Olivia Dean emerged as the undisputed star of the Brit Awards 2026 on Saturday night, claiming four trophies including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for her critically acclaimed record The Art Of Loving. The 25-year-old south London singer-songwriter also took home Song of the Year for her collaboration with Sam Fender on Rein Me In, and was named Best Pop Act, completing a clean sweep of every category in which she had been nominated.
The ceremony itself made history by moving outside London for the first time in the 46-year existence of the awards, with Manchester's Co-op Live arena hosting the glittering event. Comedian Jack Whitehall returned as host for a sixth time, guiding the audience through an evening that celebrated both established icons and emerging talent from across the British and international music scene.
Sam Fender added to his Song of the Year triumph by winning Best Alternative and Rock Act, while Wolf Alice secured the Group of the Year prize for the second time in their career. Lola Young, who had entered the night tied with Dean on five nominations, claimed the Breakthrough Artist award. Dave took home the Hip-Hop, Grime and Rap Act trophy, while Sault earned the R&B Act honour.
The international categories delivered notable results, with Rosalia becoming the first Spanish-language artist to win International Artist of the Year, seeing off competition from Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga. The International Song of the Year went to Rose and Bruno Mars for their global hit APT., and American band Geese claimed International Group. Among the special awards, PinkPantheress made history as the first woman to be named Producer of the Year, while Noel Gallagher received Songwriter of the Year and Mark Ronson accepted the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize.
One of the most emotionally charged moments of the evening came with the posthumous Lifetime Achievement award for Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne. Robbie Williams led a powerful tribute performance of the 1991 classic No More Tears, joined by former members of Osbourne's live band including bassist Robert Trujillo, guitarist Zakk Wylde, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos.
The night featured memorable live performances from Harry Styles, who opened the show for his third solo appearance at the BRITs, along with sets from Olivia Dean, Rosalia, Wolf Alice, Alex Warren, Sombr and Mark Ronson. Industry observers noted that the move to Manchester proved successful in generating a fresh energy for the ceremony, with organisers indicating that future editions may continue to rotate between venues across the United Kingdom.
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