Laura Whitmore presents the nominations to the 2016 BRIT awards at the ITV studios on South Bank this evening (January 14th) as the biggest names in music battle it out for the prestigious trophies.
The audience chosen to liven the atmosphere for TV are mainly teenagers, and as the nominations are read, screams are inevitable louder for the likes of One Direction, James Bay, and Adele. The lower volume of enthusiasm when Warp Records' Aphex Twin is read out for Best Male Solo Artist, isn't surprising as the dizzy fandom doesn't apply to him. But there's a lot of understated nods of enthusiasm from the adults at the back – it's refreshing to see the BRITs become slightly more accommodating to experimental styles of music.
Elsewhere, Amy Winehouse gets nominated for Best Female Solo Artist. But comedian Katherine Ryan puts her foot in it:
"The award should go to someone who's alive. We miss her but she's gone now."
The crowd rightfully boo.
"What!?" she answers. "I think that you should get it as you've had an amazing year," she says, gesturing toward Jess Glynne.
The scene is inevitably re-shot.
On stage Jess Glynne gets enough of a party atmosphere going for Wolf Alice to start pogoing around on the opposite side of the room. Wolf Alice are sat next to Catfish and The Bottlemen, the only other indie band battling it out for British Breakthrough Act. "We're well up for it," snarls bassist Theo Ellis to Whitmore. They're definitely in with a good chance, even if they're against pop heavyweights, James Bay and Years & Years.
Olly Alexander leads a charismatic performance by Years & Years, thrilling the fans. Meanwhile, Jack Garratt is the last nominated act to perform, and brings in his disparate styles of folk, electronica and raw blues into the mix, throwing his all into it. Leaving the stage for an interview, and covered in sweat after only one song, he speaks breathlessly to the cameras, as he begins to wave good bye to life as he knew it.
It's difficult to imagine these awards have much bearing on some of the acts but for those embedded in the pop world from the beginning, like Jack Garratt, it's massive. The biggest accolade of the BRIT Awards is British Mastercard Album Of The Year, but nominations were largely predictable – even with the possible exception of Jamie xx. On the other hand, International Male Solo Artist was more surprising with Father John Misty deservedly being picked against Justin Bieber and Drake. Good luck to him!
Words: Cai Trefor
