The BRIT Awards have announced major changes to their voting system, designed to promote diversity after last year’s ceremony was criticised for failing to nominate a single black artist in any major category.
The organisers have invited over 700 new voters from across the music industry to join the BRITs Voting Academy, a move which aims to achieve a greater gender balance and better BAME representation.
Next year’s voting panel will be 52 percent male and 48 percent female, in contrast to this year’s voting body, which was 70 percent male.
BAME voters will comprise 17 percent of the panel, up slightly from 15 percent in 2016, forming the most diverse voting body in BRITs history.
Last year’s ceremony was branded ‘embarrassing’ by grime artists Stormzy after failing to recognise the huge contribution of BAME artists to Britain’s musical landscape. After no non-white artists were recognised in major BRITs categories, the hashtag #BritsSoWhite appeared on Twitter – an echo of the #OscarsSoWhite dispute, which emerged when only white actors received nominations.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the voting body for the Oscars) responded with the most diverse new intake in its history, with 41 percent of new invitees being people of colour.
Ged Doherty, chairman of BPI (the organisation that runs the BRITs) said, ‘I’m really proud that we’ve taken firm action to refresh the Academy to ensure that it keeps up with trends in music and society at large. I believe that as a result of these changes the BRITs will be better equipped to reflect the diverse nature of Britain and British music.’
Voting for the 2017 Awards will open on 9th December, and close on 13th December.
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