BRIT awards; and the nominees are…lacking
The full list of nominations for this year’s Brit Awards have been announced this week. The always eventful, albeit recently rather predictable ceremony (Laura Marling, aside) will be held at London’s O2 Arena on February 21st, 2012 and will be broadcast live on ITV1. I feel that the event organisers have made one rather startling omission – that of Will Young in the British Male Solo Artist category. For me, Young is the best British male solo artist around and his latest album ‘Echoes’ was typically brilliant, both vocally and creatively. For shame that he has been overlooked in such a way! I greatly doubt that it will have any kind of detrimental impact on Young’s future career or popularity with the British public, but recognition should be paid all the same.
The nominees are as follows:
British Male Solo Artist
Ed Sheeran / James Blake / James Morrison / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds / Professor Green
My tip: Ed Sheeran. Sheeran has been enjoying a soaring popularity of late and is very much the ‘in-thing.’ He’s also rather good and deserves to win against the other nominees.
British Female Solo Artist
Adele / Florence + the Machine / Jessie J / Kate Bush / Laura Marling
My tip: Adele. I would like Laura Marling to make it two in as many years, but I don’t think Adele’s star power and recent worldwide record of achievement will be overlooked this year.
British Breakthrough Act
Anna Calvi / Ed Sheeran / Emeli Sandé / Jessie J / The Vaccines
My tip: Jessie J. I enjoy a bit of Jessie J, but am not particularly wowed by this category in all honesty. Apart from Calvi, I find the nominations to be too commercial…not sure what I was expecting here.
British Group
Arctic Monkeys / Chase & Status / Coldplay / Elbow / Kasabian
My tip: Coldplay. I’d have liked to see Snow Patrol here and Noah and the Whale, but I would concede that Coldplay are probably the biggest and most consistently high-achieving band to come out of the UK in recent years.
British Single
Adele: ‘Someone Like You’
Ed Sheeran: ‘The A Team’
Example: ‘Changed The Way You Kiss Me’
Jessie J feat B.o.B: ‘Price Tag’
JLS feat Dev: ‘She Makes Me Wanna’
Military Wives and Gareth Malone: ‘Wherever You Are’
Olly Murs feat Rizzle Kicks: ‘Heart Skips A Beat’
One Direction: ‘What Makes You Beautiful’
Pixie Lott: ‘All About Tonight’
The Wanted: ‘Glad You Came’
My tip: Jessie J. ‘Price Tag’ would be my favourite of the above tracks, though I am partial to a bit of JLS and I’m not afraid to show it.
Mastercard British Album Of The Year
Adele: 21 / Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto / Ed Sheeran: + / Florence + the Machine: / Ceremonials / PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
My tip: Ed Sheeran. A tough category as record sales would stand some nominees head and shoulders above the rest, but for achievement; both musically and commercially, I would have to say Sheeran.
International Male Solo Artist
Aloe Blacc / Bon Iver / Bruno Mars / David Guetta / Ryan Adams
My tip: Bruno Mars. I like Mars’ style and work, but Bon Iver would be my personal favourite of the bunch. I’d be surprised if he were to be acknowledged in this setting though.
International Female Solo Artist
Beyoncé / Bjork / Feist / Lady Gaga / Rihanna
My tip: Firstly, Britney Spears, (‘Femme Fatale’)? I would say that Beyonce might walk away with this one, in light of her Glastonbury spectacular.
International Group
Fleet Foxes / Foo Fighters / Jay Z and Kanye West / Lady Antebellum / Maroon 5
My tip: Jay Z and Kanye West. A fan of neither, but I think their combined pulling power will prove victorious.
International Breakthrough Act
Aloe Blacc / Bon Iver / Foster The People / Lana Del Rey / Nicki Minaj
My tip: Lana Del Rey. The Brits have always hopped in to the sidecar of whatever is current and buckled up for the ride, so Lana Del Rey should walk away quite easily with this one. Glad to see recognition for Foster The People though.
British Producer: Paul Epworth / Flood / Ethan Johns
Critics’ Choice Emeli Sandé
Outstanding Contribution To Music Award: Blur
Fear not Will, you remain and forever shall be, the rightful Red Rum of the British male vocalist steeplechase.
www.brits.co.uk / www.willyoung.co.uk
shelleyhanveywriter 
