Singer Raye Breaks Record with Seven Brit Award Nominations

Singer-songwriter Raye has made history with a record-breaking seven nominations for the upcoming Brit Awards. This surpasses the previous record of six nominations held jointly by Craig David, Gorillaz, and Robbie Williams. Raye’s nominations include the prestigious artist of the year category, where six out of the 10 nominees are female. This is a significant shift from last year’s merged male and female categories.

In response to the increased demand for female representation, the Brit Awards organizers expanded the artist of the year category from five to 10 slots. This move has led to nominations for talented artists such as Raye, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Little Simz, Arlo Parks, and Dua Lipa, along with male artists Dave, Central Cee, J Hus, and Fred Again. The international artist of the year category also sees a strong presence of female nominees, including Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.

Notably, some high-profile male artists like Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi did not receive nominations in the artist of the year and album of the year categories, despite Sheeran’s two chart-topping albums during the eligibility period. However, they did secure nominations for song of the year. Raye’s nominations extend beyond artist of the year and include best album, best new artist, best pop act, and two nominations in the best song category for her collaborations with various artists.

This achievement is a vindication for Raye, who faced obstacles in releasing her debut album due to opposition from her major label. Despite the challenges, she persevered and independently released her album, which has now garnered seven Brit Award nominations. Raye expressed her surprise and gratitude, stating, “Never in my wildest dreams would I think that trying again would mean seven Brit nominations!”

The Brit Awards nominations this year have made strides in gender representation, with 55% of the nominations featuring women either as solo artists or part of all-female and mixed-gender groups. YolanDa Brown, chair of the music industry body, the BPI, praised the nominees’ diversity and representation. She emphasized the importance of listening and learning to avoid previous gender disparities. The Rolling Stones also received their first nomination in a decade in the best rock act category, which will be voted on via Instagram.

Additionally, this year introduces a new genre category, best R&B act, and nominees include Cleo Sol, Jorja Smith, Mahalia, Sault, and Raye. The album of the year category features a mix of female and male artists, including Raye, Young Fathers, Little Simz, Blur, and J Hus. The Brits Rising Star prize has already been awarded to female rock group The Last Dinner Party.

The Brits Awards ceremony will take place in London on 2nd March, and Dua Lipa has been confirmed as the first performer. The voting for the public categories, including alternative/rock, dance, pop, hip-hop/grime/rap, and R&B acts, will be conducted through Instagram.