Brit Awards 2021

Following the COVID-19 pandemic where close contact with others was greatly curtailed, the 2021 Brits were held with a limited live audience as part of a test by the UK government to trial the idea of crowds with no social distancing. Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, announced that the Brits will join the FA Cup Final and World Snooker Championship final as events that would feature larger crowds than allowed by law at the time. Dowden stated that "these test events will be crucial in finding ways to get fans and audiences back in safely without social distancing. We will be guided by the science and medical experts, but will work flat out to make that happen. We want to get the people back to enjoying what they love and ensure some of our most important growth industries get back on their feet. These are important steps towards the safe and special summer we all crave, and that I’m fully focused on delivering".[11]

On 22 April 2021, it was announced that the ceremony would have a live audience of 4,000 key workers from London. As part of the pilot programme, everyone who attended would have to return a negative COVID PCR test before and after the ceremony. However, the crowd didn't need to be socially distanced or have to wear face masks once inside The O2. The other events that were part of the pilot scheme are: an event at a Liverpool Nightclub on 30 April and 1 May which hosted 3,000 people per night, a 5,000-capacity gig in Liverpool on 2 May, the Emirates FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Leicester City on 15 May which had 21,000 spectators just four days after The Brits and the Carabao Cup Final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur on 25 April which had 4,000 spectators.[12]

Nominees for the Rising Star Award were announced on 11 March 2021[13] and the winner was announced on 19 March 2021.[14] The nominees for the other categories were announced on 31 March 2021 by BBC Radio 1's DJ Nick Grimshaw and 2021 Rising Star Award winner Griff.[15]

On 9 May 2021, it was announced that Taylor Swift would be awarded the Brits Icon Award (renamed the Global Icon for 2021) at the 2021 Brit Awards making her the first female artist and non-British artist to receive the award "in recognition of her immense impact on music across the world and incredible repertoire and achievements to date".[16] Girl group Little Mix made history at the 2021 Brit Awards, when they became the first female group to receive the award for Best Group at the ceremony after 43 years since it was first introduced.[17]

For the 2021 ceremony, the British Phonographic Industry amended the rules regarding eligible of artists for the BRIT Awards, as well as the Mercury Prize which the BPI also run. The updated rules state that an artist and their music are eligible for nominations if they were born in the UK, are a UK passport holder (including individuals who hold more than one passport) or have lived in the UK for more than five years. The change was brought about by singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama who, despite living in the UK for twenty-six years was informed that she could not be nominated for either the Brits or the Mercury Prize because she was not a British citizen. Sawayama currently holds a Japanese passport in order to maintain ties with her family who still live there and, as per Japan's rules, is not allowed to hold dual-citizenship, leading fans to post "#SawayamaIsBritish" in protest. Sawayama met with representatives at the BPI to discuss the eligibility criteria and convinced them to expand it so that she and other artists like her could be nominated for the awards.[18]

On 12 March 2021, three-time Brit Award-winning artist Sam Smith criticized the ceremony for continuing to use the gendered categories of British Male and British Female Solo Artist because they exclude those who do not fit into either of those categories. Smith, who came out as non-binary in 2019, called for change, stating that "the BRITs have been an important part of my career. Music for me has always been about unification not division. I look forward to a time where awards shows can be reflective of the society we live in. Let’s celebrate everybody, regardless of gender, race, age, ability, sexuality and class". In response, a spokesperson from the awards explained "Sam is an extraordinary British artist and we agree with what they have said today. The Brits are committed to evolving the show and the gendered categories are very much under review. But any changes made to be more inclusive need to be just that - if a change unintentionally leads to less inclusion then it risks being counterproductive to diversity and equality. We need to consult more widely before changes are made to make sure we get it right".[19] On 22 November 2021, it was ultimately announced that gendered categories would no longer be used at the Brit Awards beginning in 2022.[20][21]

• Brit Awards official website