Singer Charli XCX wins top prizes at BRIT Awards

 

Singer Charli XCX, whose album "Brat" inspired a cultural phenomenon last summer, was the big winner at the BRIT Awards, Britain's pop music honors, in London on Saturday, picking up five prizes.

"Brat", which inspired fans to film themselves dancing to its tracks and whose lime green cover look was adopted by U.S. presidential hopeful Kamala Harris' campaign on social media after the singer referenced her in a post, won the coveted album of the year category.

Charli XCX, who had led nominations, was also named artist of the year and best dance act. Her single "Guess", featuring Billie Eilish, won Song of the Year beating tracks including the Beatles' "Now and Then".

The 32-year-old pop star won her first BRIT, songwriter of the Year, earlier this week.

"I've always felt like an outsider in the industry but particularly in the British music industry and so it feels really nice to be recognized on this album," she said as she received the Album of the Year award.

"I would just like to share this with all artists who have ever felt that they need to compromise to be recognised and to have their moment in the sun because I think I'm living proof that maybe it takes a long time, but... you don't need to compromise your vision."

The singer released her debut studio album in 2013. "Brat" was her sixth and she said she would "probably never make a record like this again".

Item 1 of 3 Charli xcx receives the award for Artist Of The Year during the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

[1/3]Charli xcx receives the award for Artist Of The Year during the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes Purchase Licensing Rights, opens a new tab

"It's so in my instinct to just like not do the same thing twice... I will probably reject it completely and do something completely different," she said.

Jazz quintet Ezra Collective was named group of the year.

"This moment right here is because of the great youth clubs and great teachers and the great schools that support young people playing music," drummer Femi Koleoso said in one of several of the night's acceptance speeches that called for more support for young musicians and grassroots venues.

U.S. singer Chappell Roan won International Artist of the year while her track "Good Luck, Babe!" won International Song of the year.

"Espresso" singer Sabrina Carpenter was named the first international recipient of the global success award, which recognises artists with "phenomenal global sales", following in the footsteps of One Direction, Adele, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

The ceremony also featured a tribute dedicated to late One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died in October after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band, one of the most popular of all time.

 The BRIT Awards, Britain's annual pop music honors, were handed out at a ceremony in London on Saturday.

Below is a list of the winners.

MASTERCARD ALBUM OF THE YEAR

- Charli XCX, "Brat"

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

- Charli XCX

SONG OF THE YEAR

- Charli XCX, "Guess featuring Billie Eilish"

GROUP OF THE YEAR

- Ezra Collective

BEST NEW ARTIST

- The Last Dinner Party

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

- Chappell Roan

INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

- Fontaines D.C.

INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR

- Chappell Roan, "Good Luck, Babe!"

ALTERNATIVE / ROCK ACT

- Sam Fender

HIP HOP / GRIME / RAP ACT

- Stormzy

DANCE ACT

- Charli XCX

POP ACT

- Jade

R&B ACT

- Raye

RISING STAR

- Myles Smith

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

- Charli XCX

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

- A.G. Cook

GLOBAL SUCCESS AWARD

- Sabrina Carpenter

The most famous Brit Awards look of all time was fashioned from a tea towel. Granted, the minidress Geri Halliwell wore to perform with her fellow Spice Girls at the 1997 ceremony was by Gucci, but it was the Union Jack tea towel she and her sister stitched to the front ahead of time that secured its place in pop culture history (another pop diva, Dua Lipa, paid homage to Ginger’s look in her own Brits performance in 2021).

This tale is perhaps reflective of Brit Awards style as a whole, which has always been more about fun and flamboyance than fashion with a capital F. Take Sam Smith’s inflatable Harri look in 2023, Lady Gaga’s Francesco Scognamiglio cape in 2010, or Lizzo’s chocolate bar-inspired Moschino gown in 2020. But that’s not to say it hasn’t played host to some fabulous – and enduring – red carpet moments. The late Amy Winehouse will forever be associated with the bright yellow Preen minidress she wore to the 2007 ceremony, and Rina Sawayama made the case for vintage fashion in spectacular style back in 2021, wearing archive Balmain.

Sabrina Carpenter brought her signature sparkle – and Short n’ Sweet hemlines – to tonight’s ceremony, where she won the Global Success award. See what the singer and her fellow stars wore on the red carpet at the 2025 Brit Awards, below.

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  Sabrina Carpenter in Alexander McQueen

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  Samir Hussein

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  Charli xcx in Dilara Findikoğlu

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  Jorja Smith in 16Arlington

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  Jourdan Dunn in Mugler

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  The Last Dinner Party

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  Jade Thirlwall in Diesel

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  Lenny Kravitz in vintage Jitrois

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  Flo

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  Stormzy

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  Millie Bobby Brown in Annie’s Ibiza

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  Wasia Project in Prada

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  Naomie Harris in Robert Wun

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  Ghetts in Amiri

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  Jared Leto

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  Sugababes

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  Clara Amfo

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  Maya Jama in vintage John Galliano

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  Mike Marsland

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  Nia Archives

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  Paloma Faith in Ronald van der Kemp

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  Lola Young

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  Beabadoobee in vintage Roberto Cavalli

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  Sarah Close in Simone Rocha

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  Samir Hussein

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  Myles Smith

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  Keely Hodgkinson in Emilia Wickstead

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  Rachel Chinouriri in Kate Walker

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  India Amarteifio

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  Tolami Benson

no guesses needed 😍 @charli_xcx #BRITs pic.twitter.com/CaSROufwa3

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) March 1, 2025

“and finally, my little mix sisters, i love you so much. i wouldn’t have this award without them and they changed my life.” ❤️@jadethirlwall #BRITs pic.twitter.com/ecf2zVfM7R

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) March 1, 2025

oh, she really does leave quite an impression 😍 @sabrinaannlynn
#BRITs pic.twitter.com/cWu5lXttxj

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) March 1, 2025