Pink Pantheress Makes History at Brit Awards 2026 as First Woman and Youngest Producer Of The Year
Pop star pink pantheress has been named Producer Of The Year by the Brit Awards, a historic announcement confirmed on Monday February 23 ahead of this weekend’s ceremony. The 24-year-old’s win matters because she is both the first woman to receive the prize since its inception in 1977 and the youngest ever recipient.
Pink Pantheress: first woman and youngest ever Producer Of The Year
The Award for Producer Of The Year has been presented since 1977; pink pantheress’s victory breaks two long-standing patterns by making her the first female recipient and the youngest person to win the trophy. She has described the moment as bittersweet, saying it feels surreal to be the first woman honoured and admitting she still feels young and not yet “legendary enough” — but that she will accept the recognition. She also described the historical lack of female winners as "crazy" in her reaction to the milestone.
How the win was decided and the BRITs’ move to Manchester
The decision to name pink pantheress Producer Of The Year was taken by a select panel of expert judges from the music production sector. The announcement was confirmed on Monday February 23, ahead of the 2026 ceremony taking place this weekend. For the 2026 edition, the BRITs will be held in Manchester at the Co-op Live, the first time the awards ceremony has been staged outside London in nearly 50 years.
Career milestones behind the Producer Of The Year award
PinkPantheress’s catalogue and recent milestones feature several standout items cited in the announcement. Her hits include the single "Illegal, " plus "Stateside" and "Boy's A Liar. " She achieved a major worldwide hit with 2023’s "Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2, " and she has amassed over one billion streams. Five years after posting lo-fi breakout tracks "Break it Off" and "Pain" on TikTok, she rose quickly: those early tracks were written in the dead of night in her university room and rooted in UK garage and drum and bass, a trajectory that led to a Sound of 2022 award. Last year’s punchy, sample-heavy mixtape Fancy That became her first top 10 album and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The single "Illegal, " released from that mixtape, was later named song of the year by a major music outlet and was widely described as an adrenaline-fuelled thrillride that blends storytelling, artful sampling, cheeky culture-defining quips and dance-floor beats. When asked about the track’s resonance, she noted that a TikTok trend helped and that the sample felt timeless.
Production style, DIY tools and influences behind pink pantheress's sound
PinkPantheress’s production approach is notable for being entirely self-taught and highly DIY. Her style features skittering breakbeats and delicate, melodic strands; she records much of her music at home and still uses unconventional solutions in the studio. Early on, lacking a traditional microphone, she experimented with the USB mic bundled with a karaoke game on a home console, plugging it in to see if it would work. She learned production basics through online tutorials and drew inspiration from artists such as Nia Archives, Tinashe and WondaGurl. Even now she records many of her vocals at home and often stretches a sock over the microphone to reduce popping and sibilance.
The award’s history, past winners and broader BRITs context
PinkPantheress joins a long list of past Producer Of The Year winners. One compilation of former recipients includes Sir George Martin, Trevor Horn, Brian Eno, the Eurythmics’ David Stewart, Calvin Harris and Chase & Status. Another list of previous winners cited in the announcement includes A. G. Cook, Calvin Harris, Fred Again.. and Paul Epworth. Until now, Kate Bush had been the only other female producer-ever nominated for the prize, for her 1989 album The Sensual World.
What to expect on the night: nominations, hosts, performers and honours
PinkPantheress is also nominated on the night in Artist of the Year and Dance Act categories. Other honours announced for this year include Jacob Alon as the Critics’ Choice winner and Mark Ronson being recognised for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Noel Gallagher will be attending and has been awarded Songwriter Of The Year. Jack Whitehall returns as host for a sixth time, and this year’s trophy was designed by Matthew Williamson. Leading the nominations are Olivia Dean, Lola Young, Sam Fender, Lily Allen and rapper Jim Legxacy. Performers set for the show include Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, HUNTR/X’s EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, Alex Warren, Sombr and Rosalía. Viewers at home will be able to watch the ceremony live on television and on online platforms.
Industry reaction and significance
Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and a senior industry executive, praised pink pantheress as an inventive and instinctive voice in British pop, calling her production precise and playful and saying her work builds bold, boundary-expanding sounds that travel beyond the UK. Tang added that celebrating her at the BRITs is timely and significant and that the win opens the door for a new wave of female producers to step forward.
As the ceremony approaches this weekend, the confirmation of pink pantheress’s Producer Of The Year award caps a rapid trajectory from DIY bedroom producer to a history-making figure on one of the UK’s most visible stages.
