The biggest night in British music, the BRIT Awards, saw singer-songwriter Raye emerge victorious, breaking the previous record for most awards given out in a single night at the ceremony.
Six prizes were given to Raye: artist of the year, album of the year (for “My 21st Century Blues”), and song of the year (for “Escapism”).
The 26-year-old was also awarded best new artist and won the genre award for R&B act. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), who administer the annual ceremony, said that her seven nominations surpassed the record for the most nominations by a single artist in any one year.
After claiming that her record label had withheld her debut album, Raye left the label in 2021 to pursue her career as an independent artist. This week, she started early celebrations after receiving the BRITs Songwriter of the Year award.
Since the award’s inception in 2022, she is the first female recipient.
In her album of the year acceptance speech, a distraught Raye stood beside her grandma, whom she also thanked for “her prayers.” “You just don’t understand what this means to me,” Raye added.
“I’m really happy with this record. I adore music so much. I’ve always aspired to be an artist, and here I am, having won an album of the year.”
Group of the Year went to Jungle, and Bring Me the Horizon, a rock band, triumphed over Blur and The Rolling Stones to win the alternative/rock artist category.
With three nominations, Blur was left empty-handed.
Pop act went to Dua Lipa, who received three nominations as well.
According to the BPI, women were nominated for more than half (55%) of the categories this year, either as solo artists or as members of all-woman groups.
After an uproar over an all-male list of finalists last year, the organizers increased the number of nominations for the gender-neutral Artist of the Year category, which now has ten.
Beating out the likes of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, US singer SZA won the gender-neutral international artist of the year award, which now has ten nominees. The latter’s smash song “Flowers” won her worldwide song of the year.
