Olivia Dean was the standout winner at the 2026 Brit Awards, held for the first time at Manchester's Co-op Live arena. The 26-year-old singer took home four trophies: artist of the year, pop act, song of the year for her duet with Sam Fender, Rein Me In, and album of the year for The Art of Loving. Her sweep comes just months after she won the Grammy for best new artist, cementing her status as a global star.
Accepting the album of the year award, Dean said: 'This album is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now.' Her record, which blends bossa nova, trip-hop, neo-soul and jazz, has resonated across generations. She also beat herself in the song category, having been nominated for her solo hit Man I Need.
Sam Fender, who collaborated with Dean on Rein Me In, won the alternative/rock award for the third time, after previous wins in 2022 and 2025. Other winners included Wolf Alice, who took group of the year for the second time, and Lola Young, who won breakthrough artist. Rosé and Bruno Mars won international song of the year for APT, with the public voting via WhatsApp.
Host Jack Whitehall kept the audience entertained with sharp jokes, targeting US singer Alex Warren, Robbie Williams, and Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder and Bez. He also referenced the Baftas' recent N-word controversy, promising that the Brits had someone ready to mute any swearing. A joke about Peter Mandelson was edited out by ITV.
Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell dedicated the group award to grassroots music venues, calling for better support for artists. Dave also won an award, but details were not specified in the broadcast. The ceremony marked a shift north for the Brits, with Manchester's arena hosting the event for the first time.
