Olivia Dean Triumphs with Song of the Year at BRIT Awards 2026
Olivia Dean secured the first award of the evening at the BRIT Awards on Saturday, taking home the prestigious Song of the Year gong for her collaboration with Sam Fender on Rein Me In. The 26-year-old singer, who also had her track Man I Need nominated in the same category, received the accolade from music icon Robbie Williams.
Emotional Acceptance Speeches Highlight Collaboration
Upon accepting the award, Sam Fender expressed his gratitude, stating, 'I love this song, I wrote it about four years ago, just want to say thank you to Olivia and the fans.' Olivia Dean added her heartfelt thanks, remarking, 'I just want to say thank you to Sam, it's a beautiful song and it was a pleasure to be a part of it.'
Record Female and Non-Binary Nominations Mark Progress
Olivia Dean and Lola Young led the nominations this year with five each, closely followed by comeback artist Lily Allen, who received three nominations for her critically acclaimed fifth album, West End Girl. This year's ceremony saw a significant shift, with 70 percent of nominations being female or non-binary artists. This marks a notable change from previous years, particularly after the removal of gendered categories like Best Male and Best Female, which had sparked backlash in 2023 when the Artist of the Year shortlist was entirely male.
Historic Move to Manchester Signals New Era
In a groundbreaking development, the BRIT Awards 2026 was held in Manchester for the first time since the ceremony's inception in 1977. Past venues have included iconic London locations such as Earl's Court, the Royal Albert Hall, and Wembley Conference Centre. This move away from the capital is seen as a seismic shift in the event's history, aiming to broaden its audience and decentralise the UK music scene.
A source told the Daily Mail, 'It's officially the end of an era. The BRIT Awards has been hosted in London since the ceremony first took place in 1977 and now for the first time ever, it will be held outside of the capital.' The source added that while it may disappoint London-based artists, there is a growing appetite within the industry for change, similar to moves by The Mercury Prize and The MOBO Awards.
Industry Leaders Praise Manchester Venue
Jason Iley MBE, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK & Ireland, commented, 'This is a very exciting time for The BRIT Awards. Moving to Manchester, the home of some of the most iconic and defining artists of our lifetime, will invigorate the show and build on the BRITs legacy of celebrating and reinvesting in world-class music.' He highlighted that hosting at the state-of-the-art Co-op Live venue in Manchester captures the spirit and energy of the awards.
Full List of BRIT Awards 2026 Nominations
The nominations for the 2026 BRIT Awards showcased a diverse range of talent across various categories:
- Artist of the Year: Dave, Fred Again..., JADE, Lily Allen, Little Simz, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, PinkPantheress, Sam Fender, Self Esteem
- Group of the Year: The Last Dinner Party, Pulp, Sleep Token, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice
- Song of the Year (Public Vote): Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas – Blessings, Chrystal and Notion – The Days (Notion remix), Cynthia Erivo ft Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity, Ed Sheeran – Azizam, Fred Again, Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax – Victory Lap, Lewis Capaldi – Survive, Lola Young – Messy, Myles Smith – Nice to Meet You, Olivia Dean – Man I Need, Raye – Where Is My Husband!, Sam Fender with Olivia Dean – Rein Me In, Skye Newman – Family Matters
- International Song of the Year (Public Vote): Alex Warren – Ordinary, Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club, Disco Lines and Tinashe – No Broke Boys, Gigi Perez – Sailor Song, Gracie Abrams – That’s So True, Huntr/x – Golden, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile, Rayvn Lenae – Love Me Not, Rosé and Bruno Mars – APT., Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild, sombr – Undressed, Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
- International Artist of the Year: Bad Bunny, Chappell Roan, CMAT, Doechii, Lady Gaga, ROSALIA, Sabrina Carpenter, sombre, Taylor Swift, Tyler, The Creator
- Breakthrough Artist: Barry Can't Swim, EsDeeKid, Jim Legxacy, Lola Young, Skye Newman
- International Group of the Year: Geese, HAIM, HUNTR/X-EJAE/AUDREY NUNA/REI AMI
- Alternative Rock Act: Blood Orange, Lola Young, Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice
- Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act: Central Cee, Dave, Jim Legxacy, Little Simz, Loyle Carner
- R&B Act: Jim Legxacy, Kwn, Mabel, Sasha Keable, Sault
- Dance Act: Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas, FKA twigs, Fred Again, Skepta, PlaqueBoyMax, PinkPantheress, Sammy Virji
- Mastercard Album of the Year: Dave - The Boy Who Played The Harp, Lily Allen - West End Girl, Olivia Dean - The Art Of Loving, Sam Fender - People Watching, Wolf Alice - The Clearing
This year's BRIT Awards not only celebrated musical excellence but also underscored a commitment to inclusivity and geographical diversity, setting a new precedent for future ceremonies.
