Olivia Dean was the standout winner at the 2026 Brit Awards, taking home four trophies including 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'. The 26-year-old swept every category in which she was nominated, cementing her status as one of Britain's brightest pop stars.
Dean's second album, 'The Art of Loving', has catapulted her to the forefront of British pop, with its relatable themes of modern dating and a sophisticated blend of bossa nova, trip-hop, neo-soul and jazz. Her cross-generational appeal was further underlined by winning best new artist at this year's Grammy Awards.
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.' She triumphed over herself in the song of the year category, having also been nominated for her solo track 'Man I Need', which has spent months in the UK Top 10.
'Rein Me In' was originally a solo track by Sam Fender, who won the alternative/rock category for the third time. The duet version now tops the UK singles chart. Other winners included Wolf Alice, who won group of the year for the second time, and Rosé and Bruno Mars, who took international song of the year for 'APT'.
The ceremony, held for the first time in Manchester at the Co-op Live arena, was hosted by Jack Whitehall, who delivered his trademark biting jokes. Lola Young won breakthrough artist, while Lily Allen missed out despite three nominations. The event also featured political commentary from artists voicing alarm over Reform UK's rise.
