Music stars are gathering in London for the UK’s top music awards, the annual BRITs, with singer-songwriter Raye leading nominations with a record seven nods, while veterans Rolling Stones and Blur are also contenders for prizes.
Raye is nominated in the awards’ top categories: artist of the year, album of the year for My 21st Century Blues and song of the year for Escapism.
The 26-year-old is also up for the genre categories pop act and R&B act as well as best new artist, with her tally breaking the record for the most nominations by a single artist in any one year, according to ceremony organisers, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Raye, who parted ways with her record label in 2021 to work as an independent artist after she said the label had withheld her debut album, began early celebrations this week, when she was named BRITs Songwriter of the Year. She is the first woman to win the award since its launch in 2022.
“It is my very first BRIT award and I will treasure this trophy very much,” Raye said in a statement.
“I am so grateful to be recognised as a songwriter as this is a craft I am so passionate about and have been since I started my journey as a musician.”
Australia’s Kylie Minogue has been named as this year’s BRITs Global Icon. She recently became the first female artist to score a hit on the UK albums chart in five consecutive decades, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
She’ll also perform at the BRITs award show.
Rappers Central Cee and J Hus both have four nominations, including for artist of the year, a gender neutral category now counting 10 nominees after organisers doubled its number following an outcry over an all-male list of contenders last year.
More than half, 55 per cent, of this year’s nominations feature women – either as a solo artist or as part of an all-woman group.
Dua Lipa has three nominations: artist of the year, pop act and song of the year for “Dance The Night” from box office smash “Barbie”.
Blur also have three nods: for album “The Ballad of Darren”, group of the year and alternative/rock act.
They face competition in that category from The Rolling Stones, who last year released “Hackney Diamonds” – their first album of original material since 2005 and the first recording since drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021.
Indie rock band The Last Dinner Party have already been revealed as winners of the rising star award.
