Arlo Parks. Photo by Alex Kurunis.
The nominees for the 2021 Brit Awards have arrived. This year's slate sees a boost in female and nonwhite representation, as The Guardian points out: artists with three nominations in 2021 include pop megastar Dua Lipa, recent GEN F subject Arlo Parks, drill M.C. Headie One, and Celeste, winner of the BBC Sound of 2020 poll and the artist behind the accomplished soul album Not Your Muse. Nominations were also handed out to Burna Boy (for International Male Solo Act), BTS (International Group) and Cardi B (International Female Solo Act).
The Brit Awards was recently the subject of an eligibility controversy spearheaded by Japanese-British pop musician Rina Sawayama. The artist said her debut album Sawayama was ineligible for the Brit Awards due to residency requirements — Sawayama is not a British citizen but has lived in the country since she was a child. Following public pressure from the #SawayamaIsBritish Twitter campaign, the British Phonographic Industry announced updates to the eligibility requirements for both the Brit Awards and the Mercury Music Prize to include artists who have lived in the United Kingdom for at least five years.
Check out the full list of nominees below. The 2021 BRit Awards will be broadcast on May 11.
Male Solo Artist
AJ Tracey
Headie One
J Hus
Joel Corry
Yungblud
Female Solo Artist
Arlo Parks
Celeste
Dua Lipa
Jessie Ware
Lianne La Havas
British Single
"Don’t Need Love" — 220 Kid & Gracey
"Rain" — Aitch & AJ Tracey ft Tae Keith
"Physical" — Dua Lipa
"Watermelon Sugar" — Harry Styles
"Ain’t It Different" — Headie One ft AJ Tracey & Stormzy
"Head & Heart" — Joel Corry ft MNEK
"Lighter" — Nathan Dawe ft KSI
"Secrets" — Regard & Raye
"Rover" — Simba ft DTG
"Don’t Rush" — Young T & Bugsey ft Headie One
British Group
Bicep
Biffy Clyro
Little Mix
The 1975
Young T & Bugsey
Breakthrough Artist
Arlo Parks
Bicep
Celeste
Joel Corry
Young T & Bugsey
International Group
BTS
Fontaines D.C.
Foo Fighters
Haim
Run The Jewels
International Female Solo Act
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Miley Cyrus
Taylor Swift
International Male Solo Act
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Childish Gambino
Tame Impala
The Weekend
Mastercard Album of the Year
Collapsed In Sunbeams — Arlo Parks
Not Your Muse — Celeste
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Big Conspiracy — J Hus
What’s Your Pleasure — Jessie Ware