The 2021 Brit Awards were a watershed moment in the pandemic, drawing 4,000 people to the O2 venue for the first time since lockdown 1.0.
This year's event was historic in another way: for the first time ever, the presentation did away with gender-based awards, resulting in a number of long-awaited victories. Inflo, who collaborated extensively with Adele and Little Simz on their respective albums, became the first non-white winner of the Producer of the Year award since the Brits began in 1977. All of the other highlights (and a few lowlights) from the night are included here.
Adele won the evening before she even got on-stage
After the last-minute cancellation of her Las Vegas residency, Adele returned to London to bring the house down at the Brits, wearing a custom Valentino gown to perform her hit single “I Drink Wine”. It’s the giant pear-shaped diamond on her ring finger, though, that sent Twitter into a tailspin, with many assuming the 30 songstress is now engaged to her boyfriend Rich Paul. Naturally, Adele kept tight-lipped about her relationship status – but she did let slip what she would be doing after scooping both Artist and Record of the Year.
Downing Street got its comeuppance
Naturally, the impending collapse of the British government earned a nod from host Mo Gilligan, who called out the prime minister during one segment of the programme. ‘Boris, I know you’re watching. I know you love a party. Come down, man.’ Not quite as powerful as Dave lambasting the PM through verse a few years ago, but it will do.
Courteney Cox filled the obligatory 'who-would-have-thought-it celebrity presenter' role
We’re living through a golden age of bizarre celebrity romances – as further evidenced by Courteney Cox making an appearance to present International Song of the Year with her partner (?!?), Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol. Now that’s commitment to the Y2K revival.
Anne-Marie had a Madonna-esque fall
During her 2015 performance at the Brits, Madonna famously tumbled down the stairs when her cape malfunctioned – resulting in one of her back-up dancers literally yanking her off her feet (while wearing giant devil horns, no less). Anne-Marie had a similar accident while launching into a rendition of 'Kiss My (Uh Oh)', stepping out of a giant heart and promptly falling over. Uh oh, indeed. Her wonderfully deadpan response to the near-instant memes? “Didn’t need my left ankle anyway.”
Little Simz joined forces with (Netflix) royalty
Little Simz’s performance of her record’s titular song would always have been a highlight of the evening, but the Sometimes I Might Be Introvert musician surprised the crowd by having The Crown’s Emma Corrin join her on-stage. Corrin, whose voice features sporadically on the album, did a spoken-word performance in a dramatic Harris Reed gown and headpiece from the designer’s spring/summer 2022 collection. Speaking of Simz: the Londoner scooped Best New Artist, in spite of the fact that she’s been releasing great music for more than a decade. Better late than never, Brits. Also: if there is anything purer than Simz’s mother losing it over her daughter’s success, I have never witnessed it.
Logan Roy is apparently an Ed Sheeran fan
Succession’s Brian Cox showed up to give Ed Sheeran the Songwriter of the Year award, noting that 'Shape of You' is now the most-streamed song ever on Spotify. He then promptly flew off-stage faster than Logan Roy in a PJ. (Somehow I cannot imagine L-to-the-OG tolerating Ed Sheeran being played anywhere in his vicinity, under any circumstances, ever?)
