Wolf Alice use Brit Awards win to call for support for UK’s small venues
wolf alice used their Group of the Year speech at the 2026 Brit Awards to press for support for the UK’s small venues, drawing attention to recent closures and job losses. The north London band also produced a racy wardrobe moment on stage that briefly had camera crews scrambling to keep the frontwoman’s nipples out of frame.
Wolf Alice’s acceptance highlighted small-venue crisis at the 2026 ceremony
The band accepted the Group of the Year prize at the 2026 Brit Awards and used the speech to call for backing for the UK’s small venues. Singer Ellie Rowsell, 33, said the speech was intended to thank those who helped the band early on and to underline the precarious position of grassroots music spaces after a difficult year for the live sector.
Rowsell cited hard numbers on closures, job losses and profitability
Rowsell said that despite the billions the live sector contributes to the economy, last year 30 independent venues closed down and six thousand jobs were lost. She added that over half of small venues reported making no profit at all and argued that it shouldn’t be a battle to survive as a band or any artist.
Calls for funding fairness and career viability from any background
In her speech Rowsell argued: “We shouldn’t be reliant on favours or anyone on funding schemes in order to do things at a level we feel proud of. ” She said it shouldn’t feel like a golden ticket but “a viable career decision for anyone from any background, ” and urged that money be spent to “nurture and protect the UK’s amazing music scene. ”
Presentation moment and dedication to early supporters
The award was presented by Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez, who chanted “Manchester” as they took to the stage and were thanked by Rowsell. Rowsell dedicated the award to “all the people who helped us out in the early years of Wolf Alice, ” listing those who lent the band money, drove them around the country, let them sleep on their floors, bought tickets to early shows and even bought “a piece of our atrocious merch. ” She added, wryly, that she didn’t think anyone actually did that, “that’s completely fair enough. ”
Wardrobe and broadcast moments punctuated the ceremony
The north London band pulled off a racy fashion choice on stage, and camera teams briefly battled to keep the frontwoman’s nipples out of frame while the group used its platform as Group of the Year winners to speak about the challenges facing local venues. Elsewhere, a joke about Lord Peter Mandelson was removed from televised coverage; presenter Jack Whitehall had quipped from the tables that he thought he saw Calvin Harris, Andy Burnham — “legend, the only party he’s allowed into these days” — Lisa Nandy and Peter Mandelson on the guest list.
Song of the Year and another acceptance highlight
Pop star Olivia Dean, 26, and singer-songwriter Sam Fender won Song of the Year for “Rein Me In. ” The song, which features on Fender’s album People Watching, beat Raye, Lola Young and Calvin Harris to the gong. Dean said: “I just want to say thank you to Sam, I think this is a beautiful song, it’s just been a pleasure to be a part of it. ”
