The biggest night in British music celebrated the incredible women we've loved and listened to on repeat over the past year. Kicking off the night, Sabrina Carpenter pulled out all the stops with her performance, with a very Sabrina ode to Britannia, before some impressive choreography on a heart-shaped bed. Of course, it had the usual suspects clutching their pearls. Actor Millie Bobby Brown later presented Carpenter with the Global Success award.
Unsurprisingly, Charli XCX - who asked not to perform so she could kick back and enjoy the night, or in the words of host Jack Whitehall 'get pissed' - swept up five awards: British Album of the Year, Song of the Year, British Artist of the Year, Best Dance Act, and Songwriter of the Year. At one point, she called out broadcaster ITV for 'complaining about my nipples,' adding, 'We’re in the era of Free the Nipple though, right?’
Last year's Rising Star winners, the all-female group The Last Dinner Party, passed on the torch, presenting this year's Rising Star winner Myles Smith with the accolade, before returning to the stage to take home the Best New Artist award, urging the industry to protect small independent music venues in their acceptance speech. They also performed their hit Nothing Matters from last year’s debut album Prelude To Ecstasy, paying tribute to the late David Lynch with a Twin Peaks inspired set.
Former Little Mixer, JADE, also performed, recreating the music video for her hit Angel of My Dreams with an impressively theatrical performance. She won her first solo BRIT award for Best Pop Act. Other winners included RAYE, who won Best R&B Act, and Chappell Roan for Best International Act and Best International Song.
Since 2021 the BRITs have had non-gendered categories for all awards, in a bid to celebrate artists 'solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them'.