5 Lesser-known facts about BRIT Awards 2021

This year’s BRIT Awards shaped up to be a big one, with performances from Coldplay, Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, and Olivia Rodrigo to name a few. The ceremony will took place on Tuesday, May 11 in London and will be telecasted in India on May 16, at 9 PM only on Vh1 India. There are also quite a few surprises in this year’s nominations which we delve into below with 5 notable facts about the 2021 ceremony –

• Women lead the way in the nominations
Four women are up for this year’s Best Album award – Dua Lipa, Jessie Ware, Celeste and Arlo Parks – the highest total ever. Celeste, Dua and Arlo are also among the top nominees overall, with three each.

• Coldplay extend a record (despite not being nominated)
The band are opening the show with a performance of their new single ‘Higher Power’, marking their fifth time they’ve opened the BRITs. Their previous openers were in 2016 with Hymn For The Weekend, 2012 with Charlie Brown, 2006 with Square One, and 2001 with Trouble.

• Bruce Springsteen continues to BOSS IT
This year sees Bruce Springsteen scores the tenth nomination of his career in the International Male Artist category. He’s won the award once, in 1986.

• AJ Tracey appears twice in the Best Single category
The London rapper scored more Top 5s on the Official Singles Chart in 2020 than any other British artist, two of which are nominated this year: Rain (with Aitch, Tay Keith) and Ain’t It Different (with Headie One, Stormzy). His other Top 5s last year were West Ten and Dinner Guest.

• New rules help new artists
This is the first year artists didn’t have to release an album to be eligible for the best male and female categories. This has particularly helped Joel Corry who, despite not having an album, picked up three nominations including Best Male.
Another change of rule is that any artist who has been a permanent UK resident for more than five years is now eligible for nomination. This year that benefitted British-Japanese artist Rina Sawayama, who was nominated for the Rising Star award.

This year for the first time BRITs have incorporate two very different and visually striking statuettes, with each winner encouraged to award the second smaller trophy on to someone else – be it family member, friend, neighbour, colleague, fellow artist, key worker, or another person important to them. Don’t forget to catch up with your favourite BRIT Awards 2021 on 16th May at 9 PM exclusively on Vh1 India.