Charli xcx, Jade and Ezra Collective’s Brit awards cap a vintage year for adventurous pop | Alexis Petridis
Playing music that is as smart as it is successful, Brit winners made articulate calls for artist development – while host Jack Whitehall was brilliantly risky
The Brits has long been in the business of underlining success; upsets and shock wins aren’t really the point. If they seemed moderately more exciting in 2025 than in years past, that’s partly because Jack Whitehall is a better, riskier, funnier host than anyone else offered the job in recent years – he mocked Stormzy for his promotion of McDonald’s, made a joke about amyl nitrate and called Coldplay “the musical missionary position” – and because 2024 was a vintage year for mainstream pop, dominated by music that was characterful and hugely successful.
If Charli xcx – and producer AG Cook – hadn’t been lavishly rewarded for her agenda-setting album Brat, you would have wondered what had gone wrong: likewise Chappell Roan, whose ardent emotion both in and out of the recording studio makes her one of pop’s most cheering recent developments: she responded to her two awards with acceptance speeches that called upon the music industry to offer more long-term development support to artists – a theme also picked up on by Myles Smith, winner of the rising star award – and shouted out the trans community and sex workers.
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Charli XCX named Brits songwriter of the year
The honour is revealed ahead of Saturday's main ceremony, where the star is up for five more prizes.BBC News - 5d -
Brits go Brat as Charli XCX scoops five awards
The Essex star won artist, song and album of the year, for her LP which became a cultural phenomenon.BBC News - 1d -
Charli xcx’s' Brat reign continues, as she clears the decks at BRIT Awards
Charli xcx’s “Brat” reign continues, as she cleared the decks at this year’s BRIT Awards – the U.K.’s leading music awards showABC News - 1d -
Panda Bear: Sinister Grift review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week
(Domino) Noah Lennox’s powerful and adventurous album has plenty of playlistable psych-pop, but then turns introspective: it’s a striking emotional arc. The last time the world heard from Noah ...The Guardian - 3d -
Wild, waspish and whip-smart, there are few rock stars as great as David Johansen | Alexis Petridis
He looked the part – and sounded even better. And the frontman of New York Dolls, who has died aged 75, was deeper than many gave him credit for. • News – David Johansen, frontman of New York ...The Guardian - 1d -
Full list of winners at Brit Awards 2025
Charli XCX, Ezra Collective and Fontaines DC were among the big winners on the night in London.BBC News - 1d -
Brit Awards 2025: The real winners and losers
From Jade's problematic dress, to Stormzy's eye injury - here's what really went down at the Brits.BBC News - 23h -
Ferragamo pops red with a Milan collection inspired by the world of dance
Creative director Maximilian Davis designed Ferragamo’s co-ed collection for next winter with comfort and movement in mindABC News - 1d -
Brit Awards: Five things to look out for in tonight's ceremony
The 2025 Brit Awards are upon us - so who will win, and who'll give the biggest performances?BBC News - 2d
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