Over a year after the 2020 Brit Awards took place in London, marking one of the final awards shows of the “normal times,” the list of nominees for the 2021 ceremony is finally here. Dua Lipa is among the frontrunners this year, along with Celeste, Arlo Parks, Headie One, Joel Corry, and the duo Young T & Bugsey, with three nominations each – including British Single Of The Year and British Album Of The Year.  

Harry Styles’ only nomination this year, “Watermelon Sugar,” which recently won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, is running for Single Of The Year – Styles’ hit album Fine Line was already nominated in the 2020 ceremony. Yungblud, fresh off his Weird! release last year, only received one nod as well, for British Male Solo Artist. 

The international categories include names like The Weeknd, Childish Gambino, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Haim, and BTS. 

The Brit Awards were subject to criticism in 2020 due to the clear lack of women and people of color among the contenders – something that the organization has somewhat improved on this year. For the first time in the awards’ history, four out of the five nominees for British Album Of The Year are women: Arlo Parks, Celeste, Dua Lipa, and Jessie Ware. The same category had only male nominees last year. 

Out of 176 eligible records, 121 were made by male artists, 55 by women or groups featuring women, and one by a non-binary musician – Sam Smith, who was not nominated. Ten women received nods in the mixed-gender categories, a significant shift from 2020 when only one female artist – Mabel – was nominated in those. More than half of those nominated for British Album Of The Year, Female Solo Artist, Male Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist, and British Single are non-white.  

Another major change this year was an important revision of the eligibility criteria – thanks to Rina Sawayama. The singer, who was born in Japan but has grown up and lived in the UK for the majority of her life, was barred from competing in 2020 because she was not a British citizen. After meeting with award executives, she was able to get them to change the rules, which now allow artists who have been permanent residents of the country for over five years to be nominated. This year, Sawayama was running in the Rising Star category, which ultimately went to pop singer-songwriter Griff. 

The Brit Awards are set to take place on May 11 and will be hosted by the comedian Jack Whitehall. Dua Lipa and Griff have been confirmed as performers at the ceremony. 

Take a look at the full list of nominees below:

British Album Of The Year

Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams

Celeste – Not Your Muse

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

J Hus – Big Conspiracy

Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?

 

British Single Of The Year

220 Kid and Gracey – Don’t Need Love

Aitch and AJ Tracey – Rain

Dua Lipa – Physical

Harry Styles – Watermelon Sugar

Headie One, AJ Tracey and Stormzy – Ain’t It Different

Joel Corry and MNEK – Head and Heart

Nathan Dawe and KSI – Lighter

Regard and Raye – Secrets

S1mba and DTG – Rover

Young T & Bugsey feat. Headie One – Don’t Rush

 

British Male Solo Artist

AJ Tracey

Headie One

J Hus

Joel Corry

Yungblud

 

British Female Solo Artist

Arlo Parks

Celeste

Dua Lipa

Jessie Ware

Lianne La Havas

 

British Group

Bicep

Biffy Clyro

Little Mix

The 1975

Young T & Bugsey

 

Breakthrough Artist

Arlo Parks

Bicep

Celeste

Joel Corry

Young T & Bugsey

 

International Female Solo Artist

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Cardi B

Miley Cyrus

Taylor Swift

 

International Male Solo Artist

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Childish Gambino

Tame Impala

The Weeknd

 

International Group

BTS

Fontaines D.C.

Foo Fighters

Haim

Run the Jewels

 

Rising Star

Griff (winner)

Pa Salieu

Rina Sawayama