expert BRIT Academy, a diverse and
representative expert industry panel.
Nominations
List
The topic of who is the most successful
BRITs nominee to date is subject to
much discussion. It’s true, Robbie
Williams tops the list with 17. At nine,
it’s Coldplay, then with eight apiece it’s
Take That, Annie Lennox and Adele.
Of the current nominated crop, One
Direction have been big winners.
The band has scored seven wins
so far, so a personal best for either
Harry Styles, Liam Payne or Zayn
Malik would bring their individual
take home Award tally up to eight.
Liam Gallagher collected six BRIT Awards
from 17 nominations as part of Oasis,
including the very special Award when
What’s The Story (Morning Glory)? was
named Best British Album of 30 years.
But Damon Albarn, who’s celebrated
five previous wins with Blur, certainly
beats his 2018 competition in terms
of most nominations: twenty for blur,
two solo nods, and nine with Gorillaz.
Could this be the first actual win for
his animated alter ego, plus mates?
Yes, it’s clear the BRIT Awards shortlist
2018 is bursting with fresh new talent,
but the elder statesmen of pop are still
at the top of their game. Björk, up for
International Female, first won that
award in 1994, along with International
Breakthrough. So Björk (Liam Gallagher,
Damon Albarn, Foo Fighters and Beck
first appeared on shortlists in 1995, 1995,
1996 and 1997 respectively) has been
winning BRIT Awards since before Dua
Lipa, J Hus, Loyle Carner, Dave, Jorja
Smith, Mabel and Lorde were born.
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
IN ASSOCIATION WITH APPLE MUSIC
Ed Sheeran Asylum, Warner Music UK
Liam Gallagher Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Loyle Carner AMF, Universal Music UK
Rag'n'Bone Man
Best Laid Plans/Columbia, Sony Music UK
Stormzy Merky, Distributor: ADA
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
IN ASSOCIATION WITH APPLE MUSIC
Dua Lipa Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Jessie Ware Island/PMR Records, Universal Music
Kate Tempest Fiction Records, Universal Music
Laura Marling More Alarming., Kobalt
Paloma Faith RCA, Sony Music UK
BRITISH GROUP
Gorillaz Parlophone, Warner Music UK
London Grammar Ministry
of Sound, Sony Music UK
Royal Blood Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Wolf Alice Dirty Hit, Dirty Hit
The xx Young Turks, XL Beggars
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
TOP FIVE SELECTED BY THE ACADEMY. PUBLIC VOTE.
Dave
Dua Lipa Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
J Hus Black Butter, Sony Music UK
Loyle Carner AMF, Universal Music UK
Sampha Young Turks, XL Beggars
CRITICS’ CHOICE
IDENTIFIED BY A PANEL MADE UP OF MEDIA CRITICS.
Winner Jorja Smith
Mabel Polydor, Universal Music
Stefflon Don Polydor, Universal Music
BRITISH SINGLE
TOP TEN IDENTIFIED BY OVERALL SALES SUCCESS IN THE
CALENDAR YEAR. WINNER VOTED FOR BY THE ACADEMY.
Calvin Harris Ft Pharrell Williams/
Katy Perry/Big Sean Feels
Columbia, Sony Music UK
Clean Bandit Ft Zara Larsson Symphony
Atlantic, Warner Music UK
Dua Lipa New Rules
Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Ed Sheeran Shape Of You
Asylum, Warner Music UK
J Hus Did You See
Black Butter, Sony Music UK
Jax Jones Ft Raye You Don't Know Me
Polydor, Universal Music
Jonas Blue Ft William Singe Mama
Positiva, Universal Music
Liam Payne Ft Quavo Strip That Down
Capitol, Universal Music
Little Mix Touch
Syco Music, Sony Music UK
Rag'n'Bone Man Human
Best Laid Plans/Columbia, Sony Music UK
BRITS GLOBAL SUCCESS AWARD
IDENTIFIED BY THE GLOBAL SALES SUCCESS
IN THE CALENDAR YEAR OF A BRITISH ARTIST.
BRITISH PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
IDENTIFIED BY A PANEL OF A&R EXECUTIVES REVIEWING
A SHORTLIST COMPILED BY OFFICIAL PPL DATA
Winner Steve Mac
BRITISH ARTIST
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
TOP TEN IDENTIFIED BY YOUTUBE/VEVO VIEWS. PUBLIC SOCIAL VOTE
TO IDENTIFY SHORTLIST OF FIVE. WINNER IDENTIFIED DURING LIVE
SOCIAL VOTE DURING TV BROADCAST ON 21ST FEBRUARY 2018.
Anne-Marie Ciao Adios
Asylum/Major Tom's, Warner Music UK
Calvin Harris Ft Pharrell Williams/
Katy Perry/Big Sean Feels
Columbia, Sony Music UK
Clean Bandit Ft Zara Larsson Symphony
Atlantic, Warner Music UK
Dua Lipa New Rules
Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Ed Sheeran Shape Of You
Asylum, Warner Music UK
Harry Styles Sign Of The Times
Columbia, Sony Music UK
Jonas Blue Ft William Singe Mama
Positiva, Universal Music
Liam Payne Ft Quavo Strip That Down
Capitol, Universal Music
Little Mix Touch
Syco Music, Sony Music UKv
ZAYN and Taylor Swift I Don't Wanna
Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker
Soundtrack)
Rca/Republic Records, Sony Music/Universal Music
INTERNATIONAL
MALE SOLO ARTIST
Beck EMI, Universal Music
Childish Gambino Glassnote, Universal Music
DJ Khaled Black Butter/We The Best, Sony Music UK
Drake Cash Money/Republic Records, Universal Music
Kendrick Lamar Interscope, Universal Music
INTERNATIONAL
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Alicia Keys RCA, Sony Music UK
Björk One Little Indian/Universal Music
Lorde Virgin, Universal Music
P!nk RCA, Sony Music UK
Taylor Swift EMI, Universal Music
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Arcade Fire Columbia , Sony Music UK
Foo Fighters Columbia , Sony Music UK
Haim Polydor, Universal Music
The Killers EMI, Universal Music
LCD Soundsystem Columbia/DFA, Sony Music UK
29

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“Thanks
Ed
for all
Sheeran
my BRIT Award
nominations, and
well done to all the
other nominees. All
very exciting, see you
at the ceremony xx”
ED SHEERAN
Album
of theYear
Performer
1
Ed Sheeran
ED SHEERAN
Album
Ed Sheeran’s master plan is coming to
titled LPs. Everyone knows how it’s gone
to date. First, a sofa-surfing, 300 gigsin-a-year
Ed released his major label
of theYear
debut, Plus, in 2011, and followed it with
Multiply, which contained massive
hit Thinking Out Loud, in 2014. He took
a gap year, blanked out social media,
and upon his return released Divide.
It sold 671,542 copies in UK in its
first week, and more than 2.5 million
The flag bearers for the record were
Shape of You – a fourteen-weeks-at-
Performer
No.1, worldwide hit single, and Castle
On The Hill about his Suffolk comingof-age.
Says Sheeran, “I’ve always said
Shape Of You is going to be the biggest
now, but Castle On The Hill is going
to be the biggest in 20 years. It’s a
heritage song I’ll be remembered for”.
JM Enternational
fruition. He is now three albums into
a five-album suite of mathematically
copies domestically by the year’s end.
Sheeran is a prolific writer, obsessed by
making new music. Diligently checking
sales figures, he’s also obsessed by
getting the crowd-pleasing 1recipe right.
The album contains a mix of stadium
anthems and pop hits. Early on, he
planned the stylistic boxes it would tick.
He explains, “I knew I wanted a folk song,
I knew I wanted a rap song, I knew I
wanted a Springsteen stadium anthem.
“There are six or seven songs about Suffolk,
but Castle On The Hill was the best one.
And then there was a bunch of wedding
songs, I guess, and Perfect (about his
fiancé Cherry Seaborn) was the best.”
Writing about themes important to
every man - love, sex, nights out, or
DIVIDE
ASYLUM, WARNER MUSIC UK
feeling gauche - chimes with the
public emotion. But there is always a
specific Ed twist to the lyric and beat.
With ambition fuelled by his own early
favourites, he wanted to create “something
like Damien Rice’s O, that in my lifetime is
one of the most important records for me.
I’d love for some kid who in 20 years’ time is
a huge artist to be like, ‘Wow, that album.’”
“I am a performer, but I want to be
remembered as a songwriter… A song
is something that exists forever.”
The more songs you write, the better
you get,” he explains “and the more
different artists you work with… the
more your tools get sharp, I guess”.
He knew when to bow to the opinion
of others, adding new tracks where
suggested. He also knew when to
fight. Despite protestations, he made
sure the diaspora-pleasing, bodhranbashing
Galway Girl remained.
Says Ed, “I’ve made my album. I love
my album. It’s the best album I could
have made – it’s the best creative
thing – so why not want to win?
Why not want to sell 20 million?”
And its all part of the musical trajectory he’s
controlling. Teasing a fourth collection of
“very acoustic” songs that’s been quietly
building for six years, he reveals that, when
it eventually comes, the record will be
“not necessarily experimental, but I don’t
think there’ll be any hot radio songs”.
“I don’t think it will sell as much as the last
three, and that’s the kind of intention.”
It’s a step toward a new phase, and Ed is
more than fine with it, explaining, “I don’t
think I’ll have a year like this again”.
32 33

CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL OUR ARTISTS
UNIVERSAL MUSIC IS
PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
ITS NOMINATIONS FOR
THE BRIT AWARDS 2018
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
Loyle Carner
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Jessie Ware
Kate Tempest
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Loyle Carner
UNIVERSAL
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRITISH SINGLE
Jax Jones ft. Raye - You Don’t Know Me
Jonas Blue ft. William Singe - Mama
Liam Payne ft. Quavo - Strip That Down
Jonas Blue ft. William Singe - Mama
Liam Payne ft. Quavo - Strip That Down
Zayn and Taylor Swift - I Don’t Wanna Live Forever
UNIVERSAL
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Beck
Childish Gambino
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Lorde
Taylor Swift
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
HAIM
The Killers
CRITICS’ CHOICE
Mabel
Stefflon Don

Dua Lipa
Album
of theYear
Performer 2
“I
Dua Lipa has a tattoo on her left
hand that reads ‘Patience’.
It’s a fitting mantra for the London singer,
who spent over two years working on
her self-titled debut before its release.
Originally slated for September then February,
the album blasted into the charts like a juststepped-off-the-plane
summer heatwave in
June 2017. The delay meant fans had enjoyed
eighteen months of sassy, swaggering
singles already, and anticipation swelled.
Although hits Be The One, Last Dance,
Hotter Than Hell, and Blow Your Mind
(Mwah) placed her firmly on the pop
map, Lipa explained, “I felt like something
was missing, and I wanted more, so
people could hear another side of me”.
The tracks added later included a pared-back
co-write duet with Chris Martin, Homesick,
and the airy Lost In Your Light featuring
Miguel. Quieter moments of beauty mix
up the tropical bangers with the heartfelt.
Feeling that streaming is pushing the music
industry to prioritise hit singles, Lipa believed
that adding more intimate moments
would better show her many facets. She
grabbed opportunities to write and rewrite,
and wear her heart on her sleeve.
She says, “I like that my album’s full of stories
about things that have happened.”
“I hate getting too political and
too serious but I like singing about
subjects that mean a lot to me”.
DUA LIPA
DUA LIPA
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
The 22 year-old credits her decision to
move back to London from her parents’
Kosovo home aged just fifteen as a
pivotal one in her development.
“I became more independent
and more confident. That plays
a massive role in who I am.
“If it wasn’t for me having to go out and
meet people… I don’t think I’d be like I am
now, always thinking that the only person
who’s going to get me what I want is me.”
And so this empowered, go-getting attitude,
forthright with added sex and sassiness,
is a recurring theme in Lipa’s music. It is
demonstrated in her biggest hits to date,
the No.1 New Rules, and recent IGDAF.
Representing the next generation of
great girl pop singers is not easy, and
neither is injecting just the right amount
of soulfulness into her ‘dark pop’ singles.
Although she was denied a place in
the school choir because of her low
tone and timbre, she stands out now
as a very recognisable talent.
Says Lipa, “I would like to think that my voice
is my best feature,” hoping that her body of
work has built up “a sonic image” in listeners.
Her ambition, though simple, is the key
to world domination. “I want a sound
that someone hears on the radio,
and thinks, instantly, that it’s me.”
Altogether, she’s on to a winner: “This
album is a representation of who I
am, as a person, and as an artist.
After all, she reminds us, “I only
get one chance at a debut”.
JM Enternational
Dua Lipa
Album
of theYear
Performer 2
feel like this year has been
so special for so many British
artists, leaving their mark on
the world. I can’t believe I’ve
been nominated for one, let
alone FIVE BRIT Awards. This is
so surreal and exciting, and I’m
so thankful for the recognition.”
DUA LIPA
36
37

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR
GREAT BRITISH ARTISTS.
WARNER
WARNER
ANNE-MARIE
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
MUSIC
DUA LIPA
LIAM GALLAGHER
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
STORMZY
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
GORILLAZ
BRITISH GROUP
MUSIC
CLEAN BANDIT
ED SHEERAN
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
BRITISH SINGLE
ROYAL BLOOD
BRITISH GROUP
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM
OF THE YEAR
MASTERCARD BRITISH
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM
OF THE YEAR
BRITISH SINGLE
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRITISH SINGLE
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
LOVE FROM
WARNER MUSIC
@WarnerMusicUK @WarnerMusicUK /WarnerMusicUK

J Hus
Album
of theYear
“It’s a mad feeling! I’m gassed to be nominated
for 3 awards at this year’s BRIT Awards. The
year 2017 was incredible. A platinum single,
gold album, and sold-out tour, as well the
chance to perform on the nominations show
was the perfect start to the year ahead.
I am looking forward to the night.”
J HUS
JM Enternational
J Hus
Album
of theYear
There’s no sound out there that’s quite
like J Hus. The rapper – who blends the
Afrobeat rhythms of his East London
manor and Gambian heritage with
Jamaican dancehall, 50 Cent-style rap
and grime beats, embodies the ultimate
melting pot of London sounds.
Two years after he first emerged on
the underground scene, J Hus released
Common Sense in May 2017 – a seventeentrack
album that blazes though genres.
He’d been making his name with tracks
Lean and Bop and Friendly when an
enforced stay at Her Majesty’s Pleasure
in 2016 encouraged him to take stock.
He says, “Prison - I learnt a lot there. I
learnt I don’t want to go back. I learnt
how much I love music and how much
I love doing music. I needed to have
a better, more positive mindset”.
“I knew when I came out I wanted to make
music that meant something, that lifted
the spirit. I don’t want to just be the guy
who makes wavy tunes for the club… I
wanted a balance. I want to be the most
diverse act, I want to be that all-round guy.”
So, with Common Sense, he aimed to
produce something brand new in music,
and few underground artists at the time
chose to both sing and rap. “Even though I
had no experience of singing, no nothing
– I always used to rap, rap – I thought I
would start adding melodies and that.”
“Now that’s what people know J Hus
for, I’m always mixing sounds.“
As soon as he had the chance, he set about
making the album, even sleeping on the
studio floor to keep the vibe and save time.
J HUS
COMMON SENSE
BLACK BUTTER, SONY MUSIC UK
With the aid of pal and producer JAI5,
he cut track after track, including
Spirit, designed to uplift men like
him at their darkest points, plus the
modern love song Fisherman, and
the title track, Common Sense.
On top of those there are songs that storm
with swagger and two-Merc bravado:
“When things are going well you have to
do these things, innit - stunt a little bit.”
And that’s how he came up with the
hits Bouff Daddy and biggest hit yet
Did You See, which went platinum,
and to No.9 in the singles chart.
The confident lyrical dexterity found
on the record is a far cry from the flesh
and blood J Hus; he’s a man of few
words and a ‘bipolar’ moodset, The track
Plottin’ explains: “Don’t think I’m shy
‘cos I’m quiet, I’m plottin’, I’m plottin”.
And his work is his preferred way of
communication. “I’m a reserved and
very private guy. I express myself
through music; that’s how I talk.”
J Hus has sung with everyone from
Stormzy and Ghetts to Dave but there
are relatively few collaborations on his
own record; just Nigerian star Burna Boy,
Tiggs Da Author, and MoStack and MIST.
Says the artist, “Even though grime
has been around for a long time, to a
lot of people I’m something new, and
people love new and fresh things”.
“Now everyone’s listening,
like we always wanted.”
40
41

Arcadia
Alcatel One
Touch
Group
DPerkins
Alcatel
Burton
Proud to support the best of British music

Stormzy
Album
of theYear
Performer 3
“ 2 BRIT Nominations - Best
Male & Best Album! Thank
you guys, and thank God.
Perfect start to the year!”
STORMZY
Stormzy
Album
of theYear
Performer 3
JM Enternational
There’s a line in Stormzy’s track
Cold that’s important.
When he sings he’s blazing a trail for
the generations to come. “All my young
black kings, rise up man, this is your year
/ all my young black queens right there,
it’s been a long time coming I swear.”
Although he’s says he’s not out to ostracise
anyone else, it’s the youth like Stormzy
that Stormzy’s talking to most: “I’m one of
you, we who are always last. And I say to
them, “You are sick, you’re nang, you can do
this. You’re better than anything anyone’s
ever told you that you are. You’re just as
powerful as me… you are just as ambitious.”
In Gang Signs and Prayer, the February
2017, No.1 album, he’s the one
knocking metaphorical doors down;
he’s the one showing the way.
The collection is multifaceted. It is political
throughout (track First Things First calls out
the door policy of London club DSTRKT). It’s
emotional (Lay Me Bare reveals a battle with
depression). And it is spiritual – Blinded By Your
Grace is a straight up devotional. It is perhaps
not what many expected of the artist who
emerged two years back with ultra catchy,
shout-down diss tune Shut Up. Now the selfconfident
South Norwood guy has a platform
to speak, he’s going all-out to make it count.
The studio process, alongside erstwhile
Adele producer Fraser T Smith was,
Stormzy says, “like a jigsaw in my mind,
but I’d already completed the puzzle”.
Despite its subject matter, it is uplifting
– perhaps encouraging young people to
lift themselves out of circumstance. He
explains “I always come across confidently
and happy and I’ve always made sure that I
don’t promote negative… I present myself
in a positive way so I can spread that”.
STORMZY
GANG,SIGNS
& PRAYER
MERKY, ADA/WARNER MUSIC UK
Says Smith: “Everything had to fit the
concept in terms of the sonics, the
title, the lyrics, the tracklisting and the
mix. As much as Stormzy is the hottest
new artist releasing a record, it was
made in a very old school way.”
“We locked ourselves away for 10
months to make the record.”
And before it was ever released, Stormzy
explained this: “It’s been a very messy
journey so far. I want that journey
embodied in my album. You’ll hear my
darkest thoughts and deepest secrets. I’ll be
vulnerable. I’ll be saying, ‘This is me, Mike.’”
And Mike – AKA Stormzy – is singularly
ambitious: “I find it strange and
uncomfortable to aim for anything
less than the greatest,” he says. “That
doesn’t even make sense for me, that.”
He is poised to expand horizons
further, spreading his music to all
who will listen. To do that, he needs
to take on the mainstream. He hooks
them in with the bangers, then leaves
them mulling over his message.
“My core is grime,” he says, “But I make all
kinds of music. Take Picasso. He could paint
whatever way he liked. He could do a little
thing with a felt tip if he wanted to - it’s still
going to be a bad boy Picasso at the end”.
44
45

Sony Music
Sony Music

R ‘N’ Bone
Man
Album
of theYear
Performer 4
“The year has flown by! Can’t believe I
bagged two awards at The BRITs last
year, and now I’m going to perform.
I’m really looking forward to
being part of the celebrations.”
RAG’N’BONE MAN
R ‘N’ Bone
Man
Album
of theYear
Performer 4
JM Enternational
Rag’n’Bone Man - a.k.a. Rory Graham
- says writing music is like holding
a hosepipe with the tap on hard.
“The water has to get out somewhere.
It’s better that you let it go, or it will all
back up and fire out the other end.”
This insatiable desire to create is
“cathartic – in a good way”. It also
means that he writes an awful lot.
“I do it in any way I can really. I still write
rap lyrics. And as far as songs go, it’s
constant, like a couple of times a day.
Whether it’s just a chorus idea, or a little
melody idea, I’m always speaking or
singing into my phone to get it down
cos my memory is terrible! So if I don’t
do it instantly, I forget straight away.”
There were plenty of options then, for the
tracklisting of his February 2017 millionselling
album, Human, named after the
breakthrough single of the same name.
Says Rory, “The album is super-diverse”.
“It was important to show the very best
of my work, so I took my time with it.
“I like to think its an amalgamation of
all the styles I love, influences I grew up
with. I didn’t want to do just one style
album – I didn’t want it to be pastiche.
But there’s some really big, hip hop
flavoured stuff, dark stuff, and real soulful
ballads. I wanted to show every aspect,
I didn’t want people to get bored.
RAG’N’BONE MAN
HUMAN
COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
“I just wanted to make sure the songs were
good before we went into production.”
He’d write them, then go out and test
them live. “All the songs would still
work with just me and a piano, or a
guitar. I can play them all acoustically.”
But there is, he says, a certain cohesive
thread running though his artistry: “My
voice is rough and raw and I write miserable
songs. You’re not going to put a suit on
me and turn me into CeeLo [Green].”
And, he says, he has big plans for the future.
“I want to pursue hip-hop a bit more
on the next record, but then I also love
folksy country music, because I grew up
on Johnny Cash and people like John
Prine and Bonnie Raitt. I don’t know
exactly what I’m going to do next, but
I know it’s going to be different.”
48
49

proud supporters of
Nordoff Robbins
“I can’t wait to
be at the BRITs
again this year to
sing for everyone.
It’s going to be
such a beautiful
night of music.”
SAM SMITH
HMV UK Ltd
home of entertainment
Sam Smith
Performer 5
SAM
SMITH
51

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
RAG’N’BONE MAN *
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
DUA LIPA *
LAURA MARLING *
JESSIE WARE
BRITISH GROUP
ROYAL BLOOD *
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
DUA LIPA *
SAMPHA *
CRITICS’ CHOICE
MABEL *
BRITISH SINGLE
FEELS
CALVIN HARRIS
BIG SEAN
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
NEW RULES
DUA LIPA *
MAMA
WE PROUDLY CONGRATULATE OUR CLIENTS
ON THEIR BRIT AWARDS NOMINATIONS
William
Morris
Endeavor
I DON’T WANNA LIVE FOREVER (FIFTY
SHADES DARKER SOUNDTRACK)
ZAYN
Entertainment
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
WILLIAM SINGE *
STRIP THAT DOWN
LIAM PAYNE *
HUMAN
RAG’N’BONE MAN *
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE
YEAR
DUA LIPA
DUA LIPA *
HUMAN
RAG’N’BONE MAN *
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
FEELS
CALVIN HARRIS
BIG SEAN
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
NEW RULES
DUA LIPA *
MAMA
WILLIAM SINGE *
STRIP THAT DOWN
LIAM PAYNE *
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
DRAKE
CHILDISH GAMBINO
KENDRICK LAMAR
ALICIA KEYS
BJÖRK
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
FOO FIGHTERS *
THE KILLERS
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
*SHARED REPRESENTATION
FOO
FIGHTERS
Foo Fighters
Performer 6
“How the F*** have we never played at The
BRITs Before!?!?! We’ve had a ton of firsts over
in the UK… From our first festival (Reading
‘95) to our first headlining arena tour (2002)
to our first stadium tour (2008)… You guys
have always been so good to us. Why not
add The BRIT Awards 2018 to the list??!?!?
Let’s make some Noise.
See you there.”
DAVE GROHL
53

congratulates our client
JORJA SMITH
2018 BRITs Critics’ Choice Award Recipient
Creative
Artists
Agency Ltd
and salutes our prior BRITs Critics’ Choice Award Recipients
JACK GARRATT
2016
JAMES BAY
2015
SAM SMITH
2014
JESSIE J
2011
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
2009
JORJA SMITH
Jorja Smith
Performer 7
“ Can’t believe I’ll be performing at The
BRIT Awards. Rag’n’Bone Man has
had an incredible year and is such a
crazy talent. When he asked me at
the end of last year to perform I was
over the moon as it’s a real honour
to be sharing the stage with him.”
JORJA SMITH
55

“We put a lot of
work into the
culture of hip
hop and for the
world to respect
our culture and
understand
how much we
put into it, it’s a
beautiful thing.
A great feeling!”
JusBox
Performer 8
KL
KENDRICK LAMAR
KENDRICK
LAMAR
57

JUSTIN
TIMBERLAKE
Shazam
Entertainment
Performer
Justin
Timberlake
“Excited to be performing at
The BRITs! See you soon UK.”
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
59

GLASGOW
Best Audiences in the world
Glasgow Life
Performer
Rita Ora
“It feels like I’ve been reborn.
I’ve never been prouder…
…I am so honoured to be performing
at The BRITs this year, as a British
artist it has always been a dream of
mine, and I am beyond excited!!”
RITA ORA
RITA ORA
61

#tescolovesmusic
“2017 was such a
crazy year for me. It
feels amazing to be
nominated for not one
but two BRIT awards
and recognised as a
solo artist. There’s some
amazing music being
made right now, and it’s
great to be mentioned
alongside these names!
Thank you for all the
love and support!”
LIAM PAYNE
Tesco
Performer
LP
LIAM
PAYNE
63

BRITISH ARTIST
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
TOP TEN IDENTIFIED BY YOUTUBE/VEVO VIEWS. PUBLIC SOCIAL
VOTE TO IDENTIFY SHORTLIST OF FIVE. WINNER IDENTIFIED DURING
LIVE SOCIAL VOTE DURING TV BROADCAST ON 21ST FEBRUARY 2018.
Well now, here’s the truth. No-one’s ever won
this award except One Direction. Launched
in 2014, the British Album Video Vote winner
is chosen by members of the public. And
in the four years so far - yep, that’s right -
the public has voted for One Direction.
But here’s the thing in 2018. There is no single
released by One Direction. There are solo efforts
by three of the ‘on hiatus’ bandmates represented
– and that could split the vote wide open.
There’s a bigger-than-behemoth global single
that is hummed at home and by your Aussie
Auntie/Peruvian Grandpa and Polish best mate.
Plus, the most successful girlband in a decade,
our most bankable dance stars, and a host of
newer talents, just itching to stake their claim.
The ten tracks listed here represent the British
Artist Video Vote longlist. They made the grade
amid tough competition as the most-viewed
British artist clips on YouTube and Vevo. To be
clear – where an international artist appears,
he/she is a featured guest of the UK artist
in the song’s official billing. And just in case
you feel the entire list should be made up
of Ed Sheeran songs, only an artist’s biggest
track can be included, regardless of how many
chart-toppers they’ve had in the calendar year.
Anyway. Back to One Direction. Fans of the band
have been spoilt for choice on the longlist by
the inclusion of Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and
Liam Payne. Harry Styles’ April No.1 Sign Of The
Times was haunting, apocalyptic, and almost
glam rock in its refrain, but there are no sequins
or platform shoes in the promo. Shot among
the high peaks and craggy bogs of Skye, the clip
has a timeless quality. It’s all very otherworldly,
and a tad unexpected when Styles begins
to walk on water and soar way up high.
Zayn was the first One Directioner to go
solo. He joins up here with Taylor Swift for
I Don’t Wanna Live Forever, a sexy standout
from the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. This
is a steamy make-up song, full of brooding
looks, volatile emotions and smashed
glasswear. Intense in a very different way.
Meanwhile Strip That Down by Liam Payne ft
Migos rapper Quavo is an altogether lighter
affair. The 80s shades and neon lights make
for fab, fun dancefloor-filling hip-hop; the
90s vibe video evoking Ed Sheeran v Shaggy
v Timberlake on a heavy party night.
Liam’s song was co-written with Ed Sheeran,
who had to get into the shortlist twice, just
somehow! That said, the stats on the January
2017 release Shape of You are eye-popping.
More than three BILLION people have viewed
the official promo video. Either that song is
beyond amazing, or watching Ed in a sumo
suit is the funniest thing this planet’s seen.
Calvin Harris, fair play to him, brought out the
big guns for this one. Lining up Pharrell Williams,
Katy Perry and Big Sean on Feels was a great
move, and just like Ed, they made two videos
for this song, not just one. You can’t blame
Calvin for upping the ante. This is his eleventh
BRIT nomination, with twin appearances in
British Single and this category since Video
Vote’s inception. He’s yet to win one.
Clean Bandit ‘s Symphony had a lot to live up
to after Rockabye, but it certainly managed.
The band’s third No.1 featured the Swede
Zara Larsson, who provided a rip-roaring
vocal atop Clean Bandit’s string-laden
sound. The band continue to direct their
own videos, intertwining their dream Royal
Festival Hall orchestral performance with
a heartwarming story of forever love.
British
Video
Of course Clean Bandit weren’t the only act who
had to follow Rockabye. Its featured singer Anne
Marie brought out Ciao Adios –her second solo
single after Alarm. Its thumping dancehall style
provided a sliver of summer around its February
release with a video steeped in rich Marrakech
colours, girl gang revenge and equestrian
outtakes. But the all-important question remains,
does she really say ‘Shower the horse, I’m done’?
Perhaps Anne Marie’s been taking lessons
from Jonas Blue, when it comes to choosing
video locations. Previously nominated for
Fast Car in 2017, the Essex-born songwriter/
producer is back with Mama, and his club
hit’s vid is part gangsta flick part travelogue,
all shot against breathtaking Albanian
coastlines (who knew?) Great atmospherics.
Speaking of beautiful people, Dua Lipa ditched
her multiple duet partners for summer solo hit
New Rules, which chalked up huge numbers of
views on YouTube - more than 750 million. Here,
the ultimate girl’s night in turns into ladies’ day
by the pool, buoyed by a saturated bright colour
palette and kick ass choreography. Go girl!
And not to be outdone, Little Mix returned
with Touch, way back in January 2017. The
girls next door shocked some by turning
super sexy, which was good because they
could use their very impressive thigh boots
to high-kick their way out of a maze of men.
Breathless, breathtaking, up-tempo pop fun.
The worldwide vote in this category
remains open via Twitter until, towards
the end of the show, host Jack Whitehall
announces lines have been frozen. Please
do not try to vote after voting ends.
ANNE-MARIE CIAO ADIOS
ASYLUM/MAJOR TOM’S, WARNER MUSIC UK
CLEAN BANDIT FT ZARA LARSSON SYMPHONY
ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC UK
ED SHEERAN SHAPE OF YOU
ASYLUM, WARNER MUSIC UK
JONAS BLUE FT WILLIAM SINGE MAMA
POSITIVA, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
LITTLE MIX TOUCH
SYCO MUSIC, SONY MUSIC UK
CALVIN HARRIS FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS/
KATY PERRY/BIG SEAN FEELS
COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
British
Video
DUA LIPA NEW RULES
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
HARRY STYLES SIGN OF THE TIMES
COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
LIAM PAYNE FT QUAVO STRIP THAT DOWN
CAPITOL, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
ZAYN AND TAYLOR SWIFT I DON’T WANNA LIVE FOREVER
(FIFTY SHADES DARKER SOUNDTRACK)
RCA/REPUBLIC RECORDS, SONY MUSIC/UNIVERSAL MUSIC
64
65

BRITISH MALE
SOLO ARTIST
IN ASSOCIATION WITH APPLE MUSIC
MASTERCARD BRITISH
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Kilimanjaro
ED SHEERAN • ÷
RAG'N'BONE MAN • HUMAN
GOOD LUCK & CONGRATULATIONS
ON A GREAT YEAR, FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT
&
2008 - 2018
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
ED SHEERAN
RAG'N'BONE MAN
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
KATE TEMPEST
BRITISH SINGLE
ED SHEERAN • SHAPE OF YOU
RAG'N'BONE MAN • HUMAN
ANNIVERSARY
BRITISH ARTIST
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
ED SHEERAN • SHAPE OF YOU
ED SHEERAN
ASYLUM, WARNER MUSIC UK
To make it to the top in music, you need ambition.
Perhaps that’s why there is such tough competition
in the category British Male. To illustrate this, just
look at the British Album category. Three out of five
of the shortlisted Male Solo Acts also feature there.
Since his breakthrough in 2011, Ed Sheeran has achieved
plenty. He’s upped his BRITs nomination tally to date
from ten to fourteen in 2018; and already has four BRIT
trophies at home. In 2017, even the Queen gave him
an award, an MBE for services to music and charity.
Ed’s in the running now for the 2017 album Divide
and its ridiculously successful singles. He’s also about
to reprise his ongoing Divide tour in Australia, being
halfway through a mammoth 197-date arena tour.
Recently engaged, we know there’s at least one girl
out there who thinks he’s already best British Male.
British Male
Solo Artist
LIAM GALLAGHER
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
LOYLE CARNER
AMF, UNIVERSAL MUSIC UK
RAG’N’BONE MAN
BEST LAID PLANS/COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
STORMZY
MERKY, DISTRIBUTOR: ADA
OFFICIAL DIGITAL MUSIC PARTNER
Liam Gallagher has more BRITs trophies at home than
Ed Sheeran. As the frontman in Oasis, he won six
awards from seventeen nominations, for classic albums
including Be Here Now (1995) and What’s The Story
(Morning Glory)? in 1995. Oasis ended in 2009 then came
five years with Beady Eye. Liam receives his first British
Solo nomination in 2018. Last year he released singles
including Wall of Glass and Chinatown, from the October
No.1 album As You Were. Liam Gallagher headlined
festivals aplenty in 2017 but none meant more than his
fundraisers following the Manchester Arena bomb.
Here’s to the next generation’s ‘man of the people’.
Stormzy - ‘a child of grime’ - is fast becoming a spokesman
and advocate for young people. Otherwise known as
Michael Owowu, the 6ft 5in Londoner first broke through
in 2014 with the Dreamers Disease EP before making Shut
Up in 2015 and the crossover No.1 album Gang Signs
& Prayer in October 2017. Stormzy says he’ll know he’s
made it when he can buy his mum a house in Ghana.
BRIT School graduate Loyle Carner – a play on his real
name Ben Coyle-Larner - narrates the state of the
nation in his jazzy and highly observational hip-hop.
The breakthrough single Ain’t Nothin’ Changed features
on the January 2017 debut album Yesterday’s Gone,
which is a cornucopia of intimate tales. The half-
Scottish 23 year-old has dyslexia and ADHD. Despite his
success, he runs social enterprise cookery workshops
for similarly affected teens called Chilli Con Carner.
And Rag’n’Bone Man’s life was never going to be
the same again after The BRITs 2017. The 32 yearold,
otherwise known as Rory Graham, brought his
deep baritone voice to the party on his major label
debuts, which were released to coincide with winning
the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award. He also won British
Breakthrough – an unheard-of feat – the same year.
Human (the album) has now sold a million copies.
It was the fastest-selling male artist album of the
decade upon release. Rory says, “I did 55 festivals,
bought a house and had a little boy, all in one year”.
67

BRITISH FEMALE
SOLO ARTIST
IN ASSOCIATION WITH APPLE MUSIC
OFFICIAL DIGITAL MUSIC PARTNER
EVENT
SCOTLAND
Scotland has been proud to host a number of unique and iconic music events over the
years. In Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018, Youth Beatz, Belladrum Tartan Heart
Festival, Groove CairnGorm, OBANLIVE, Bonfest and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay are just a
few names that make up a packed and varied calendar of world-class music events.
Our vibrant live music scene and globally renowned venues, such as The SSE Hydro in
Glasgow, continue to form an important part of our nation’s identity and our crowds
are known to be the best in the world.
visitscotland.com/events
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2016
© VisitScotland / Iona Spence
DUA LIPA
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
There is no formula for success in music. Follow your
own path, and if you have talents, success will come.
The acts in the British Female category have each
taken a different route in music. The nominees
represent a spectrum of styles ranging from orchestral
jazz though folk and on to the spoken word.
Paloma Faith knows a thing or two about breaking down
boundaries. The eccentric Londoner returned in 2017
when her fourth album, The Architect, made No.1. The new
mum’s return brought a fresh, forward-thinking, sociopolitical
soundtrack. Alongside hits Crybaby, Guilty and
‘Til I’m Done, the LP features a Samuel L Jackson speech
on Evolution, John Legend on I’ll Be Gentle, and David
Arnold orchestration – now there’s an unexpected mix!
British
Female
Solo Artist
JESSIE WARE
ISLAND/PMR RECORDS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
KATE TEMPEST
FICTION RECORDS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
LAURA MARLING
MORE ALARMING., KOBALT
PALOMA FAITH
RCA, SONY MUSIC UK
The British Female nominees have a tremendous
track record between them. Paloma is celebrating her
fifth nod in 2018; she took home the award in this
category three years previously. Laura Marling too
is a BRITs veteran where five nominations delivered
one win, back in 2011. And now, with her own fifth
nomination, it could the turn of Jessie Ware.
Jessie returned after a two-year hiatus with Till The End
(2016), the soundtrack song to the movie Me Before You,
and the album Glasshouse. Her third collection features the
singles Midnight, Selfish Love and Alone, as well as a host
of collaborations including one from Ed Sheeran on Sam
(She worked on Divide’s New Man, plus others, for him)
and Last of The True Believers, featuring Paul Buchanan.
Laura Marling, meanwhile, has not stopped to draw
breath. The prolific folk artist returned with a sixth
collection, Semper Femina which charted at No.5.
Its title is a Virgil quote roughly translating as
‘ever-changing woman’. The disc, a concept album
exploring womanhood and female relationships, was
made surprisingly quickly. It is her first since she left LA
for London after its predecessor Short Movie (2015).
Dua Lipa, the new queen of pop/dance, might be
in her first proper year of BRITs nominations but
she can match the five nominations benchmark
already. The 22 year-old’s self-titled debut album
has delivered seven smash hits so far including New
Rules and IDGAF. After touring with Bruno Mars and
Coldplay, Lipa has already begun headlining arenasized
venues on her own on the Self Titled Tour.
Finally, here’s an artist celebrating her first BRIT nomination.
BRIT School graduate Kate Tempest defies description
as a rapper, spoken word artist and poet; she’s also a
playwright, university fellow and a great favourite on the
festival scene. In 2016 Kate launched her first novel,
The Bricks That Built The Houses, and followed that
in October 2017 with the album Let Them Eat
Chaos. Her third music collection is a vital, pulsing
concept album, with themes seen through the
stormy lives of seven London residents. Tracks
include the thought-provoking Europe is Lost.
69

BRITISH
GROUP
The British group category is always hotly contested.
In 2018, every nominee has been nominated
before, and is returning to fight it out once more.
WHO’LL RULE BRITANNIA?
News Int’l
The Sun
Good luck to all tonight’s nominees
GORILLAZ
PARLOPHONE, WARNER MUSIC UK
LONDON GRAMMAR
MINISTRY OF SOUND, SONY MUSIC UK
Gorillaz are our most nominated and longest standing
gang on the shortlist, receiving nine prior BRITs nods
since their 1998 launch. The cartoon four piece released
a fourth album, Humanz, in April 2017. The No.2 record
featured a wide and varied castlist contributing to the
hip-hop, electronica and dubstep sounds. Grace Jones,
Rag’n’Bone Man, Steve Martin and a certain Noel Gallagher
help a post-apocalyptic mix tape vibe along. The latter
was a coup, given Gorillaz’ co-creator (alongside Jamie
Hewlett) Damon Albarn’s previous Britpop life. The band
first released Gorillaz in 2001, then Demon Dayz (2005), and
Plastic Beach (2010). A fifth collection is expected in 2018.
Royal Blood had a good BRITs year in 2015, on the back of
their eponymous debut LP. The duo, (who make a really
big noise for just two people, namely Mike Kerr and Ben
Thatcher) received three nominations and the British
Group win. The Brighton rock boys returned with their
bass-heavy second album, How Did We Get So Dark? in June
2017. The No.1 includes the fist-pumping singles Lights
Out, Hook, Line & Sinker, and I Only Lie When I Love You.
British Group
The remaining three contenders have female ‘front
ROYAL BLOOD
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
WOLF ALICE
DIRTY HIT, DIRTY HIT
THE XX
YOUNG TURKS, XL BEGGARS
men’. First, there’s a trio of school chums, The xx, who
have also been up for British Group before – twice.
They were shortlisted in 2013 for second album Coexist,
after blasting very politely onto the scene in 2009 with
their premier collection xx. Its precise electro pop was
rewarded with twin nomination nods in 2011. The third
album, January 2017’s I See You is a change of emphasis,
featuring a more self confident, experimental and sampleladen
sound. The band, who wanted to be pushed out
of their comfort zone, merge big band sounds with
UK garage. It is progression is influenced in part by In
Colour, the solo LP by The xx producer/DJ Jamie xx.
The final two bands have been nominated
before in British Breakthrough – London
Grammar in 2014 and, in 2016, Wolf Alice.
London Grammar returned to the fray with their second
album, the No.1 Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, in June 2017. It
was preceded by the fragile and emotion-laden single,
Rooting For You, in January 2017 and the torch-song
Big Picture, its follow-up, a month later. A further four
suitably glossy trip-pop singles were dotted through
the year. The trio formed during undergraduate
studies in Nottingham, before releasing their debut
collection, the two million-selling If You Wait (2013).
Lastly, Wolf Alice make the swiftest return to BRITs shortlists.
The alt-rock combo, who hail from North London, released
a coming-of-age album My Love is Cool in June 2015; they
returned in September 2017 with Visions of A Life. The
album is full of experimental vocals by Ellie Rowsell. The
first single, Yuk Foo, is a shouty, sweary and altogether
uncompromising slice of loud guitar rock; it contrasts
perfectly with Don’t Delete the Kisses, which features a
chiming choral chorus and haunting spoken word verse.
71

BRITISH
BREAKTHROUGH
TOP FIVE SELECTED BY THE ACADEMY. PUBLIC VOTE.
Hear the crackle? What’s that fizz?
DAVE
The energy in the British Breakthrough
shortlist is blowing up across the nation.
The buzz now is an undercurrent of
disaffection, which for many is replacing
songs of a more romantic persuasion.
Superdry
I N T R O D U C I N G
SANTINO LE SAINT
The first of five Londoners, and one with an axe to
grind, is J Hus. The Stratford rapper, who combines
Gambian rhythms with grime attitudes, sounds and
crews, debuted with the catchy Lean & Bop in 2015
and follow-up Friendly a year later. He finally released
a hard-edged debut album, Common Sense, in March
2017. It was laden with blistering tracks including
Spirit, Bouff Daddy and the Top Ten Did You See.
British
Breakthrough
Act
DUA LIPA
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
J HUS
BLACK BUTTER, SONY MUSIC UK
LOYLE CARNER
AMF, UNIVERSAL MUSIC UK
SAMPHA
YOUNG TURKS, XL BEGGARS
Independently minded Dave, aged 19, is the youngest
artist on the newcomer list, but he has been an indemand
figure on the grime scene for four years. His
intense, impassioned raps won millions of fans, among
them J Hus who collaborated on single Samantha, AJ
Tracey his partner in crime on Thiago Silver, and Drake
who he featured on November 2016’s Wanna Know. The
debut album Game Over came out in November 2017.
Although he’s not part of the grime scene, Loyle
Carner has also chosen rap as his medium. From
playground battles to BRIT School graduation, the
now 23 year-old has painted life’s essentials through
confessional narratives; setting tricky wordsmithery
against baleful beats and languid instrumentals.
He broke through in 2014 with the Little Late EP, a
heartfelt tribute to his late stepfather. The Cantona fan
is also remembered on the family-themed, 90s-tinged
album, Yesterday’s Gone, released in January 2017.
Sampha Sisay’s Morden neighbourhood isn’t far from
Dave’s Streatham and Loyle Carner’s Croydon. But the
soul singer’s sound is worlds away. Sampha made his
mark in music as part of a small circle including Jesse
Ware and The xx, before becoming a golden voiced
collaborator Stateside to Kanye West and Solange. After
lauded solo EPs in 2010 and 2013, Sampha’s February
2017 No.7 collection Process saw him stand centre stage.
Recorded after the death of his mother Binty, it captures
the emotional grieving process, and includes singles
No-one Knows Me (Like The Piano) and Timmy’s Prayer.
Dua Lipa is the only lady on this shortlist although her
chart impact is multifold. She went from uploading
YouTube clips at 14 and getting a Warners deal in 2015 to
releasing the debut track New Love the same year. Be The
One – a huge hit in Europe – Last Dance and Hotter Than
Hell followed, then Blow Your Mind (Mwah) saw her crack
the USA. Collaborations with Sean Paul, Martin Garrix
and Miguel upped the hype, and her self-titled album
made No.5 in June 2017. She topped that, of course, with
the summer pop smash New Rules, her first UK No.1.
73

BRITISH SINGLE
TOP TEN IDENTIFIED BY OVERALL SALES SUCCESS IN THE
CALENDAR YEAR. WINNER VOTED FOR BY THE ACADEMY.
The British singles chart has
undergone a revolution.
In 2017, music consumption across
multiple formats grew at its fastest rate
since the millennium. Physical sales
remained steady at around 30%, vinyl
sales rose sharply, and for the first time
ever, streamed audio accounted for 50.8%
- just over half - of all music consumed.
Demand for music downloads – which
we were once warned would kill off the
CD market entirely – has quickly eroded,
as the format is eclipsed by streaming.
In fact, last year in the UK, 68.1 billion
streams were served by services
including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon
and Deezer – proving there are an
awful lot of stream lovers out there.
This insatiable appetite for music is
demonstrated by figures showing a third
year of steady growth for consumption, with
totals 9.5% up year-on-year. One thing that
hasn’t changed, however, is the fans’ love
of music that is created by home-grown
musicians brought up and working here.
Single British Single
The British Single longlist consists of the
biggest songs by UK artists by combined
sales volume, as judged by the Official
Top 100 end-of-year lists. The overall
winner is chosen by the BRITs Academy.
Obviously, the singles chart was an exciting
place to be in 2017. And a Latin invasion, led
by Despacito by Justin Bieber ft. Luis Forsi
and Daddy Yankee (which held No. 1 for
11 weeks) meant competition was fierce.
Nevertheless British artists topped the UK
chart for 28 weeks in total. Ed Sheeran’s
Shape of You was No.1 for fourteen nonconsecutive
weeks from January to May
shifting 3.2m combined sales units. (That
success is why Perfect, which made UK No.1
and No.2 concurrently at Christmas, as well
as Ed’s other massive-selling hits, can’t be
included here). Ed was previously nominated
in 2015 and 2016 – could this be his year?
Dua Lipa’s insanely catchy New Rules
scored two weeks at No.1 in August. She
was the first female artist to top the chart
since Hello by Adele, two years previously.
Meanwhile perennial collaborators Clean
Bandit and Calvin Harris plus Artists for
Grenfell notched up a week each, proving
that working together brings impressive
results. Of those, Clean Bandit followed up
the 2016 smash Rockabye with Symphony
featuring Zara Larsson, their third number
one, and Calvin Harris enlisted pals Pharrell
Williams Katy Perry and Big Sean on Feels.
Perhaps surprisingly, Sam Smith’s Too
Good At Goodbyes (No.1 for three weeks in
September) and Harry Styles, who interrupted
Sheeran’s chart-topping run in April, miss
out on British Single nomination in 2018.
Instead, slow burn songs and those ‘held off
number one’ could have the last laugh here.
You’ll notice there is an element of
crossover between the British Single
and British Artist Video Vote shortlists.
Seven singles ‘do the double’, and compete
in both categories. J Hus and Rag ‘n’ Bone
Man appear in the British Single list as part
of a clutch of three nominations. Meanwhile
Jax Jones ft. Raye is pinning his BRITs hopes
on what happens here. Producer Jones,
previously appeared on the BRIT nominated
I Got U by Duke Dumont in 2014.
He has clubland completion though,
from Jonas Blue Ft. William Singe and their
track Mama. The May release featuring
the Aussie rapper made No.3 and hung
around giving feel-good vibes all summer.
Even so, the most dominant genre
represented is pop music. And no one
should be more proud of this shortlist
than our British Producer of The Year.
Steve Mac co-wrote three nominated
tracks: Shape of You By Ed Sheeran,
Strip That Down by Liam Payne, and
Symphony by Clean Bandit.
With seven BRIT wins to his name already
as part of One Direction, solo Liam is the
most nominated of the One Direction boys
in 2018, as the only member appearing
in both the British Artist and British Single
shortlists with Strip That Down.
Liam has to think back to 2012 for his last
win in this category, but Little Mix have had
more recent success, taking home the 2017
British Single trophy for Shout Out To My Ex.
The girls no doubt hope they can repeat the
feat with their platinum, tenth Top Ten single,
Touch from Glory Days, which made them
the fast-selling girl group for fifteen years.
The penultimate track is the March release
Did You See by J Hus. It spread on word
of mouth, simmering for months on
streaming playlists, peaking at No.9 but
one of the most vibrant and exciting tracks
breaking out from the grime scene.
Meanwhile, a huge and instantly
recognisable song, Human by Rag ‘n’ Bone
Man, may have been released in 2016
but its chart impact came after his win as
BRITs Critics’ Choice Artist of the Year. The
accolade announced a new talent for the
new year – and what a year it’s been.
CALVIN HARRIS
FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS/
KATY PERRY/BIG SEAN FEELS
COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
J HUS DID YOU SEE
BLACK BUTTER, SONY MUSIC UK
LITTLE MIX TOUCH
SYCO MUSIC, SONY MUSIC UK
DUA LIPA NEW RULES
WARNER BROS, WARNER MUSIC UK
JONAS BLUE FT WILLIAM SINGE
MAMA
POSITIVA, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
CLEAN BANDIT FT ZARA LARSSON
SYMPHONY
ATLANTIC, WARNER MUSIC UK
JAX JONES FT RAYE
YOU DON’T KNOW ME
POLYDOR, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
RAG’N’BONE MAN HUMAN
BEST LAID PLANS/COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
ED SHEERAN SHAPE OF YOU
ASYLUM, WARNER MUSIC UK
LIAM PAYNE FT QUAVO
STRIP THAT DOWN
CAPITOL, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
74 75

GLOBAL
SUCCESS
Sony Album
Ministry of
Sound
THE NEW ALBUM
THE BIGGEST ARTISTS IN MUSIC
2CD / DOWNLOAD
LITTLE MIX | P!NK | LIAM GALLAGHER
PALOMA FAITH | CALVIN HARRIS
DUA LIPA | FOO FIGHTERS | STORMZY
HARRY STYLES | CLEAN BANDIT
LONDON GRAMMAR
Global Artist
Of The Year 1
SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD
RIGHT NOW, DAWN IS BREAKING,
AND SOMEONE IS SWITCHING
ON MORNING RADIO. IN
ANOTHER TIME ZONE, DRIVE
TIME IS BEGINNING. IN ANOTHER
PLACE, REVELLERS ARE
HEADING OUT TO THE CLUBS.
As the world turns, there is a constant
demand for fresh and exciting music.
Just as France makes Champagne
and Japan produces Sake, the UK
exports musical talent. It’s worth
£87bn to the British economy. And
its our business to get it right.
It’s predicted that the music industry
is entering a new golden era, with
profits rising above the benchmark
CD-peak output. Goldman Sachs
reckons that by 2030, annual revenues
will approach £30bn worldwide.
Yes, Latino and Asian-language genres
are becoming more common, as
demonstrated by Despacito (yes, we
know it means slowly!); with stronger
economies and changing demographics,
expect more of this in the future.
But English still dominates, and British artists
account for one in eight of every worldwide
music purchase. The UK is the largest music
exporter after the US – not bad for a nation
with only 1% of the world’s population!
Our country not only boasts the
behemoths of rock and pop from decades
past, we’re also a nation of tastemakers,
setting trends and influencing future music
with grime stars like Stormzy and J Hus.
Patterns of music consumption are
changing but UK artists have it covered.
You know Ed Sheeran had a gob smacking
year in the UK chart, breaking all sorts
of records - but how did he do globally?
A hint - Ed is the most streamed Spotify
artist. He’s also the most Shazamed track.
He scored 6.3 billion streams on Spotify
worldwide overall, (including 3.1 billion
streams of Divide, and 1.4 billion streams
of Shape of You), apparently earning £3.9m.
Sales of physical albums are on top of that!
The scope for expansion of streaming
is huge. Subscription services Spotify,
Apple Music and Amazon Streaming now
have more than 100m paid subscribers
between them. At YouTube, 1.3 billion
users can watch and listen for free.
We may think we know who the most
successful artists of 2017 are, but
global success can be surprising.
Sam Smith only released his second album
The Thrill of It All in November. After massive
initial sales, the record was nudging a two
million benchmark after twelve weeks.
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters released his first
record in twelve years, Is This The Life We
Really Want in the summer, with a lifetime
of fans around the world flocking to buy it.
And here’s a name you might not expect –
The Beatles. A commemorative album was
released to mark the 50th anniversary of
Above: Ed Sheeran with Sir Leonard Blavatnik owner of
Warner Music Group (The BRIT Awards 2017)
Main Pic: Sam Smith Performing at The BRIT Awards 2015
JM Enternational
75

Somethin’
Else
Somethin’ Else - Digital Content
Partner of The BRITs
Global Artist
Of The Year 2
Sir Paul McCartney
Below: Calvin Harris The BRIT Awards 2014.
JM Enternational and MJ Kim
Sgt. Pepper. A good showing in 2017 pushed
it past the 31 million lifetime sales mark.
Rag’n’Bone Man proved to be a global
star, with both the single and album
versions of Human selling tremendously.
He topped the chart in over 15 nations,
including Germany where he took the
No.1 single slot for twelve weeks.
And after a phenomenal year in 2016,
Adele, David Bowie and Coldplay, as well
the Rolling Stones’ Blue and Lonesome,
were still selling remarkably well
worldwide in the last twelve months.
Adele has sold over 20m copies of 25
to date – but how many of them were
in 2017? She was still riding high in the
global chart in the first two quarters.
Calvin Harris remains unstoppable
in his field. Forbes Magazine named
him Highest-Earning DJ (again) with a
figure bandied about of £34m. He also
has a worldwide smash single, Feels,
and album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1.
Metallica, Little Mix, Gorillaz, Depeche
Mode, Take That, Dua Lipa, Robbie Williams
and Harry Styles all sold a lot of albums,
while Zayn, Harry Styles, Clean Bandit, and
James Arthur had strong individual tracks.
We Britons are spoilt for choice in music
and we know it. In London, even tonight,
hundreds of gigs, large and small, are
going on. If we miss our favourite artists’
show? They’ll be along for another. But
in territories across the globe these
opportunities come more rarely. The
power of live music brings people together
and cements the connection between
the fan and the musician. Increasingly,
it is also a vital revenue strand.
Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams Tour was
a 114 night, light-waving, extravaganza
grossing over £350m. The LP of the
same name remained a big seller, even
after its December 2015 release.
Meanwhile Paul McCartney’s One On One
Tour broke out the former Beatle’s back
catalogue for the first time in fifty years.
He didn’t perform in Britain, but wowed
crowds worldwide on 78 stadium dates,
raising almost £175m. Imagine seeing that
show as a 15 year-old – then telling friends
you’d been there, in half a century’s time.
What’s important, of course, is that while
we celebrate today’s biggest stars we
also nurture the next generation.
British record labels plough almost
a quarter of profits back into the
business, to invest in new acts.
And the BPI’s Music Export Growth
Scheme continues. A range of grants
from £5,000 to £50,000 are awarded to
small and independent UK record labels,
to promote UK music projects overseas.
Grants may cover up to 70% of the cost
of touring, promotion, showcases and
adverting campaigns. The MEGS scheme
was launches in 2014 and has so far
awarded £2m of investment to over 162
acts. Ghostpoet, a recent grant recipient
said, “It’s truly amazing to be selected for
funding, this money will really help to
make in-roads into mainland Europe.”
Apply to the Music Industry Growth
Scheme at BPI.co.uk/MEGS.aspx
77

WWW.THOMASSABO.COM
CONTACT: +44 (0) 20 77 20 97 25
UK@THOMASSABO.COM
Thomas
Sabo
G E N E R AT
I O N
BECK
EMI, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
Here we go then, The BRITs presents
Beats International.
Let the ballads and the pop songs hang out elsewhere,
our overseas fellas are busy working a groove.
Drake is our biggest-selling International Male. The
Toronto actor-turned rapper released a mix-tape, the
multi-genre More Life in March 2017, featuring a ‘who’s
who’ of British collaborators including Jorja Smith,
Sampha and Skepta. His recent releases are matched
by BRIT nominations. He was shortlisted in 2014 and
2016 before a 2017 win; all this coincides with albums,
Nothing Was The Same (2013) plus Views (2016), and
hit Hotline Bling. Drake began 2018 celebrating his
third UK No.1 album, God’s Plan. He previously topped
the chart with Rihanna on What’s My Name (2010)
and scored a 15-week run with One Dance (2016).
International
Male
Solo Artist
CHILDISH GAMBINO
GLASSNOTE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
DJ KHALED
BLACK BUTTER/WE THE BEST, SONY MUSIC UK
DRAKE
CASH MONEY/REPUBLIZ RECORDS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
KENDRICK LEMAR
INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
INTERNATIONAL
MALE SOLO ARTIST
Kendrick Lamar wins the battle of the best titles. His
DAMN album came out in August last year. It was
preceded by the April single Humble, and includes
Loyalty feat. Rihanna, Love, feat. Zacari, and XXX featuring
U2. It was followed by a DAMN collectors’ edition, and
a DAMN tour. It is the Compton rapper’s fourth studio
record, following Section.80 (2011), Good Kid, M.A.A.D
City (2012) and the groundbreaking To Pimp A Butterfly
(2015), which earned a BRIT nomination. If his last
record was about changing the world, DAMN is about
looking inside, ready to change the man within.
As music trends go, the rise of the star guest is matched by
the rise of the super producer, so it could be DJ Khaled’s
year. The larger-than-life hip hop Kingpin is now one
of the biggest names in the business, thanks to a crazy
ability to preside over a posse cut, drop a name check,
and hook in a guest list. This alchemy has seen the Florida
producer charming almost the entire American music
industry onto his tenth studio album Grateful. Everyone
from Mariah to Drake, Rihanna to Nicki Minaj, Quavo to
Bieber, and Rick Ross to Beyoncé and Jay–Z appear.
If you think you’ve seen Childish Gambino somewhere
else, you’re not wrong. The artist – otherwise known as
actor, comedian, writer and director Donald Glover - has
starred in Community and Atlanta, and has a blossoming
film career. Childish Gambino signed to Glassnote Records
in 2011, releasing albums Camp (2011) and Because The
Internet (2013). His third record, December 2016’s Awaken,
My Love! swapped rap for psychedelic funk on singles
Me And Your Mama and Redbone and Terrified. Childish
Gambino has hinted his next album will be his last.
Finally, who’d make an International Male shortlist without
Beck? The ever-young Mr Hansen has ten International
Male nominations, garnered since Loser and Odelay burst
onto the scene. He’s won it three times, in 1997, 1999, and
2000. Always experimental, the California-native Beck spent
four years in the studio following up the folksy Morning
Phase. He delivered “its opposite,” the complex and
euphoric Colors in October 2017, collaborating with his
ex-keyboard player turned producer Greg Kurstin. Singles
Dreams and Wow are upbeat; Beck described the record as
a hands in the air festival moment, and ‘a summer night’.
81

I am proud to support the Helen Bamber Foundation and Help Refugees.
Every penny they receive counts. I hope you can join me,
Anish Kapoor
Anish
Kapoor
AD
ALICIA KEYS
RCA, SONY MUSIC UK
The solo women featured here have singular vision.
Björk is The BRITs’ most successful International Female
artist in history. The Icelander has won five International
female awards, and is celebrating her eleventh
nomination, for her ninth album, Utopia (November
2017). Labelled her ‘Tinder’ album, its a sonic paradise
of birdsong, flute ensembles and urgent beats. This
is the joyous retort to her BRIT-winning, ‘heartbreak’
record, Vulcuria, released in 2015. Björk first enjoyed
success with The Sugarcubes in 1988. A string of
1990s hits, most famously Human Behaviour, Violently
Happy, and It’s Oh So Quiet, began her solo career.
International
Female
Solo Artist
BJÖRK
ONE LITTLE INDIAN, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
LORDE
VIRGIN, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
P!NK
RCA, SONY MUSIC UK
TAYLOR SWIFT
EMI, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
INTERNATIONAL
FEMALE
SOLO ARTIST
Lorde released the worldwide No.1 smash Royals in 2012,
with her debut album Pure Heroine selling 3m copies
globally. She was just sixteen when Bowie said her music
was ‘like listening to tomorrow,’ and critics awarded
her the International Female BRIT. Five years on, Lorde
returned with Melodrama (June 2017), recorded alongside
Fun band member and producer Jack Antonoff in ‘intense’
studio days. Lead single Green Light and follow-up Liability
reflect post-fame life, and a post-relationship daze.
Pink also took time out from recording ahead of her
2017 release Beautiful Trauma. Like Lorde, (and Taylor
Swift, below) she looked to Jack Antonoff to help tease
out hard-to-deliver tunes. The album opens with an
Eminem collaboration, Revenge, (Pink also sings Need Me
on the rappers’ album), and includes singles What About
Us and Beautiful Trauma. This is the seventh collection
since 2001 for Alecia Moore. She carved a niche for riot
girl pop on Can’t Take Me Home (2000) and has been
pushing boundaries since, including Missundaztood, Try
This, I’m Not Dead, Funhouse, and The Truth About Love.
If Pink is a bad girl gone good, then surely the 2015
International Female winner Taylor Swift is a good girl
gone bad. She turned her butter-wouldn’t-melt pop
persona on its head with the UK No.1 Reputation in
November 2017. It sold two million copies in a week,
after the teaser vibe, the YouTube-breaking Right Said
Fred pick-up Look What You Made Me Do, went wild. This
dubstep tinged, pushed-to-the-edge LP is Swift’s third
major sonic gear change. After morphing from country
to pop on 1989 she’s reinvented herself as a dance diva
and rapper on Ready For It, and a melodic foil for Future
and Ed Sheeran on End Game. You’ll see another side to
Taylor in the shortlist for British Single. She sings the sexy
50 Shades duet I Don’t Wanna Live Forever with ZAYN.
Alicia Keyes’ music career began in 2001 with the
voice and piano single Fallin’ and album Songs In A
Minor which sold 12m copies. Sixteen years and ten
BRIT nominations later, while speaking about her
seventh record Here, she said, “I still feel like I’m at
the beginning of myself”. Certainly the unexpected
tropical house vibe of In Common (May 2016) was
a departure; perhaps part due to production from
husband Swizz Beats. Critics loved Blended Family
(What You Do For Love) featuring A$AP Rocky, and Back
To Life, recorded for Disney OST Queen of Katwe.
83

INTERNATIONAL
GROUP
raymond-weil.com
Official Timing Partner
Raymond
Weil
Award styled by Sir Anish Kapoor
tango diver collection
ARCADE FIRE
COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
Real rock lives on at The BRITs 2018, and
this shortlist includes some of its heavyhitters;
true lovers of the guitar sound.
The impact the election of President Trump had on
the other side of the Atlantic is a common theme here;
it’s clear the shockwaves in music are profound.
Foo Fighters return to The BRITs to perform thanks to
the September 2017, ninth studio album, Concrete
and Gold. It’s described by the band as “Motorhead’s
version of Sgt. Pepper,” mixing expansive riffs with glossy
production and lush harmonies, as well as cameos
by Alison Mosshart, McCartney and Timberlake. After
releasing singles Run and The Sky Is A Neighborhood,
Foo Fighters kicked off a world tour last year.
International
Group
FOO FIGHTERS
FIGHTERS COLUMBIA, SONY MUSIC UK
HAIM
POLYDOR, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
THE KILLERS
EMI, UNIVERSAL MUSIC
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
COLUMBIA/DFA, SONY MUSIC UK
The Foo Fighters celebrate their eighth BRIT nomination
in 2018. They have previously won on four occasions,
including International Group in 2008, 2012 and 2015.
Since Arcade Fire formed in 2000, they have released a
string of acclaimed indie-rock albums, Funeral (2004),
Neon Bible (2007), The Suburbs (2010) and Reflekor (2013).
After a four-year gap, the Montreal band released
Everything Now last year, with front man Win Butler
describing it as “musically one of the best things we’ve
ever done”. Nine nominations in, Arcade Fire already have
two statuettes in their award cabinet – International
Album and Group won for their work on The Suburbs.
The Killers are also regulars on the BRIT shortlists; this is
the Las Vegas band’s fourth nomination. They’re now on
their fifth album, Wonderful Wonderful, which was released
in September 2017. It was described by the band as “The
closest we’ve ever come to Sam’s Town”. They refer, of
course, to their landmark second album, released a decade
before. The Killers continue to be wonderfully Anglophone
in their approach. As well as a headline slot at London’s
Hyde Park BST Festival in 2017, they return, topping the
bill at Isle of Wight’s 50th anniversary in June 2018.
The only female voices in the International Group shortlist
have been described as a folk/R&B hybrid. They belong
to the three Californian sisters of Haim. After singing
together in childhood they went professional as the band
in 2012, recording their first acclaimed album Days Are
Gone and lead single Wire. Something To Tell You, out five
years later, is the follow-up. It has given us four singles
to date; beginning with the teaser Want You Back, and
Little of Your Love from the movie Trainwreck’s OST.
New York’s LCD Soundsystem pulled off one of music’s
best comebacks with American Dream in 2017. It was
their fourth recording, and first since formally disbanding
in 2011. The outfit was formed in 2002 by the head
of DFA Records, James Murphy. They produced a
string of zeitgiesty dance singles, including Daft Punk
Is Playing in My House in 2005 and, two years later, All
My Friends. The new album has been compared to
Bowie and Eno, with urgent and angry overtones
in the dance mix. LCD Soundsystem spent much of
2017 on a tour they called Back From The Dead.
85

MAC MASTERCLASS
He’s made more hits than any artist
in the modern pop era. Steve Mac
has won the British Producer award.
Producer 2
JM Enternational
If Steve Mac walked toward you in the
street, you probably wouldn’t know him.
But he has helped to shape pop music
as we know it, as producer and often
songwriter on the planet’s biggest hits.
In 2017, songs touched by the disarmingly
modest man from Surrey spent five and
a half months at the top of the UK singles
chart. One after the other. And on the radio?
Probably, a Steve Mac song was up next.
Collaborating artists Ed Sheeran, Clean
Bandit, Liam Payne and Rita Ora may be
diverse in style and fanbase, but Steve is
the missing link. And in testament to his
ability, the 45 year old is enjoying his most
successful period ever, even after years
leapfrogging from one eye-watering chart
achievement to another with grace.
Producer
SYCO for an unprecedented era of talent
Not bad for someone who quickly
morphed from 90s hitmaker to bankable
Westlife balladeer, before becoming the
wind beneath Simon Cowell’s wings at
show wins. These days he could be working
on songs for Demi Lovato or Tim McGraw
and Faith Hill one week – before changing
tack alongside DJ Snake, Little Mix or P!nk.
Helen Lamont spoke to pop’s
secret superstar. She came away
humming Flying Without Wings.
Congratulations on winning the
2018 British Producer Award!
Thank you so much, it was unbelievable.
It was the perfect way to finish 2017 and
start a new year. If you were to tell me
27 years ago I’d win a BRIT one day, but
after all this time, I’d never believe you!
This Award celebrates 2017’s achievements.
What are you most proud of?
I am pretty much proud of all the songs
in 2017: Liam Payne Strip That Down, Rita
Ora with Your Song, or the two Clean
Bandit songs Symphony and Rockabye.
And of course Shape of You, with Ed
Sheeran, which has just been incredible.
The first half of 2017 belonged to you,
starting with a Christmas number one…
Well, we had Rockabye [nine weeks at UK
No. 1] right at the end of 2016, which hung
around into 2017, then it was overtaken
by Shape Of You [fourteen weeks at No.1].
I didn’t know what was happening. I
felt like the luckiest man in the world.
It’s so lovely to see someone
with pop sensibilities win!
Thank you. I think Britain creates some
of the world’s biggest and best pop
acts – and long may it continue. The
ten biggest songs of 2017 are all pop
records, and that proves a point.
How do you work in the studio?
Some acts like Ed Sheeran and Pink have a
real idea of who they are and what they’re
doing, so you just guide them a little.
Although established marquee artists are
a bonus, I’ve worked with new artists the
most. They can be a blank canvas – it’s
exciting when it’s all about the song.
You described working on Ed’s big hit as
‘The best hour and a half of my life’:
He’s extraordinary. Seeing how quickly
his mind works, how he comes up
with lyrics, is a joy to watch.
Any more artists you’d love to work with?
Last year I became a massive fan of
Rag‘n’Bone Man. Human is amazing. If he
called me anytime, I’d happily take that call.
What’s the secret to your success?
I love stats. When I wake up, I check radio
airplay, downloads, and streaming figures
from all around the world, because I like to
know what works. And then, the second
thing, is that for three or four years from
2005, I was making records for Simon
Cowell’s X Factor and American Idol winners
- and many were cover versions of great
classic tracks. Day in, day out, cover versions,
and those songs rubbed off on me – I got
to know what makes a classic hit great.
But you’d already made a string of
No.1s by then, many with Westlife.
Ah - I grew up loving Mariah Carey,
Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, and
Bryan Adams. Ballads are in my heart, and
to get the chance to write ballad upon
ballad for a band that can sing them
was just amazing. We had a great time.
I heard a rumour they might reform. It
would be nice to have the boys back.
Do you get nervous before
songs are released?
I do get very nervous. I remember being
so excited to have Ed Sheeran’s single, but
that turned to complete terror because,
you know, what if no one likes it? What
if I’m the guy who helps kill Ed Sheeran’s
career? Luckily that one worked out ok, but
its pretty much like that with every song.
You’ve made 30 UK number ones so
far. What are your stand-out tracks?
Flying Without Wings for Westlife was a
huge turning point, as far as recognition
as a songwriter goes. For production, I’d
say Beat Again, with JLS. A BRIT-winning
song. I’d just come out of a period where
I’d done loads of classical music, I was
getting back to pop, and it did really well.
Yes, although you keep returning
to pop, you love other genres
When I first started out as a producer/
remixer, one of my first songs was
I Wanna Give You Devotion, with Nomad, in
1990. I lucked out on my first artist.
I was just playing around and this great
accident happened on my first song! And
around 2004 started doing Il Divo for Syco,
which was great as I am classically trained
on the piano. Now with Clean Bandit it’s a
joy to have the fusion between pop and
classical with the string arrangements.
What can’t you do without in the studio?
I can’t do without the guys that I work
with; my best friends. After 27 years of
working in the same room, they keep me
sane. Every day feels like we’re having fun.
To get paid to do my hobby is incredible.
Any advice for aspiring producers?
I think you need a little talent, but
really, it’s perseverance and positivity.
That’s what got me to where I am now.
Take knock-backs as a positive, learn
something, and keep moving forward.
You know, you’ve made more
chart toppers than One Direction
and the Beatles combined….
It’s been a good time, I won’t lie to
you. We took the platinum discs down
to redecorate, but maybe its time
to put them back on the wall.
86
87

Sony ATV
Music
Publishing
Critics
Choice 1
JORJA ON
MY MIND
The BRITs Critics’ Choice
Winner 2018 is announced.
She’s the girl whose songs Teenage Fantasy and On My
Mind took pride of place in the summer songbook of
2017 - and whose name is on everyone’s lips in 2018. The
recipient of the BRITs’ Critics’ Choice Award is Jorja Smith - a
20 year-old who was discovered singing schoolgirl covers
on YouTube, before she found international fame joining
Drake on his US No.1 playlist project More Life, and Kali
Uchis on the UK No.1 song Tyrant. To be fair, though, it
was always going to go in that direction. The Walsall-born
songwriter, who first learned to play piano aged three, has
a classical education, a love of the dark side of garage and
a sad, smoky vocal that Sade would be proud of. She’s also
fizzing with excitement. Helen Lamont asked Jorja just
what it’s like to be on the cusp of big, brilliant things…
87

songs. So when I was growing up, and
writing music, I’d go downstairs and play my
dad the songs, and he’d give me feedback
– ‘that’s good’, or ‘oh, I can’t hear a chorus’.
I miss that about being at home, I can’t
go downstairs and say, ‘listen to this’!
GIRL POWER RULES ON THE
CRITICS’ CHOICE SHORTLIST.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
But you’re always on tour these days…
I’m been in the States more than I have
been home to Walsall, yeah! I’ve been three
times touring, for a month at a time. I toured
with Bruno Mars where it was nice to see
the reaction from people over there. I also
wrote some of my album out there, on the
tourbus. It’s a new chapter for me, its all fun.
Your started 2017 still working in Starbucks.
Are you chief coffee maker on the tourbus?
I’m crap at making coffee but I’ll make
people anything. I’ll make people tea if
they want it. My tour manager does a good
ginger tea though, so I don’t do too much!
I don’t really get homesick, the band and
my manager are like a big family to me.
Jorja Smith - Critics’ Choice Session,
Abbey Road Studios, Studio 3
JM Enternational
Hi Jorja! Congratulations on winning
the BRITs’ Critics’ Choice Award!
(Laughs) Thank you – it’s a bit mad! I
was surprised, even to be nominated!
It was an amazing shortlist with
Mabel and Steph, so well done to all
of us. I have had an amazing year.
Be proud! You’re the first
unsigned act ever to win…
It feels really good. I guess it shows
other artists, coming through now,
that anything is possible. You can do
this, even if you are unsigned!
Critics
Choice 2
So officially, you’re the next big
thing. Feeling the pressure?
I don’t really feel pressure when it comes
to my music, because I enjoy it too much.
I want to do well, but I don’t want to
be disappointed so I just try to enjoy
everything along the way. All I can say is, my
music comes from the heart and I love what
I’m doing. I hope everyone else loves it too.
It seems like 2017 was an amazing
year. Any highlights?
Oh, everything! Playing the Live Lounge
with Trevor Nelson, which I grew up
88
listening to. And doing Jools Holland, at the
Royal Albert Hall – that was two ambitions
in one! But the main highlight has been
the amazing response to my music.
Now your album is ready to go?
It’s pretty much done. Then it gets
remixed. I’m so excited. It’s a collection
of songs I wrote from the age of 17 until
now – basically my live show set. My dad
and my manager have a playlist of it, my
dad really likes it, and he’s opinionated!
You’ve been compared to Lauryn Hill, and
your hero Amy Winehouse. Is that cool?
It’s weird, you know. They are all great,
but particularly with Amy, I hate being
compared to her. She is untouchable.
Amazing. I wish I could have met her or
written a song with her, but I can’t do that.
(Thinks) But I guess one day maybe people
could be compared to me, which is mad!
You’ve wanted to sing for a very long time.
I’ve always done music. I went to school
and learnt classical music for seven years,
I was on a music scholarship. I studied
music all through the renaissance and
romantic eras, I’ve just grown up around
it, same as I’ve grown up listening to
garage. And I started writing songs when
I was eleven. I’d listen to what people
told me, and I’d make a story from that.
Being a writer, you have that poetic
licence. I’m good at empathising.
Some tracks, like A Prince, date
back to your school days!
Some of the songs are from when I was
sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. And Blue
Lights was about two boys I got the
bus with; one was having trouble with
the police. I was writing observational
stuff. Putting myself in their shoes.
Are your parents supportive?
I’ve always been singing and making
noise, and they have always supported
me, wanting me to follow my dreams.
They trusted me to move to London when
I was eighteen. To be a songwriter in this
industry, a lot of people don’t understand
it. I’m lucky to have the parents I have.
Your dad was in the music world, right?
He was in a neo-soul band called 2nd
Naitcha before I was born. He did the
university circuit, singing and writing
Critics
Choice 3
And you worked with Drake who gave you
your big break. How did that come about?
He messaged me and said he’d like to work
with me. He sent me the song, Get It Together.
At first I said, ‘I’m not really sure about this…”
Wow, I bet he doesn’t get turned down
often! Didn’t you like the track?
I didn’t really relate. The vocal talks about
problems in a relationship, she wants
things to work out. It wasn’t me. Then, I
messaged him after the New Year and said,
‘Now I know exactly how this lady feels’.
Things were going on in my life so [by now]
I felt like she did. I said, ‘Is there still space
for me to sing on it? ‘ And he said ‘Yip’. I
had no idea it would go on More Life.
You collaborate with Maverick Sabre.
Anyone else on your duet wish-list?
Mav is like a big brother; I’ve known him
since I was 15. I love writing with him
and he’s got a great voice. I can’t wait for
him to release the solo stuff he’s currently
working on; it’s incredible. I’d also love
to collaborate with Damien Marley.
How will you know you’ve hit the big time?
I’d like to take over! If I perform at Wembley, if
I sell out Madison Square Garden, and if those
people are there because they love my music,
I’ll have made it. Buying a house. Buying my
mum and dad a house, ha ha ha! And getting
platinum albums! I don’t think about that
though. I just think about writing my songs.
So, we shall see! This time next
year - where will you be?
I’d like to be doing some shows. Hopefully
my album will be doing well and getting
heard by lots of people. And y’know,
if I’m doing an interview, I hope I’m
smiling and I’m happy. That’s all!
MABEL
Mabel McVey has been around music all her life. Raised in
Spain, Sweden and London by singer mum Neneh Cherry
and producer dad Cameron McVey, the 20 year-old studied
music theory and production in Stockholm. A beat-laden R&B
debut Know Me Better, My Boy My Town, then Thinking Of You
followed. The neat Finders Keepers (feat.Kojo Funds) later became
a sound-of-the-summer Top 10. Expect a debut LP in 2018.
STEFFLON DON
Born in Brum with Jamaican roots, Stefanie Allen made her name
as queen of collaborations before breaking out with her sassy
dancehall-slash-garage sound. After providing the catchiest of
hooks to Chicago producer Jerimiah’s vibe London, she guested
again on Jax Jones and Demi Lovato’s track Instruction. With attitude
turned up to the max, she released her much talked-about mix tape
Real Ting then the UK No. 7 single Hurtin’ Me feat. French Montana.
89

NATHANIEL RATELIFF &
BRITs Week 1 BRITs Week
THE NIGHT SWEATS
2
15/02/2018
OMEARA, LONDON
THE WORLD IS WATCHING
CONCERT SERIES
RETURNS FOR
2018 WITH
ELEVEN AMAZING
HEADLINE ACTS
Above: Biffy Clyro. Opposite: The 1975
Andy Willsher
BRITs Week is back with a stunning
line-up of shows held in conjunction
with the charity War Child.
The fundraisers, which capture the February
buzz of the Awards show, are now a muchanticipated
fixture of BRITs season. Just as
well, too – as the need for the proceeds
from these shows grows more and more.
BRITs Week offer music fans an
unrepeatable opportunity to see global acts
perform unique sets in intimate venues.
In return for just a £5 donation, everyone
has had the chance to enter a prize draw
for money-can’t-buy tickets to these shows.
A limited number of tickets were also
available through the O2 Priority loyalty
programme. Those lucky enough to bag
these passes have now become the envy of
the music loving nation – where else could
you see the likes of Rag‘n’Bone Man and
Ed Sheeran perform on such special days?
The BRIT Awards is forever grateful to
the eleven acts that have generously
taken part in BRITs Week. Nominees
Jessie Ware, Laura Marling and Wolf Alice
showed why they’re up for an award
in 2018 while Alt-J, the Vamps, The
Amazons, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night
Sweats, Deaf Havana and Kygo have a
blistering opportunity to demonstrate
why they’re also at the top of their game!
Since its 2015 expansion and revamp,
BRITs week has raised almost £2m for
the charity War Child, which in turn
works hard to ensure the funds raised
are channelled efficiently. At last count,
just 16% of proceeds went on business
costs – leaving 84% to be spent where
it is most needed – on the ground.
As wars continue to rage across the planet
there has rarely been a time when aid
is more appreciated than it is today.
WHERE DOES
THE MONEY GO?
War Child is a charity founded in 1993 by
filmmakers Bill Leeson and David Wilson.
Fundraising began with the charity
compilation album Help, which raised
£1.25m during the Bosnian conflict –
and a strong relationship with the music
industry has been fostered ever since.
The charity’s aim from inception has
been to care for innocent children
and young people living in war zones.
Twenty-five years on, its shocking to
say that one in nine kids alive on planet
earth are now affected by conflict.
The need for aid is ever growing and
War Child remains ready to help in some
of the world’s most challenging places.
The charity operates amongst the ruins
of infamous battlegrounds in Syria, Iraq,
Afghanistan, Yemen, and South Sudan.
It is present in refugee camps in Jordan
and Palestine, and in hotspots the press
rarely mention - among them, Central
African Republic, Burundi, and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. War Child
NGOs work alongside local volunteers
to deliver whatever assistance is needed
by communities torn apart, and people
who often have nothing. A particular
emphasis is placed on education, trauma
counselling, and rehabilitation – as well
as providing basic safety and protection.
By 2019, War Child aims to help
260,000 children rebuild their lives
and plan a future. The emphasis,
always, is on the kids.
Warchild.org.uk
THE A TEAM
Ed Sheeran is set to headline an
exclusive hush-hush gig at Indigo at The O2,
keeping up a long tradition of BRITs secret
shows. Muse, Take That, Blur, The Killers,
Coldplay and so many more have previously
headlined special shows, traditionally taking
place on the night of the awards under the
moniker of ‘All Back To Mine’. Liana Mellotte,
Head of Music, Entertainment & Development
at War Child said: “We want to say a huge thank
you to Ed, and to we the artists dedicating their
time and talent. It means the world to us.”
The remaining shows are scheduled
across a fabulous fortnight in London and
Manchester venues. These include:
JESSIE WARE
12/02/2018
BUSH HALL, LONDON
RAG’N’BONE MAN
13/02/2018
ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL, LONDON
LAURA MARLING
17/02/2018
ST.GILES IN THE FIELDS CHURCH, LONDON
ED SHEERAN
19/02/2018
INDIGO AT THE O2, LONDON
ALT-J
20/02/2018
THE GARAGE, LONDON
WOLF ALICE
20/02/2018
GORILLA, MANCHESTER
THE AMAZONS
22/02/2018
OMEARA, LONDON
THE VAMPS
22/02/2018
DINGWALLS, LONDON
DEAF HAVANA
Reworked – featuring London Contemporary Voices
and Parallax Orchestra
23/02/2018
UNION CHAPEL, LONDON
KYGO
24/02/2018
OMEARA, LONDON
92
93

TRIBUTE
(RIGHT ON)
Last Years
Show
The BRIT Awards 2017 will be
remembered for tributes to two
legendary BRIT music icons - and a
smorgasbord of amazing music.
Last Years
Show
The most powerful entertainment, they
say, elevates the emotions. And The BRIT
Awards 2017 had music fans laughing,
dancing, and weeping out loud.
Twelve months ago the British Music
Industry was brought together,
with the intention to celebrate
successes and underline some
amazing global achievements.
But as planning for the show progressed to
its final stages, our community lost one of
its favourite sons. We’d already lost David
Bowie to cancer in January 2016. We’d
lost Prince, Rick Parfitt, so many others,
including Sir George Martin, a music
legend who did so much for the BRITs
family. The shockwaves still rippled away.
Then on Christmas Day 2016,
bulletins broke the news George
Michael had passed away.
By the time February 22nd rolled around,
friends, family and loved ones were
ready to get together and share their
BRITs memories. There was silence when
George’s Wham band mate Andrew
Ridgeley, plus Pepsi & Shirlie, still close
friends, gave a eulogy that was filled
with genuine love and sincerity. Voices
cracked with emotion. And everyone -
from the fans in the cheap seats to execs
on the posh tables, many of whom knew
George - were wiping the tears away.
The legacy George left was his music. So
Coldplay’s Chris Martin stepped up and
sang A Different Corner, and using the magic
of television, it became a duet; George,
in classic footage, joined in, each word
in his lyric weighted with meaning. Bless
him - there wasn’t a dry eye in the house
when it was done (Chris would return to
perform his hit Something Just Like This
Helen Lamont JM Enternational
with Chainsmokers). And it’s true – we still
have George as long as we have his music.
And the great British songbook,
to which George has made such a
contribution, is added to, year on year.
At The BRITs 2017, we celebrated this with
ten performances and thirteen Zaha Hadid
Awards. And while we tipped our hat to
the legends, we lived in the moment too.
Little Mix opened the show with a whitehot
trip to the future, all breathless dance
moves and shards of silver light. Shout
Out To My Ex is a high-kicking lesson in
love if ever there was one - a high energy,
show-starting pop song, giving a very
deserved first BRITs win to the girls.
Bruno Mars – who lost out to Drake
(*waves: wagwaan, Drake!) as the
International Male winner - performed
next, with That’s What I Like transporting
the O2 to the ‘90s era of oh-so-smooth
R&B. We’ve not seen a colourblock shirt
like that since the Inspiral Carpets’ heyday.
Bruno! One more time for the ladies, eh?
A definite change of pace then
for our British Female winner, who
showed us who’s got the power
with a stomping rendition of Hurts.
We hurtled towards a crescendo in a
wave of handclaps and stamping held
together by her big effortless voice…
..aww, there’s a nice touch when Emeli
brings sister Lucie on when fellow Scot
David Tennant hands her the BRIT.
A lot of people rang ITV to find out if the
show had been hijacked when flashed
messages such as ‘Pompous arena synth
rock’ and ‘Robotic Huey Lewis moves’
filled TV screens. No – it’s just japes by The
1975, displaying self-effacing cheekiness
with genius mixed in. Yep, as early-
Stones-style singer Matty Healy wobbled
Bottom left; George Michael tribute by Chris Martin, Little Mix onstage,
George Michael’s Wham band mate Andrew Ridgeley, plus Pepsi &
Shirlie (r), above David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones accepting his father’s
posthumous award.
94
95

60K
Helen Lamont JM Enternational
Last Years
Show
around on his Ready, Steady, Go set, hit
The Sound blasted out. (They’d be back
later saying thanks for British Group).
The BRITs loves superstar guests but no
one expected the President of the USA
in attendance. Turns out, Katy Perry’s
performers for Chained To The Rhythm
included two unnerving skeleton giants,
a.k.a. Theresa May and Donald Trump.
They shimmied alongside ticky-tacky
houses waving spindly fingers skyward
(just don’t mention the little houselady
that got knocked off her feet).
Next up? Shutdown. Still reeling from
someone calling him a backing dancer in
2015, Skepta was back to claim his space,
so in your face - in a good way - that some
of the audience forgot to breathe. Others
wanted to know where he got his trainers
from, cos, man, this guy was bouncy! He
darted across the stage and back again
with his springy legs, hood on! Hood off!
Hood on again! A Mission Impossible not
to touch the flashing red laser beams,
owning The BRITs with his bouncy feet.
There were more poignant moments
when Noel Gallagher delivered the
British Album trophy to Duncan Jones in
recognition of “the king, David Bowie.” The
legendary singer posthumously received
British Male as well. Dedicating the
award to “anyone who ever felt different”
Jones told the audience, “This award is
for all the kooks and all the people that
make the kooks.” Brilliant and heartfelt.
Although he didn’t perform on the BRITs
stage Rag’n’Bone Man made quite the
impression. He scooped two awards,
Critics’ Choice and British Breakthrough.
One Direction won British Artist Video
Vote for History (Collected by Liam. On
His Own. Shock. Horror.) And Beyoncé
won one as well, International Female,
beating her sister Solange (which
might have been awkward, a bit).
Ed Sheeran brought out Castle on The Hill
all about his childhood in Framlingham,
Suffolk, and then Stormzy joined him on
stage for Shape of You, in an organic and
amazing plinkety-plonkety electric duet
(the best kind, that The BRITs is known for).
Then finally, to end the show, our
wonderful hosts Emma Willis and
Dermot O’Leary introduced BRIT ICON
winner Robbie Williams, the pearly king
of all that is entertaining. Rob gave us a
medley from The Heavy Entertainment
Show, also featuring Love My Life and
The Killers-vibe of Mixed Signals, full of
showmanship, tongue-in-cheek grandiose
and non-PC girls in impossibly skimpy
knickers. “I love my life”, he bellowed, “I
am powerful, I am beautiful, I am free.”
It was the perfect night for some
affirmation, with the painful knowledge
that nothing is guaranteed.
As time for the BRITs Aftershow Party
beckoned, the audience was remembering
the sage words of Adele, who accepted
the huge and important Global Success
Award from the back of beyond in a desert.
Adele held her Award in the shape of a
very wavy lady aloft and advised us to
“Get a bit swervy like ‘er! Whahahahaha!”
Top up the champagne, people.
Be rude not to, after all.
Top: Rag’n’Bone Man being interviewed by
Show hosts Dermot O’Leary and Emma Willis.
Emeli Sandé and sister Lucie at the podium.
Robbie Williams closing the show.
97

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Wight Festival ISLAND Jamie Cullum Jax Jones JJJ JONES Katherine Jenkins L Devine Leo Stannard Louise Redknapp Madness Melisa Whiskey Michelle Keegan Newton
er Nina Nesbitt N.E.R.D Queen Shirley Ballas Sigma Starley Sundara Karma The Arts Club The BRIT Awards The Kills The Kooks The Ninth Wave The Wombats Thomas
Tim & Faith Tommy Blaize Zara Larsson Zedd Paul McCartney James Corden Rihanna Beck Casio Music Craig David Elton John Glass Animals Lionel Richie Shy FX Steve
eona Lewis Paul Simon Esquire Town House Fusion Festival Second Screen ABBA 5 Seconds Of Summer Shawn Mendes Celine Dion Hyundai Mercury Prize Riviera Stranger
2 OST Iggy Pop Take That musical.ly Pharrell Williams Queens Of The Stone Age The Box Network Sofar Sounds Busted Alexis Ffrench Anteros Arielle Free Banfi Barns
ney Big Shaq Bleachers BMI Awards Callum Beattie Charlotte Hawkins Demob Happy Disciples Dynamo Emeli Sandé End the Silence Frankie Bridge Fulwell Harry Styles
ets Isle of Wight Festival ISLAND Jamie Cullum Jax Jones JJJ JONES Katherine Jenkins L Devine Leo Stannard Louise Redknapp Madness Melisa Whiskey Michelle Keegan
n Faulkner Nina Nesbitt N.E.R.D Queen Shirley Ballas Sigma Starley Sundara Karma The Arts Club The BRIT Awards The Kills The Kooks The Ninth Wave The Wombats
as Rhett Tim & Faith Tommy Blaize Zara Larsson Zedd Paul McCartney James Corden Rihanna Beck Casio Music Craig David Elton John Glass Animals Lionel Richie Shy
eve Aoki Leona Lewis Paul Simon Esquire Town House Fusion Festival Second Screen ABBA 5 Seconds Of Summer Shawn Mendes Celine Dion Hyundai Mercury Prize
Stranger Things 2 OST Iggy Pop Take That musical.ly Pharrell Williams Queens Of The Stone Age The Box Network Sofar Sounds Busted Alexis Ffrench Anteros Arielle
Proud to support the best of British music
anfi Barns Courtney Big Shaq Bleachers BMI Awards Callum Beattie Charlotte Hawkins Demob Happy Disciples Dynamo Emeli Sandé End the Silence Frankie Bridge
ll Harry Styles Idle Frets Isle of Wight Festival ISLAND Jamie Cullum Jax Jones JJJ JONES Katherine Jenkins L Devine Leo Stannard Louise Redknapp Madness Melisa Whiskey
lle Keegan Newton Faulkner Nina Nesbitt N.E.R.D Queen Shirley Ballas Sigma Starley Sundara Karma The Arts Club The BRIT Awards The Kills The Kooks The Ninth Wave
ombats Thomas Rhett Tim & Faith Tommy Blaize Zara Larsson Zedd Paul McCartney James Corden Rihanna Beck Casio Music Craig David Elton John Glass Animals Lionel
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Shy FX Steve Aoki Leona Lewis Paul Simon Esquire Town House Fusion Festival Second Screen ABBA 5 Seconds Of Summer Shawn Mendes Celine Dion Hyundai Mercury
Riviera Stranger Things 2 OST Iggy Pop Take That musical.ly Pharrell Williams Queens Of The Stone Age The Box Network Sofar Sounds Busted Alexis Ffrench Anteros
Free Banfi Barns Courtney • Publicity Big Shaq Bleachers • Brands BMI Awards Callum • Digital/Social Beattie Charlotte Hawkins Media Demob Happy • TV Disciples Plugging Dynamo Emeli • Sandé Events End the Silence Frankie Bridge
ll Harry Styles Idle Frets Isle of Wight Festival ISLAND Jamie Cullum Jax Jones JJJ JONES Katherine Jenkins L Devine Leo Stannard Louise Redknapp Madness Melisa Whiskey
lle Keegan Newton Faulkner Nina Nesbitt N.E.R.D Queen Shirley Ballas Sigma Starley Sundara Karma The Arts Club The BRIT Awards The Kills The Kooks The Ninth Wave
Tel: 0203 327 7111 Email: info@dawbell.com
ombats Thomas Rhett Tim & Faith Tommy Blaize Zara Larsson Zedd Paul McCartney James Corden Rihanna Beck Casio Music Craig David Elton John Glass Animals Lionel
Shy FX Steve Aoki Leona Lewis Paul Simon Esquire Town House Fusion Festival Second Screen ABBA 5 Seconds Of Summer Shawn Mendes Celine Dion Hyundai Mercury
Riviera Stranger Things 2 OST Iggy Pop Take That musical.ly Pharrell Williams Queens Of The Stone Age The Box Network Sofar Sounds Busted Alexis Ffrench Anteros
Free Banfi Barns Courtney Big Shaq Bleachers BMI Awards Callum Beattie Charlotte Hawkins Demob Happy Disciples Dynamo Emeli Sandé End the Silence Frankie Bridge
ll Harry Styles Idle Frets Isle of Wight Festival ISLAND Jamie Cullum Jax Jones JJJ JONES Katherine Jenkins L Devine Leo Stannard Louise Redknapp Madness Melisa Whiskey
lle Keegan Newton Faulkner Nina Nesbitt N.E.R.D Queen Shirley Ballas Sigma Starley Sundara Karma The Arts Club The BRIT Awards The Kills The Kooks The Ninth Wave
No hate, no fight, no excitation.
BRIT School 1
FREE SCHOOL,
All through the night, a celebration
BRIT VISION
Kids in Britain today need someone to
look up to. In most schools, you might see
a dusty plaque or forgotten award in the
foyer, won by a former pupil whose school
shoes paced the same creaky corridors
sometime back in the ‘40s or beyond.
But at BRIT, there is a bright wall of famous,
fresh faces waiting to greet visitors to the
purpose-built campus in Selhurst, Croydon.
You know those faces – Adele, Jessie J,
Amy Winehouse, actors Tom Holland
and Ashley Thomas, and presenter
Gemma Cairney, among them.
BRIT School alumni – often pledging
allegiance online with the collective
sign-off #AlwaysBrit, have taken
success to a whole new level.
The school’s former students have won
Baftas, Oscars, Grammys and multiple BRIT
Awards. And a mind-boggling, eye-popping
125 million albums have been sold.
It’s a remarkable achievement for a school
that just celebrated its 25th birthday. The
first bricks were laid in 1991, and, as a
joint enterprise between The BRIT Trust
and the Department of Education, BRIT is
unique in Britain – even the world. More
than seven thousand students have now
benefited from BRIT’s amazing education.
And as a uniquely funded state school,
another thing that’s astounding is that this
spectacular head start in life is entirely free.
In September 2017, the school’s principle
Stuart Worden presided over birthday
celebrations. BRIT Vision marked the
culmination of a year of multiple events.
Last summer, Back To BRIT 25 saw former
students return to play a mini festival in
the school’s grounds. There were over 250
performances across the calendar year
and dozens of exhibitions and events. And
at BRIT Vision, Worden made the case for
the school’s special status crystal clear.
“This is the place where thousands of
artists have been nurtured, encouraged
and inspired,” he told guests. “There are
household names on television, in our
cinemas, in the West End, on Broadway
101

Audi Cars BRIT School 2
and on our radios, and they have
come from here: The BRIT School.”
However, like many other state schools
and arts organisations, BRIT is facing
an unprecedented squeeze on its
budgets. Despite the £10m donated by
the BRIT Trust over the years, there is a
projected three million pound shortfall
in funding. That sum must be found
before 2020 to ensure the school is
able to maintain an industry-standard
experience for future students there.
To that end, the BRIT School launched
BRIT Silver, a fundraising appeal that even
the most well known of its 7000 former
students are lining up to endorse. Adele,
who attended the school, reminisced over
her education: “Those years really were,
by far, the best four years of my life ever.”
Superman Tom Holland explained, “The BRIT
School is the best place to be who you are”.
And Loyle Carner, 2018 nominee and
another recent alumnus, agreed, “I
really think I found myself at BRIT. I was
allowed to be myself for the first time”.
Meanwhile actor Cush Jumbo is clear
about the fundraising task ahead for her
alma mater, explaining: “If the BRIT School
isn’t allowed to continue you are losing
a whole generation of children who will
not have a place to go and discover who
they are, to become confident adults,
to become better at their specialism -
but also better members of society.”
The school continues to prepare students
for careers in the creative industries,
running outstanding arts training alongside
Ofsted-impressing academic results.
Hard work has ensured that invaluable links
have been built between the school and
the workplace, forging unprecedented
relationships and making the schoolto-employment
transition smooth.
To illustrate, 2017 saw visits to the school
from Sony’s Global Music Entertainment
CEO Rob Stringer who had a no-holdsbarred
Q&A session with students.
Apple’s Global CEO, Tim Cook also
visited, donating iPads, iPhones
and Macs to the school.
Former students Cleve September and
Tarinn Callendar, who appear in the red-hot
stage show Hamilton popped in, as did
fellow alumnus Dan Gillespie Sells, fresh
from West End success with the stage
show he co-wrote, Everybody’s Talking
About Jamie. The school also enjoyed visits
from McFly and McBusted star Danny
Jones, and even Andrew Lloyd Webber,
who reaffirmed his relationship with BRIT
via a £211,723 grant to maintain The
Bridge Theatre Company which allows
recent BRITs graduates invaluable industry
experience directly after leaving school.
Originally intended as a British version
of New York’s Fame Academy, it’s clear
kids’ dreams do come true thanks to
the BRIT school. But let’s not forget that
the creative industries, generating a
whopping £87bn for the UK economy,
are also how our nation’s bills get paid.
Creative Industries Minister Matt Hancock
said, “We want to keep our creative
industries going from strength to strength
and it is places like the BRIT School that
will continue to produce many more
success stories in our thriving music,
theatre, television and cinema industries.
I want to see the BRIT School’s success
replicated so everyone can nurture their
talent and reach their true potential.”
And Principle Stuart Worden agrees work
to build on previous success must begin
now: “It is imperative to map out a new
vision for the School’s future that will help
to preserve its world-class status… the
School must be allowed to continue all the
brilliant work it has done in its first 25 years.”
For info, see: brit.croydon.sch.uk
For more on the BRIT Silver Campaign,
see: brittrust.co.uk
103

Cat Burns (BRIT School
currently studying Music),
Jason Iley (BRITs Chairman),
Nicola Grant (Mastercard Vice
President, Area Marketing &
Communications UK, Ireland,
Nordics & Baltics). L to R.
Life Water BRIT Trust 1
THANKS X20 MILLION
NOW THE BRIT TRUST HOPES TO RAISE £20M MORE!
JM Enternational
Give yourselves a pat
on the back, ladies
and gentlemen;
you are part of a
£20m success story
- The BRIT Trust.
The charitable arm of the BPI was
established in 1989 to efficiently channel
funds raised by music industry efforts
toward deserving good, causes.
Twenty-nine years and an amazing
£20m to good causes, the Trust toils
year-round to ensure these now-vital
income streams don’t dry up. Key partner
charities including BRIT School and
Nordoff Robbins rely on BRIT Trust annual
grants to continue their amazing work.
Of course, the ways in which the BRIT
Trust is asked to help are evolving. The
next phase in the Trust’s work sees an
emphasis on mental health services,
highlighting the value of music in personal
wellbeing. To that end, charity partner
Help Musicians UK (formerly Musicians’
Benevolent Fund) has just launched Music
Minds Matter, the music industry’s first
dedicated helpline for mental health and
financial advice. Callers dialing 0808 802
8008 can access round-the-clock support.
The 2017 festival season saw, for the
first time, ’Safe Tents’ erected backstage
at all major locations, providing calm
spaces amid the mayhem for artists
and entourages alike, thanks to Music
Support. This brand new charity, run by
and for music industry professionals,
provides targeted mental health services,
crisis management and addiction
advice. Robbie Williams, impressed
by the efforts of Music Support, said,
“This is such a timely undertaking and I
am very happy to be its first patron”.
Meanwhile dozens of grass-roots
organisations also access BRIT Trust funds
to run music projects for communities
nationwide. Stakeholders are able to
deliver an amazing variety of work,
guided only by The BRIT Trust’s umbrella
ethos, to enrich lives through music.
As you can see, there is a lot to do, and
unfortunately the wonderful £20m sum
raised over the years is already spent.
And so, a string of special fundraising
events is needed to swell the coffers!
In 2016, Robbie Williams wowed the
crowds when he received the coveted
BRIT ICON Trophy. And the 2017 MITS
gala dinner saw the industry honour
Sony CEO Rob Stringer’s contribution
to music. Happily, each glittering
celebration is a fundraising opportunity
– but there is always more to do.
Now, luckily, here you are at The BRIT
Awards - the biggest event of the
BRIT Trust’s packed year. As usual,
profits raised – from tickets sales to
champagne tabs – go to charity.
We urge you, once again, to be generous
when you put your hand in your pocket at
The BRITs and beyond. After all, so many
good causes put their trust in The BRIT Trust.
brittrust.co.uk
105

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AND THERE’S MORE…
The BRIT Awards donated 200
tickets for tonight’s event to Tickets
for Troops. These are distributed
to members of the Armed Forces
who are currently serving or who
have been injured in action since
2001. We also welcome to anyone
attending tonight’s BRITs to a
competition or auction prize.
The BRIT Trust has helped a
host of local charities through
much-needed grants. These include:
Access To Music, Arts & Kids/London
Sinfonietta, Avenues Youth Project,
Bigga Fish, Black Arts Alliance,
Blackheath Halls, Blantyre Music Project,
Glasgow, British Performing Arts,
Medicine Trust, Canford Summer School,
Charterhouse in Southwark, Chicken Shed,
Community Music, Commission for
Racial Equality, Community Music East,
Dame Vera Lynn Trust, Drugscope,
Global Rock Challenge, Heart’n’Soul,
Heathfield Community College, Irene Taylor
Trust (Music in Prisons), Key 4 Life,
Lenton Community Association, LIPA,
Making Music, Mencap, Midi Music
Company, Music & Sound Experience,
Wales, Music and the Deaf, Music Minds
Matter, Musicians In Focus, Musicians
Union, National Foundation for Youth
Music, National Music Day, Pimlico School,
BRIT Trust 2
Portishead Youth, Princes’ Trust,
THE BRIT SCHOOL
The BRIT School is the UK’s leading performing
arts and technology State School, providing
a unique and free education for 1,300 pupils
aged between 14 and 19. The School, situated
in Selhurst, Croydon, opened in 1991 with
the support of the Department of Education
and the British Record Industry Trust.
Recently celebrating its 25th birthday,
The BRIT School’s pioneering approach
to education means it has become
a place where creative thinking and
personal development are at the very
core of its being. It is one of a kind.
The School provides training for young
people from every socio-economic
background and has launched the
careers of many. It has an unrivalled track
record of 99% of graduating students in
employment, education or training within
three months of leaving the School.
The alumni are a strong measure of the
School’s success; global music artists include
Adele, Amy Winehouse, Ella Eyre, Jamie Woon
Jessie J, Imogen Heap, Katy B, Katie Melua,
Kate Nash, King Krule, Kate Tempest, Leona
Lewis, Loyle Carner, Rex Orange County, Rizzle
Kicks, The Feeling and The Kooks. Add to that
the many filmmakers, dancers, musicians,
actors, producers, games designers, set
designers and community arts practitioners
who contribute to the cultural wealth of
the UK, both now and in the future.
brit.croydon.sch.uk
NORDOFF ROBBINS
The first dedicated Nordoff Robbins
Therapy Centre outside London is
about to open in Newcastle.
The centre is supported by the Graham
Wylie Foundation, which generously
donated the building, and started
Rock’n’Raise – fundraising backed by
stars including Kaiser Chiefs. Situated
at Newcastle’s Fleming Hospital, it will
help children and young people access
free-of-charge services designed to
improve wellbeing through music.
Nordoff Robbins works alongside the NHS
and education providers, but is wholly
funded by public donations. It provides
therapy provision centres and community
outreach sessions for children and adults
living with a range of challenges; helping
them to communicate through music.
The charity also provides gold standard
training for music therapists through a
two-year Master of Music Therapy (Nordoff
Robbins): Music, Health, Society course.
The BRIT Trust is proud to fund deserving
individuals embarking on therapy training,
via the Nordoff Robbins Graduate /
Partnership Development Scheme.
nordoff-robbins.org.uk
Raphael Walters, Release, Rock School,
Roundhouse Trust, Royal Commonwealth
Society, Save The Children, St David’s Hall,
Cardiff, St Luke’s School, Terrence Higgins
Trust, Tim Macbeth Two Moors Festival,
West Lothian College, Young Persons
Concert Foundation, Youth Music Theatre UK
BRITs
APPRENTICESHIP
SCHEME
The BRIT Trust launched the BRITs
Apprenticeship scheme in 2017.
Applicants from England and Wales
were invited to apply for one of ten
‘Golden Ticket’ placements. Working
in-house at independent record
labels and music-led businesses
provides a paid learning experience, a
professional qualification, and a foot in
the door in highly competitive fields.
The first successful applicants began
their placements in January 2018.
brittrust.co.uk/apprenticeships
107

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@payneandgunter
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Wishing you every success with The BRIT Awards 2018
Uniquely placed in the industry, Smith & Williamson has been combining
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As everyone’s financial needs are different, we work closely with our
clients to provide a bespoke service — with direct access to a team of
professionals from each service area, who can give specialist advice on a
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&
YOU BE
THE JUDGE
The BRIT Awards is the
flagship event in the music
industry calendar.
Jim Abbiss • Negla Abdela • Steve Ackerman • Mark Adams • Dan Adams •
Sam Adebayo • Daniel Adeyemi • Amy Adjin-Tettey • Manny Adler •
Amish Adp • Des Agyekumhene • Akua Agyemfra • Imran Ahmed •
Glyn Aikins • John Aizlewood • David Akosim • Roushan Alam • Derek Allen •
Lucy Allen • Rebecca Allen • Charlie Andrew • Sammy Andrews • Bob Angus •
Mehdi Aoustin-Sellami • Holly Appleton • Iain Archer • Lauren Archer •
P Archer • Laura Armstrong • Melanie Armstrong • Jules Arnott •
Victor Aroldoss • Manish Arora • Nihal Arthanayake • Jane Arthy • Obi Asika •
THE
Brad Aspess • Vibica Auld • Chris Austin • Lucie Avery • Alanna Aylen •
Philippa Aylott • Saquib B • Moe Bah • Sarah Bailey • Katie Bailie • Paul Baines •
Clare Baker • Vanessa Bakewell • Gary Bales • Michael Banbrook • Emma Banks •
Adam Barker • Simon Barnabas • Steve Barnes • Tom Barnes (Aka Tms) •
Gordon Barr • Annette Barrett • David Barrow • James Barton • James Bass •
Matt Bates • Dexter Batson • Katherine Bawden • James Bay • Alice Beal •
Voting
BRITs
Academy 1
Sarah Beaumont • Ben Beaumont-Thomas • Rachael Bee • Jane Beese •
Shiarra Bell • Stuart Bell • Laurence Bell • Jessica Bendien • Rachel Bentley •
Carina Berthet • Sandeep Louise Bhardwaj • Lucy Bidwill • Lisa Birch •
Alex Blackhurst • Cam Blackwood • Ed Blow Blow • Laurence Boakes •
Leanne Body • Gary Bones • Michael Bonner • Alison Bonny • Sarah Boorman •
Al Booth • Andrew Bowles • Helen Bownass • Jade Bradshaw • Steven Braines •
EACH YEAR, ORGANISERS INVITE AN
ACADEMY OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS
TO BE PART OF THE MUCH‐ENVIED
BRIT AWARDS VOTING PANEL.
This expert grouping comprises up to 1200
members, chosen to represent a wide spectrum
of industry specialisations. These range from
artists and managers to retailers, publishers,
press officers, promoters and many more.
Ahead of the 2017 event, additional efforts
were made to welcome newcomers into the
academy, in particular fresh talents from
previously under‐represented sectors such
as women and the BAME communities.
Each professional who accepts the challenge
knows that decisions they make are important,
with the power to turbo‐charge careers.
While the work of the BRITs voting academy is
complete for this year, there’s still time for the rest
of us to make our mark in one of The BRITs public
vote categories; the British Artist Video of the Year.
Nick Bray • Peter Breeden • Wozzy Brewster, Obe Frsa • Paul Bridgewater • Thank you to everyone whose efforts
Janice Brock • Kevin Brown • Tyler Brown • Tom Bryant • Barbara Bryson • make The BRIT Awards all that it is.
Michael Buble • Jo Bucci • Lisa Buchan • Stephen Budd • Alex Burford •
Paul Burger • Nick Burgess • Samuel Burton • Fleur Butler • Fiona Byers • Clare Byrne • Niamh Byrne • James Cabooter • Jodie Cammidge •
Stuart Camp • Rachel Campbell • Heather Campbell • Mara Carlyle • Kim Carr • Adrian Carter • Gennaro Castaldo • Greg Castell •
Eduard Castello • Clive Cawley • Gabrielle Cawthorne • Brian Celler • Dan Chalmers • Matthew Chambers • Jim Chancellor • Kelly Chappel •
Barbara Charone • Jo Charrington • Raoul Chatterjee • Joanna Chidgey • Janet Choudhury • Annie Christensen • Glenne Christiaansen •
Damian Christian • Kevin Christian-Blair • Elias Christidis • Phil Christie • Lauren Churchman • Laura Clare • Rich Clarke • Jermayne Clayton •
Jane Clemetson • Aimee Cliff • Kari Clough • Ted Cockle • Annabella Coldrick • Charlotte Coleman • Mark Collen • Hattie Collins •
Claire Collins • Robert Collins • Austin Collins • Neil Comber • Tom Connaughton • Darina Connolly • Lee Connolly • Liam Conroy •
VOTING
ACADEMY
Arit Eminue • Paul Epworth • George Ergatoudis • Michelle Escoffery-Ojo • Russell Eslamifir • Kate Etteridge • Russ Evans • Myvanwy Evans •
Yasmin Evans • Nina Evans • Jacqueline Eyewe • Julie Eyre • Stefanie Faleo • Colin Farquhar • Chantelle Fiddy • Matt Fincham •
Mark Findlay • Paul Firth • Olga Fitzroy
2018
• Claire Fleming • Chloe Fletcher • Paul Fletcher • Cliff Fluet • Ashley Forbes • Dee Ford • Nick Ford •
Eamonn Forde • Andy Fordyce • James Forster • Leonard Foster • James Foster • Alistair Foster • Rebecca Foster • Rosie Foster • Mel Fox •
Lizzie Francis • Holly Fraser • Niomi Fraser • Stevie Freeman • Anthony French • Lucy Fulford • Nicola Fuller • Stuart Galbraith •
Ali Gardiner • Sinead Garvan • Jonathan Geddes • Christine Geissmar • Katie George • Pat Gilbert • Ellie Giles • Will Gilgrass •
James Gillespie • Mark Gillespie • Fiona Glyn-Jones • Nick Glynn • Louise Golbey • Jake Gosling • Joe Gossa • Casandra Govor •
Carina Grace • Cassandra Gracey • Jessica Gray • Keeley Gray • Ian Greaves • Tony Grech-Smith • Ashlie Green • Chris Green •
Jonathan Green • Daisy Greenhead • Natasha Greenidge • Richard Griffiths • Barry Grint • Snooky Grubb • Emma Guirao • Charlotte Gunn •
Morna Cook • Ben Cook • Chris Cooke • Sophie Cooke • Jax Coombes • Ben Cooper • Robert Copsey • Meredith Cork • John Cornwell •
Alexi Cory- Smith • Raye Cosbert • Simon Cosyns • Tom Cotton • Peter Coulston • Hanna Cowan • Jack Cox • Dan Cox • Sara Cox •
Jay Cox • Michael Cragg • Cameron Craig • Paul Craig • Brandon Creed • Alex Critchley • Adele Cross • Maggie Crowe • Rob Crutchley •
David Cuen • Julie Cullen • Keturah Cummings • James Curran • Iman D-Fuller • Reynold D’silva • Austin Daboh • Nadia Dahabiyeh •
Bruce Daisley • Peter ‘Mistajam’ Dalton • Lucy Dann • Tom Dark • Laura Davidson • Jackie Davidson • Guy Davie • Nan Davies •
Rachel Davies • Sally Davies • Owain Davies • Andrew Davies • Amber Davis • Abigail Dawson • Giuseppe De Cristofano • Claudia De Wolff •
Sharon Dean • Stefan Demetriou • Chris Dempsey • Hannah Denchfield • Sarah Desmond • Achal Dhillon • Lucy Dickins • Lizzie Dickson •
Sonia Diwan • Ged Doherty • Dijana Dokmanovic • Dave Dollimore • Caroline Dollimore • Faye Donaldson • Annette Donnelly •
Joseph Donovan • Jasmine Dotiwala • Debra Downes • Sarah Dray • Fergus Dudley • Sasha Duncan • Stephanie Duncan-Bosu •
Frankie Dunn • Anthony Dunning • Buffie Dupon • Ben Durling • Jemma Dwyer • Jane Dyball • Sarah Eames • Frances Earlam •
Neale Easterby • Alex Eden-Sharon Smith • Jamal Edwards • Azi Eftekhari • Priya Elan • Sam Eldridge • Jess Eldridge • Caroline Elleray •
Bruno Ellingham • Louise Elliott • Jason Ellis • Hannah Ellis-Petersen • Susie Ember • James Embiricos • Eugene Emelin • Selina Emeny •
Charlotte Gutierrez • Jo-Ann Gwynne • Claire Haffenden • Isaac Hagan • Mark Hagen • Thomas Haimovici • Eleanor Halls • Cally Hamilton •
Jennifer Hammel • Ronan Hand • Mike Hanson • Michael Hanson • Will Hardy • Remi Harris • Pru Harris • Sarah Harris • Sue Harris •
Jo Hart • Anna Harvey • Kerry Harvey-Piper • Octavia Harwood • David Hawkes • Paul Hawkins • Chris Hawkins • Nathalie Hayes •
107

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Mark Hayton • Bono • Vanessa Higgins • Eleanor Hill • Jennifer Hills • Richard Hinkley • John Hirst • Kate Hiscox • Paul Hitchman •
Will Hodgkinson • Alex Hoffman • Kienda Hoji • Richard Holley • Phil Hope • Al Horner • Patrick Hough • Ed Howard • Jo Howarth •
Alison Howe • Fay Hoyte • Kevin Hughes • Neil Hughes • Greg Hughes • Dorothy Hui • Gus Hully • Marvin Humes • Brad Hunner •
El Hunt • Sarah Hurwitz • Rebecca Hutchinson • Jackie Hyde • Naz Idelji • Jason Iley • James Ingham • Nosheen Iqbal • Zubin Irani •
Jennifer Ivory • Chi Chi Izundu • Malcolm Jack • Dean Jackson • Matt Jacob • Kilo Jalloh • Zainab Jama • Veronna James • Bethan James •
Sarah Jamieson • Natalie Jamieson • Natalie Jennings • Maryam Jibrilu • Shabs Jobanputra • Sukhraj Johal • Melanie Johnson •
Callum Johnson • Sammy Jones • Henry Jones • Simon Jones • Anya Jones • Lucy Jordache • David Joseph • Neo Jessica Joshua •
Joanne Joslin • Frederick Jude • Emma Kamen • Jessica Kangalee • Anna Karatziva • Alex Katter • Gillian Kelly • Phil Kemish •
Danielle Kennedy-Clark • Joe Kentish • Khalid Kerr • Teriy Keys, Esq. • Neda Khalili • Shahid Khan • Rob Khan • Lucy Kilner • Naomi Kimpenu •
Jim King • Kanya King • Craig Kinnear • Kimberleigh Louise Kirby • Jonathan Klein • Jessica Koravos • Sabrina Kristiansen • Darren Kruse •
Dayalan Kulendran • Kwame Kwaten • Isaac Kyerematen • Safiya Lambie-Knight • Eboni Lamine • Paul Langworthy • Rebecca Laporta •
Jeremy Lascelles • Greg Lawton • Wizdom Layne • John Leahy • Martyn Lee • Orla Lee-Fisher • Peter Leggatt • Abi Leland • Miles Leonard •
Kathy Leppard • Lady Leshurr • Colin Lester • Héloïse Letissier • Nick Levine • Ken Levitan • Rob Lewis • Tom Lewis • Mel Lewis • Ken Li •
Alma Lilic Lilic • Holly Limpkin • Robert Linney • Sarah Liversedge • Dave Loader • Anthony Lockwood • Janice Long • Steve Long •
Paulette Long • Max Lousada • Tim Lovejoy • Emmy Lovell • Lottie Lumsden • Mervyn Lyn • Natasha Lynch • Dorian Lynskey • Ida Lyxzen •
Steve Mac • Andy Macdonald • Paul Mack • Natalie Maddix • Anton Magnusson • Shannon Mahanty • Linda Maitland • Paul Malone •
Colleen Maloney • Andy Malt • Fran Malyan • David Manders • Chris Mandle • Holly Manners • James Manning • James Mannion •
Kieran Mansfield • Marina Mansour • Tom March • Jason Marcus • Katerina Marka • Catherine Marks • Marc Marot • Jeremy Marsh •
Ricky Marshall • Holly Marshall • Ken Marshall • Summer Marshall • John Marshall • Omar Maskatiya • Sheena Mason • Guy Massey •
Jade Matthews • Tina Matthews • Sarah Matthews • Olivia Matthias • Jim Mawdsley • Craig May • Chantelle Mccallam • Abbie Mccarthy •
Neil Mccormick • Emma Mcdonald • Lynne Mcdowell • Helena Mcgeough • Mary Mcgovern • Nesta Mcgregor • Fiona Mcgugan •
THE BRITs
Pete Mcintosh • Sinead Mcintryre • Faron Mckenzie • Alec Mckinlay • John Mclaren • Craig Mclean • Kim Mcnally-Luke • Jesse Mcnamara •
Mick Meadows • Radha Medar • Grace Medford • Jack Melhuish • Liana Mellotte • Nicola Mendelsohn • Sas Metcalfe • Kaiya Milan •
Charlotte Miles • Annette Millar • Clare Miller • Glenn Miller • Francesca Mills • Robyn Milner • Mark Mitchell • Tshepo Mokoena •
David Molina • Phil Mongredien • Dan Monsell • Simon Moran • Bruno Morelli • Zoe Morfakis • Jill Morgan • Clive Morgan • Zosia Morris •
Shona Morris • Ben Mortimer • Christopher Moser • Samantha Moy • Regine Moylett • Eska Mtungwazi • Maeve Mulholland •
Seamus Murphy-Mitchell • Conrad Murray • Nicola Murray • Maria Murtagh-Hopkins • Owen Myers • Lizo Mzimba • Shikala Nadine •
Nina Nannar • Nick Neads • Michael Neidus • Phil Nelson • Robbie Nelson • Ryan Newman • Sarah Niblock • David Nicholl • Zoe Nicholson •
Erik Nielsen • Annie Nightingale Mbe • Olivia Nunn • Parris O Loughlin Hoste • Dan O’connell • Roisin O’connor • Shannon O’gorman •
Mike O’keefe • Dermot O’leary • Shane O’neill • Eunice Obianagha • Jamie Oborne • Meenal Odedra • Antonia Odunlami • Mj Olaore •
Sinead Oldnall • Mustafa Omer • Tobe Onwuka • Sam Orton • Rudy Osorio • Ray Oudkerk • Hannah Overton • Steve Owen • Rob Owen •
Adetokunbo T Oyelola • Paul Pacifico • Megan Page • Lucie Panton • Michelle Papacharalambous • Vicki Papps • Richard Park •
VOTING Voting
Academy 2
Nadine Parker • Jo Parkerson • Steve Parkinson • Dipesh Parmar • Mandy Parnell • Tim Parry • Lorraine Partridge • Jay Patel • Colin Paterson •
Nick
ACADEMY
Patrick • Joseph Patterson • Lucy Pavia • Stefania Pavlou • Caius Pawson • Michael Pell • Monique Pennie • Jonathan Perry •
Andrew Perry • Jason Perry • Justin Perry • Lewis Phillips • Camilla Pia • Elizabeth Pike • Lidia Pini • Abbie Pink • Sophie Pitchforth •
Steve Pitron • Nicole Placide • Daniel Poku • Simon Porter • Ed Potton • Sam Potts • Andrew Prevezer • Chris Price • Sarah Probert •
Gary Prosser • Luis Pulido • Paul Quirk • Jason Rackham • Mark Radcliffe • James Radice • Dave Rajan • Mark Ralph • Nick Raphael •
Simon Raymonde • Kirsty Redfearn • Mark Rees • Rene Renner • Lauren Reynolds • Zeon Richards • Patrice Richards • Lee-Anne Richardson •
Tara Richardson • Jacob Rickard • Katie Riding • Millie Riley • Judith Rivers • Kyle Roberts • Dan Roberts • Kaya Robertson •
Michael Robinson • Marc Robinson • Rich Robinson • Peter Robinson • Steve Robson • Neil Rodford • Nana Rogues • Kerri-Ann Roper •
Jon Russ • Fiona Rutherford • Simon Sadler • David Salmon • Charlotte Samady • Cece Sammy • Dari Samuels • Gemma Samways •
2018
Brian Rose • Jb Rose • Matt Ross • Kate Rothschild • David Rowe • William Rowe • Henrietta Rowlatt • David Rowntree • Liam Rudden •
Niki Sanderson • James Sandom • June Sarpong • Rag Satguru • Mark Savage • Phil Savill • Nitin Sawhney • Chris Sawyer • Neil Saxby •
Paul Scaife • Oliver Schusser • Calum Scott • Duncan Seaman • Helen Searle • Elena Segal • Peter Selby • Dj Semtex • Derren Sequeira •
Samantha Sewell • Tash Shah • Umong Shah • Shahesta Shaitly • Professor Jonathan Shalit Obe • Ian Sharpe • David Sharpe •
Saleem Sheikh • Lisa Shenton • Jazmin Sherman • Adam Sherwin • Andy Shier • Hiroki Shirasuka • Craig Silvey • Caroline Simionescu Marin •
Sebastian Simone • Lauren Simpson • Dave Simpson • Vix Simpson • Phoebe Sinclair • David Sinclair • Sam Singh • Ashley Singh •
Samantha Sissons • Tina Skinner • Wassim Sal Slaiby • Adele Slater • Dan Slatter • Claire Slevin • Paul Smernicki • Al Smith • Christian Smith •
Michael Smith • Paul Smith • Jeff Smith • Mike Smith • Patrick Smith • Jo Smith • Jennifer Smith • David Smyth • Angie Somerside •
Claire Southwick • Mike Spencer • Ella Squire • Alex Stevenson • James Stirling • Leah Stockford • Liz Stokes • Katie Strachan •
Anya Strafford • Steve Strange • Chris Straw • Paige Stubley • Jade Style • Caroline Sullivan • Kemi Sulola • Jamz Supernova •
Danton Supple • Jamie Sutcliffe • Mark Sutherland • Joey Swarbrick • Adrian Sykes • Ashley Sykes • Linzi Symons • Philip Taggart •
Devlin Tagoe • Chris Tams • Stacey Tang • Ashley-Rae Tapping • Mazin Tappuni • Sam Taylor • Joe Taylor • Pippa Taylor • Geoff Taylor •
Thomas Thain • Krishandeep Thind • Jane Third • Jade Thirlwall • Dominic Thomas • Nick Thomas • Richard Thomas • Andrew Thompson •
Carroll Thompson • Tom Thorogood • James Thorpe • Adrian Thrills • Ruth Titmarsh • Ben Todd • Liam Tootill • Candice Trimingham •
John Truelove • Adam Tudhope • Nicola Tuer • Jon Turner • Briony Turner • Jo Tutchener Sharp • Lee Tyler • Rebecca Tyson • Uche Uchendu •
Terry Underhill • Ferdy Unger Hamilton • Alice Vaughan • Adam Velasco • Alain Verhave • Phil Vernol • Tim Vernon • Lisa Verrico •
Indunil Vidyalankara • Alice Vincent • Alexis Vokos • Diane Wagg • Mark Wagman • Phalinda-Tavia Wakadima • Chris Walker • Olivia Walker •
Ben Walker • Benjamin Walker • Chris Walker • Alex Wall • Mike Walsh • Jack Walton • Simon Ward • Chris Wareing • Gregory H Watson •
Angela Watts • Halina Watts • Iain Watts • Selina Webb • Lana Webb • Julie Weir • Harriet Wells • Neil West • Amy Wheatley • Katy Wheeler •
Richard Wheeler • Christy Whelan • Richard White • Jack White • Aaron Whitehorne • Tom Whiter • Hide Whone • Dave Wibberley •
Amy Wildsmith • Matt Wilkinson • Steph Wilkinson • David Wille • Gen Williams • Pete Wilson • Lucy Winter • Gabbie Witham •
Ayanna Witter-Johnson • Ben Wolford • Sally Wood • Charles Wood • Rory Woodbridge • Matthew Woolliscroft • Louise Woolsey •
Dan Wootton • Bob Workman • Rachel Worsley • Frankie Wraight • Alison Wressell • Kate Wright • Amelia Wright • Kieran Yeates •
Jana Yell • Chris York • Tom Young • Ian Youngs • Natasha Youngs • Carol Zuma-Hall •
www.3M.co.uk/architectural | www.architextural.co.uk @3MGraphicsUK @3MGraphicsUK
109

PUTTIN’ ON
THE GLITZ
Glamour is the name of the
game at The BRIT Awards.
Backstage, The BRITs Artists’ Bar & Spa ensures all of our
stars can sparkle, whatever their last-minute needs.
BRITs Spa
photo studio - Smashbox Studios in L.A.-
We’re delighted to welcome a top-tier team of
make-up and grooming professionals to our VIP
Spa suites. And anyone who’ll appear on stage
has received an invite to pop in for a leisurely and
innovative treatment, or an urgent emergency fix.
We send so many thanks to the BRITs Brand Partners
who give their time to work their magic on behalf of
The BRITs. Specialist hair stylists and make-up artists,
nail professionals and beauty therapists ensure stars
look their very best (and feel as great as they look)!
For the stars of tonight’s BRITs show, looking good
has never been so easy. And at the BRITs Spa,
there’s 100% added chutzpah - guaranteed!
Intro: Helen Lamont
Product Info: Jo Tutchener-Sharp
We live for lipstick. Get excited about
primers. (No, seriously, we do.) But mostly,
we love sharing our makeup secrets
with you. Why? Because creativity and
collaboration is at the core of our DNA. We
are the only brand born out of a legendary
where major photographers, celebrities
and makeup artists converge to create
iconic images every day. We know your
lives can be as crazy demanding as our
shoots, where our products must look
beautiful AND outperform in hot lights,
wind machines and countless wardrobe
changes. So our mission is to develop
makeup that solves problems, looks
flawless in every kind of light and feels
great to wear every day - from the set to
the streets. It’s all about being your most
kickass beautiful self at Smashbox.
Check us out on smashbox.co.uk or
chat to us on Facebook messenger,
just search ‘Smashbox Cosmetics UK’
and hit ‘get started’ for all the insider
tips and tricks and virtual try-on.
smashbox.co.uk
BRITs Spa
improve the texture and health of coloured
Color Wow is the first haircare collection
of intelligent problem solvers for colourtreated
hair which is also free from
ingredients that dull, darken and distort
colour. Designed to enhance and protect
colour, camouflage roots and dramatically
hair, it has become the go-to range for top
colourists and stylists. Created by beauty
innovator Gail Federici and her talented
team who are renowned for fixing frizz,
Color Wow stormed into the market
with game-changing Root Cover Up,
winning every major US and UK beauty
award in the five years since launching.
Color Wow’s global ambassadors have
created show-stopping looks for numerous
BRIT award nominees and winners
including Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Jennifer
Lopez, Adele and Ariana Grande. The pop
up salon at The BRITs Artists’ Bar & Spa
gives you the chance to experience the
revolutionary formulations A-list stylists
use to ensure hardworking hair is just
perfect for appearances on any stage,
film set, red carpet or cover shoot.
Color Wow are offering dry-styling
backstage so drop by to Pop & Lock
your locks, get stellar style with Style
On Steroids or transform quickly with
One Minute Transformation, whatever
you choose; Color Wow stylists will
have your hair ‘camera-ready’.
colorwowhair.com
Nail Harmony UK are the UK distributors
for all Hand & Nail Harmony products
including Gelish and the brand new
innovation PolyGEL. Nail Harmony UK
also brings you the fashion-forward
professional nail lacquer brand, All That
Jazz. As a family-run business we pride
ourselves on our reputation for high
quality products, amazing customer
service and releasing on-trend products
for the industry and to the public.
We have up to the minute supplies of
the most incredible nail art – Genuine
Swarovski Crystals, 24ct Gold particles
along with some out-of-this world glitters
& pigments to give a real premium
glitz to the look, along with over 100
colours to choose from should you
choose to keep it classy and simple.
Our team across the globe have created
numerous looks fresh off the runway
for Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Emma Bunton,
Gwyneth Paltrow, Ella Henderson
and many more. Pop into The BRITs
Artists’ Bar & Spa to create your own
complete and unique outfit.
allthatjazzuk.com
Created in London in 1999, Pixi has
a loyal worldwide following thanks
to its pure, awakening & skin-loving
products that create a naturally radiant
“just had a good night’s sleep” look.
Creator Petra Strand makes innovative
formulations that are infused with
botanicals and beneficial ingredients – her
experience as a make-up artist drives Pixi
products to be multitasking, flaw-fixing,
and youth-enhancing formulations.
Pixi’s mission is the same now as it was
on the first day the Pixi store opened:
simply to bring out the natural beauty
in all women – to make women
look like themselves, only better.
Pixi will be offering the perfect skin
prep with glow enhancing facials
and a chance to try these beautiful,
botanical based skin treats!
Flawless in a few fuss-free minutes
– that’s what Pixi is all about!
pixibeauty.co.uk
110
111

Julie’s Bicycle is proud to be working once again
with The BRIT Awards 2018 with Mastercard.
At work behind the scenes to make your BRITs greener.
Julies
Bicycle
Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners.
Powering creative action on climate change since 2007.
juliesbicycle.com @juliesbicycle juliesbicycle info@juliesbicycle.com
uliesBicycle_A5_Ad.indd 1 19/01/2018 16:21
THANK YOU FOR BEING
ONE IN OUR MILLION
Since 2009, over 1 Million tickets for events in
the UK have been donated to members of our
Armed Forces through Tickets For Troops.
tickets for troops
BRITS COMMITTEE 2018
Committee Chairman: Jason Iley (Sony)
Ben Beardsworth (XL Recordings),
Phil Christie (Warner), Nick Raphael
(Universal), Nicola Tuer (Sony), Geoff Taylor
(BPI/BRITs), Maggie Crowe OBE (BRITs),
Sally Wood (BRITs TV), Stuart Bell,
Richard Dawes (DawBell PR),
BRITs Digital Committee Chair
Dorothy Hui (Sony)
For The BPI, OCC & Voting Academy
Ged Doherty, Geoff Taylor,
Kiaron Whitehead, Chris Austin,
Omar Maskatiya, Chris Walker,
MJ Olaore, Lorraine Partridge
AWARDS EVENT & SHOW
BAL Event Director Maggie Crowe OBE
Event Manager Adrian Carter
Director of Digital Giuseppe De Cristofano
Accreditation & Transport Coordinator
Dina Van der Elst
Events Hannah Denchfield,
Jemma Dwyer, Ashley Read
Ticketing Rachel Bentley
Finance Dominic Thomas
Legal Christy Whelan, Lucy Bidwill
Technical Support Alan Brindley
BRITs Digital Somethin’ Else
Media Relations DawBell PR
National TV & Radio Promotion
Scream Promotions
International TV Sales ITV Global
Compilation Album Ministry of Sound
Naz Idelji, Tom Platt
Catering Payne & Gunter/Levys Restaurants
Bethan James, Lucy Fulford
Design & Photography JM Enternational
Award styled by Sir Anish Kapoor
Venue Danielle Kennedy-Clark,
James Clarke, Gillian Kelly
CHARITIES &
INITIATIVES
WE SUPPORT
Credits 1
Mastercard Alanna Aylen, Kirsty Redfern
Television Show Produced by BRITs TV
ITV Shu Greene
BRITs TV
Executive Producer Sally Wood
Director Phil Heyes
Production Manager Rebecca Hutchinson
Band Production Maggie Mouzakitis
VT Producer Claire Pothecary
Music Producer Caroline Cullen
Award Presenter Producer Louise Clay
Production Co-ordinator Zoe Nicholson
Camera Supervisor Rob Sargent
Programme Sound Toby Alington
OB Facilities CTV
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMES
BRITs Launch & ITV2 Shows Producer
Dan Rooke
BRITs Launch & ITV2 Shows Assistant Producer
Jordan McGauran
BRITs Launch Director Paul Dugdale
BRITs Launch Production Manager
Rebecca Hutchinson
BRITs Launch Production Co-ordinator
Zoe Nicholson
ITV2 Shows Director Tony Grech-Smith
ITV2 Shows Production Manager
Kirsten Thompson
ITV2 Shows Production Co-ordinator
Robert Foot
BRITs SPA PARTNERS
If you would like to donate tickets to our British Troops
to any event please contact Tickets For Troops
e: events@ticketsfortroops.org.uk
w: www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk
113

MEDIA PARTNERS
OUR CONTRACTORS
& CONTRIBUTORS
LEPPARD
STAGE PRODUCTION
BRIT Awards Productions
Kate Wright, Tony Wheeler, Lisa Shenton,
Malcolm Birkett, Julie Chennells,
Yvonne Ryan, Amanda Crane, Chris Caddy,
Nancy Fearne, Aisling O’Connor,
Lily Graham, Mark Terry, Davey Coates,
Charlie Palmer, Ciara O’Connor
Stage Management Mike Grove
Production Design Misty Buckley
Lighting Designer Al Gurdon
Lighting Crew Boss Richard Gorrod
Lighting Company PRG Europe
Rigging Outback Rigging
Sound Designer Colin Pink
PA Supplier Britannia Row Productions
Crew Catering
The Bleeding Hearts Catering Company
Staging StageCo
Set Steel Monkey
Screens Ogle Hog
Local Crew Showstars
Stage Crew Stage Miracles
Dressing Room/Press Monitors
Soundbite Productions
Furniture & Backstage Lovely Things
Draping Blackout Limited
Health & Safety J-EMSS Limited
Backstage Security Show & Event Security
Power Templine
Cabins Qdos
Credits
2BRITS VIP CLUB
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&
ASSOCIATES
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RIVERS
Production BRIT Awards Productions
Production Manager Chuck Crampton
Event Production Keeley Wills,
Kaz Hill, Paul Bissoni
Designer Bruce French
Art Director Mick Pirie
Lighting Designer Stuart Pring
Official Aftershow Party Partner
Tempus Magazine:
Shaun Prince, Georgia Peck
THE BRIT AWARDS 2018
SHOW PROGRAMME
Editorial Helen Lamont (Editor),
John Marshall (Art Editor),
Will Amery (Design & Production)
Jan Burdge (Proof reading)
Advertising Leppard & Rivers Associates
Judith Rivers/Kathy Leppard
Advertising Marshall Harrison
James Rolph/Zina Crosse
Publisher JM Enternational
Printer Fingerprint
Special Thanks To Sir Anish Kapoor,
Lucy Adams, Sophie Baker, Venetia Tate,
Peter Lynch and all at Anish Kapoor studio.
Please be reminded that you are not
permitted to record or film any part of
The BRIT Awards 2018 event without a
specific licence from BRIT Awards Limited.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
IBC
PPL &
PRS for Music
114

CONGRATS
TO ALL THE
WINNERS &
NOMINEES
Let Music Start Something Priceless
Mastercard, ®
proud sponsor
for 20 years
Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.