Brit Awards 2016: ‘Out of this world’
This year’s Brit Awards (a.k.a. Britain’s equivalent of the Grammys) opened in the London O2 Arena with some bizarre pseudo-Samurai warrior dancing. And this set the tone for a truly otherworldly night.
With posthumous tribute to a fallen star, nominations from beyond the grave, a presenter from outer space, skull masks, fires and flame throwers, séance scenes, black magic...and Björk…the theme of this year’s Brits could have been ‘unearthly’.
Scenes of ice and fire (and mild pyromania) abounded, with Justin Bieber beginning an uncharacteristically controlled acoustic performance of ‘Love Yourself’ in front of a camp fire, before prancing about in front of twerking dancers and rings of fire. James Bay of be-hatted fame had his moment in front of the flamethrowers; Coldplay had their psychedelic glowing bubbles, and the much-doubted appearance of Rihanna took place in the glowing light of coal-like neon stripes. The darkness may have disguised her distinctly weak vocals, but she got a big cheer for dry-humping an equally unexpected Drake.
However, the biggest cheer undoubtedly goes to Adele. Wiping the board with best female solo artist (beating fellow nominee but long-deceased Amy Winehouse) best single, best album (for 25, which has now sold 19 million copies worldwide), and best global success, Adele closed the show with a vocally flawless, spine tingling performance. Her global success award was actually presented from outer space, from Major Tom…sorry, Major Tim Peake, the #BritsInSpace in astronautical black tie. She is, literally, out of this world.
However, all too depressingly down to earth was the predictable lack of diversity. The nominations had already been criticised under the hashtag #Britssowhite, and the results tonight certainly did nothing to dispute that. In fact, apart from Adele, and the not present but ever bizarre Bjork as best international female (also probably streaming from somewhere in space), the winners tonight were a veritable line up of ‘Who’s who?’ in the white, male music world.
James Bay took his second Brit award as male solo artist. Coldplay were the best British group (making them the most successful band ever with 9 awards and 23 nominations over 15 years). Catfish and the Bottlemen won both British breakthrough act and shortest speech of the night. One Direction’s award for best video, open to a public social media vote, was more a tribute to their barmy army of Twitter warriors than their superiority, but Tame Impala were the predictable best international group.
Equally predictable, but still disappointing, was the Biebster’s international male solo artist award, which with nominees Drake and Kendrick Lamar was the only award with any real hope for diversity. Ironic, considering Lamar’s album To Pimp a Butterfly was named as the soundtrack of the #blacklivesmatter movement.
But even the great Belieber couldn’t hold one séance candle to the true icon of the night. The David Bowie tribute had been anxiously awaited by the adoring British public, particularly following creepy Space Oddity Lady Gaga and her gushing, overdone spectacle last week at the Grammys - but we needn’t have worried.
Fittingly presented by Annie Lennox, saying sweet dreams to her old friend, and equally close Gary Oldman accepting the award, the Brits paid tribute to an iconic superstar in the most personal way possible. Lorde, who actually worked with him, performed a stunning medley of his hits, with lead singer and Bowie’s chosen “future of music” finishing with ‘Life on Mars’.
In a night of the bizarre, the fiery exhibition, the other worldly and beyond the grave, this was an unexpectedly controlled and beautiful goodbye to the irreplaceable spectacle that was David Bowie.
