The Brit awards have announced that they will increase the number of nominees for gender-neutral categories, following criticism for a lack of diversity.
The organizers of the yearly music awards announced that starting next year, the artist of the year and international artist of the year categories will have 10 nominees instead of five.
In January, there was backlash after it was announced that the best artist prize, which had replaced separate male and female categories two years prior, did not include any women on the shortlist.
The BPI, organizers of the awards, have implemented extended shortlists in response to “extensive consultation” following the 2023 event. These changes aim to enhance representation and inclusivity.
The British will now include R&B in their list of genres, which already includes alternative/rock, dance, pop, and hip-hop/grime/rap.
In the past, R&B musicians were required to participate in a category that combined pop and R&B, which was mainly controlled by popular celebrities. In reaction to this, singer Mahalia made an appearance at this year’s event wearing a Burberry jacket with the phrase “Long Live R&B” written on the back.
The organizers have announced that the eligibility criteria for the new genre award will span over a period of 24 months instead of the usual 12 months. This change has been made to ensure that artists who were previously overlooked will have the opportunity to qualify for the award.
On Friday, Mahalia expressed to BBC News that the recent change was significant. She shared her disappointment with the younger generation of R&B artists, who may have thought a Brit nomination was unattainable when the combined category was announced a few years ago. She also personally felt the same way, as she was unsure how she would stand out among the large pool of art pop artists in the longlist.
The CEO of BPI, Jo Twist, stated that the Brits is dedicated to ensuring that the show is inclusive and representative. The modifications to this year’s categories are a part of an ongoing evolution, and they will continue to listen, learn, and review.
Twist expressed disappointment in the fact that no women were nominated for artist of the year in 2023, according to organizers.
The recipient of last year’s top artist accolade was Harry Styles, who chose to use his speech to honor a group of talented female vocalists. Recognizing his own privilege, he stated, “I am fully aware of my position tonight, so I dedicate this award to Rina [Sawayama], Charli [XCX], Florence [Welch], Mabel, and Becky [Hill].”
After the musician Sam Smith revealed their non-binary identity and preference for they/them pronouns, gender-neutral categories were implemented. The BPI, faced with a difficult decision, decided to eliminate gendered categories, a decision that was widely applauded as necessary and overdue.
The decision did not have an immediate impact on the inclusion of women. In 2022, Adele received the best artist award and expressed in her speech: “Although I recognize the reason for the name change of this award, I take great pride in being a woman and a female artist.”
The list of nominees for this year included Styles, Stormzy, Central Cee, Fred Again, and George Ezra. During an interview, Smith expressed dissatisfaction with the list, stating that “There is an abundance of amazing talent in the UK that deserves to be recognized on that list.”
Following the 2023 ceremony, the BPI stated that it would assess the nomination procedure and consider making any necessary adjustments to promote gender diversity.
The organisers revealed on Friday that the trophy designer for the 2024 awards will be Rachel Jones, a British visual artist. The ceremony will take place on March 2nd at London’s O2 Arena.
The past creators of the awards have featured Damien Hirst, Vivenne Westwood, Sir Peter Blake, and Zaha Hadid.
Source: theguardian.com
