Who will be the star of the Brit Awards? The British music trophies are awarded on Tuesday February 8, in London.
In search of modernity, the organization is making several changes this year. Among the novelties: the end of gendered prices. It is therefore no longer a question of getting on stage and rewarding the best singer or the best singer: this year, the winners will be presented as British or international artists. New prizes have, in fact, emerged, such as the “Artist of the Year” category, where we find world stars Ed Sheeran, Adele, as well as Sam Fender, Dave and rapper Little Simz.
At the origin of this change, a controversy. In 2021, Sam Smith and his twelve trophies over the last seven years, announced that he no longer wanted to define himself as a man or a woman. He was then unable to compete since no category provided by the organizers did not correspond to him.
Tom March, the chairman of the ceremony, justified this change by stating: “It is essential that the Brit Awards continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible“. In a press release published in November 2021, the organizers justified this choice for “celebrating artists solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify themselves or how others may perceive them.”
However, this choice is not unanimous: Brian May, the guitarist of Queen, is one of the dissatisfied. “It’s a decision made without time for reflection.”
“These people are so afraid of being blamed. It’s a horrible atmosphere.”
“I want to see people who understand each other while acknowledging the differences between us: color, gender, nationality, talent. And let’s celebrate the differences!“ launches the legend of English rock.
In addition, the ceremony should be particularly observed this year: the Brit Awards are also accused of sexism. Over the past ten years, 70% of nominations in the main categories have been for men. In 2021, Little Mix won the trophy for the best group: in 41 years of existence, it was the first time that the ceremony crowned an ensemble composed entirely of women.