Olivia Dean and Lola Young Top 2026 Brit Awards Noms

Olivia Dean and Lola Young topped the nominations for the 2026 Brit Awards on Wednesday, each securing five nods as the ceremony prepares to make history in Manchester. The annual event, honoring the year's standout British and international music achievements, will take place on February 28 at the Co-op Live arena, marking the first time the awards have been held outside London.

The nominations, revealed during a livestreamed event at the Manchester venue, highlight a diverse field across 16 categories, with women and nonbinary artists comprising about 70 percent of the nominees, the highest representation in the awards' history. Dean, 26, earned recognition in artist of the year, album of the year for The Art of Loving, pop act, and song of the year for both Man I Need and her collaboration with Sam Fender, Rein Me In. Her album, which debuted at number one in the UK and reached number three in the US, explores themes of love through styles ranging from bossa nova to neo-soul. Dean, a graduate of the Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology, described the moment as surreal. "It feels crazy to have five nominations," she said. "I remember watching the Brits on TV when I...